As a home school mom of many and one that has been doing it for 14 years and counting, one question that always arises is the one of a child getting into college.
It has been noted that home schooled children score higher on standardized tests like the SAT and the ACT than students in the traditional school setting. Why? Speculation is that the environment is more relaxed than in a regular school.
The one on one atmosphere that students get in the home school environment leads to a better understanding of school subjects. One of the deciding factors tends to be time. Whereas a child in a traditional school setting may only have 45 to 55 minutes in a classroom setting, the homeschooler may spend two hours on one subject that is particularly difficult and thirty minutes the next. The flexibility allows for a child to learn at their own rate until they know the information like the back of their hand.
The truth of the matter is, as long as a home schooled student can meet the requirements for college admission, they will be admitted to any particular school. The point of complying with state requirements for home schooling sets a student up for success after high school. It is wise that as parents we start well in advance of the college years preparing for college paperwork.
If your child has an idea what colleges they would like to apply to, begin a relationship with them. Find out what types of things they look for in their potential students. Add a class to the curriculum that deals with college preparation.
Give your kids an idea of what they have to look forward to and how well they must perform to get admitted. Several colleges admit home schooled students while still taking high school credit courses which is a wonderful advantage. They are considered dual-enrolled students and will receive college credit for the courses they take. Another advantage is that the child gets to experience the college environment without the pressures associated with it.
Home schooled children are evaluated as are children that attend traditional schools when applying to a college of choice. Not only are their scores evaluated but their performance in advanced placement classes as well as extra curricular activities are taken into consideration. Quite simply, just because you get a traditional education doesn’t mean that a college will admit you.
Getting into college is a matter of strategy and careful planning. A smart person, who doesn’t take the time to write a good essay or study for the SAT, won’t impress a college committee. A confident student who knows their subjects, whether home schooled or public school taught, will make it into the college of their choice. My advise to parents is to not worry, because home schooling is not a hindrance but a plus.