Overview
If you’re homeschooled, and now you want to go to college. You’re wondering how college applications could work differently for you as a homeschooled student? Well, the good news is that admissions are handled very similarly for homeschoolers as those of a public/private school. There are some instances where colleges prefer homeschooled individuals and seek them out. The admission officer will evaluate each student’s abilities, background, and what kind of opportunities they’ve had as homeschoolers. Homeschoolers do submit certain application materials. With this article, we’ll help try to walk you through each major part of your homeschooled student’s application.
Transcripts
Your primary teacher is your parent, and they’re responsible for creating your records so that either your cover/umbrella/church school or your parent can create your transcripts and for sending it to colleges. Parents can go about creating transcripts in a few different ways:
- Creating their transcript and diploma
- Joining a service that creates transcripts and diplomas
- Joining a homeschool group that produces professional transcripts/diplomas
- Being under cover of a church school that offers a transcript and diploma with enrollment
Homeschooling every day or every other day looks a lot different than a traditional setting of educational facilities. Sometimes, turning your student’s academic experiences into credit courses may seem difficult at first. Well, I’m happy to tell you that there is no such thing as a “correct” or “standard” transcript, even among school districts.
What should your transcript include when you create it?
- Your name, the name of your homeschool, address, and phone number
- Your high school course list ordered by years grades 9 through 12
- The institution/location where each class was taken (ex. homeschool, church school, online school, community college)
- The grading scale used for your homeschool
- Overall GPA
- Expected graduation date
- Credits per course (per semester/year)
- Signature of parent
You can contact your online schools or the places you have taken classes outside of homeschooling and make sure they also send your school(cover/umbrella/church school) an official copy of your transcript. The records you create for your students should be cumulative and include both: homeschooled classes and any classes taken anywhere outside of homeschooling.
GED and diploma
Your student doesn’t need a GED or diploma to apply to college or to qualify for financial aid. You will have to communicate that you meet the required laws for homeschooling in your state. If you have valid transcripts, there is no reason for any student to take a GED. Colleges would place the most emphasis on your transcript and standardized test scores if you were homeschooled or using an online academy, virtual school, or organized homeschool program using their standards and policies regarding graduation.
When your parents explicitly homeschool you under cover of an umbrella/church school in Alabama. Your parents have the option to issue your transcripts and diploma if you’ve met the necessary state requirements for graduation or can pay for the cover school to publish the transcripts and diploma.
When you decide to apply for FAFSA, make sure that you select “homeschooled” when it asks for your completion status for high school. By checking homeschool, you’ll help prevent any delays you may have if marked “high school diploma,” even if you’re under an umbrella/cover school.
Letters of Recommendation
When submitting your letters of recommendation, colleges typically prefer recommendations from outside teachers than from a parent. If your student has taken classes outside of homeschooling, you should consider asking that teacher to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf. You can also request additional letters from any coaches, mentors, a clergy member, or even a volunteer coordinator if any of them can share any insights into how you might contribute to the academic, social, and cultural aspects of college.
Something else to remember is that each college has its policies on recommendation letters. It’s always best to contact the colleges and ask them directly what they want to see as far as who writes your notes and whether they’ll accept one from a parent.
The School Report
Typically, in a traditional setting, the school report is generally completed by the guidance counselor. Still, when you homeschool, it should be completed by your parent or the administrator of your homeschooling program. You should report facts about your school: GPA grading scale and how many honors or AP courses offered.
NOTE: when filling out the school report, there will be several spots marked N/A because they’re dependant on the comparison of other students within the same school.
When it comes to accessing your online profile if you log on to the common application and find the “Education” section and click “Find Schools.” You will see a window popup, and it will list all the schools in your area. Scroll down to the very bottom and select “homeschooled!” Next, you’ll enter your counselor’s information. You will put your parent’s contact info here. Your parent will then receive an email and requesting them to set up a counselor account (a My Recommender Account); this is where the school’s profile and counselor recommendations. Your parent can provide any additional context about your homeschooling and how it was structured. Your parents should upload the following:
- Student’s progressing transcript (including homeschool classes and classes taken outside of the home)
- Course description document of your homeschooled classes (materials used, reading lists, major assignments, and scientific experiments conducted)
- Grading method for each homeschooled subject and how grades and credits are given
- Your philosophy for homeschooling