From homeschool to college

From homeschool to college (Worcester Magazine Online, 5/4/06)

By Joan H. Bress, LICSW, CEP

The number of homeschooled college applicants has risen dramatically in the past decade. There are currently 2 million children who study at home rather than at school, and the number is expected to reach 3 million by 2010. While an estimated 50% of these children attend college, many college admissions offices are still not certain about the best way to evaluate the academic experiences of these students.

In conversations I have had with numerous college admissions officers, I have not encountered any whose college has a policy of refusing admission to students who have been homeschooled. Although concerns and cynicism exist at some colleges, most colleges express interest in receiving applications from homeschooled students. Colleges that have accepted homeschooled students appreciate the maturity and self-direction these students demonstrate. They believe that because homeschooled students have been involved in shaping their own education, they tend to be motivated learners and are comfortable assuming positions of leadership, both in class and in social situations.

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