The Path From Home School to College

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I'm not going to lie about it - being home schooled doesn't make the college application process go any more smoothly. In fact, sometimes it tends to make it even more complex than it already is (which, for those of you who have already completed it, or are nearing completion, is approximately as simple as the equations on this background). The purpose of this page is to set forth some of my experiences with the process, so that perhaps others may be better prepared as they embark on their journey. For more information about home schooling in general, click here.

Before I begin describing my own saga, I should direct the reader to the official requirements for admission of home schooled students to public institutions in the state of Georgia (which is where I reside). Click here to view the current regulations (you'll have to scroll about halfway down the page) - however, be advised these are under revision for students matriculating in the year 2001 or after.

My first piece of advice is to make sure you're well-informed as to the exact requirements for home schooled applicants at all schools you want to apply to. These vary greatly from school to school. For example, at Rice University in Texas, home schoolers have to submit five SATII scores in the basic subject areas (math, english, science, social science, and foreign language). For public universities in Georgia, this number is up to seven, and language proficiency must also be demonstrated in some form (the mandates for this subject are not yet completed - see the above link). Other universities I applied to, like the University of Pittsburgh, required a list of my textbooks for all my highschool courses, but no additional test scores beyond the SAT I, which is required for all applicants. This should give you an idea of the great variety of requirements at different schools. Be prepared for them to ask you for almost anything, and if you are even considering going to any colleges that require SAT II subject tests, begin taking them early! It's not fun to be taking exams in your senior year on subjects you took in ninth and tenth grade - and even if it was, you're not likely to perform as well as you would have when the information was fresh in your mind. (For more information about the SAT I and SAT II subject tests, see the College Board website.)

The next thing you need to do is make sure you have an up-to-date transcript. If you have a home computer, you can create one in any of a number of word processors or other programs. The transcript needs to list your courses under names which are acceptable for high school classes in the state you are living in. A list of courses can usually be obtained through the board of education. Grades are probably best if listed as numerical averages for the year (or semester/quarter if your parents calculate cumulative grades at additional times during the school year) .You also need to compute your GPA (both numerical and on a 4.0 scale). The front page of your transcript should be easy to read and list your school's name, whichever of your parents acts as principal or primary teacher (since most places require the transcript to be signed), the date of issue (make sure you change this if you print transcripts throughout the year, as you probably will), your full name, and your Social Security Number (optional, but it makes it easier for the schools to match records). Senior year courses should also be listed on the transcript, though they do not have to have grades by them until after the first semester, and then, if you calculate grades twice a year, you should fill in those averages. Test scores should be on a separate page of the transcript, following your grades. Click here to see a sample of a basic transcript that includes all necessary information. If desired, you can also add a page listing any major awards or honors awarded (such as National Merit Commendations, any awards from tournaments or competitions, etc).

Another issue for many high school seniors is how to fund their undergraduate education. If you are interested in scholarships, you should start searching during your junior year, even if the applications aren't due until your senior year. As a home schooled student, you need to be aware that you will be ineligible for many scholarships, so be sure and check with the sponsoring organization before spending a lot of time filling out forms and writing essays. Also, even if you are eligible to apply, in some cases, the deck is still stacked against you. For example, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program uses a scan-tron form to choose its semifinalists. If you can't bubble in things like Beta Club or marching band, or haven't been an elected officer for any school organization (which is difficult to do as a home schooler, to say the least), you are automatically at a relative disadvantage to other students from a more traditional school, even if you are just as qualified as they are for the award - your activities won't fit the form. Fastweb is a good place to begin searching for scholarships you might be eligible for (not to mention it's free).