Making the decision to homeschool your child throughout high school with an eye towards college is a rewarding and challenging task. Here are some things to consider:
Choices for fulfilling college requirements
One of your first decisions will be to consider how you want to prepare your child for college. The choices generally consist of using a portfolio or using an umbrella/distance school. With the portfolio approach, you will be responsible for making sure all requirements for college entry are met and documenting all of your child’s work with relevant samples to present to a college admissions representative.
There are several books and e-books available to help you self-prepare impressive high school transcripts and portfolios. The other popular approach is to use an umbrella school or distance-high school that is responsible for monitoring your child’s academic progress and providing a certified transcript. You should make sure that your distance program has a National Accreditation and will provide good personal recommendations for your child.
Fulfilling Requirements
Every state has requirements for entry into their state colleges or universities. If you think that your child will probably go to an in state school, then you need to know from the beginning of high school how to meet those requirements with your homeschooling education. If your child has some special skills or interests that are not recognized by your state colleges, then you will need to look at those schools and talk to an admissions representative early on to determine what that specific college requires for admission to the school.
Most colleges will also require that your child take the SAT or its equivalent for college admission. However, there are some schools that do not require this form of testing. Prepare your child well in advance for the test, so you he achieve a good score. Visit collegeboard.com to receive information and helpful advice on all testing for college bound students. This site also helps student consider colleges that might be a good match for them and discusses topics like financial aid.
Going Beyond the Basics
A homeschooled high school student will want to have something that helps them stand out from a crowd of applicants. One of the things that you and your child might want to consider include achieving college credit while still in high school. This is generally done in the junior and senior years of high school through an Open Admissions program at a local junior college or university. You will also want to have your child take honors level high school courses that substantiate accelerated learning and will prepare him to take Advanced Placement (AP) tests. You child may be able to earn college credit based on the AP score. Homeschoolers can register for these tests at various testing sites along with public school students. AP prep books in various subject areas are available at your local bookstore.
Community Services
Every college-bound homeschooler should do community service work. This is not only for her own good as a citizen, but also because it will be a distinguishing factor on a college application. College applications will generally ask you to list any awards and honors that have been received. Homeschoolers can earn awards such as The Presidential Service Award or the more demanding Congressional Award by displaying consistent public service throughout high school. Your child might also want to consider some form of volunteer apprenticeship or internship where she can learn about a possible career path by mentoring with an expert in the field.
Developing Interests and a Sense of Focus
Homeschoolers are often more focused on their career goals because they have had more time at home to develop their interests. Make sure that your teen has the opportunity to focus and develop interests and skills. Not every child will have chosen their career path upon graduation from high school, but interests can certainly be developed and broadened by things like travel, service work abroad, and stimulating extra-curricular activities.
Challenge and Communication
Challenge your homeschooler to do independent work, to think deeply about goals, and to keep communicating dreams and goals; even if those might not be the same ones you hold for the child. By continuing to truly claim their high school education, they will learn more deeply and be more willing to do the work necessary to secure entrance to a college that is in line with their goals. Perhaps they may even decide to continue on with distance learning throughout college.
It will take real commitment and follow through to help your child achieve entrance into a desired college. Make sure that your financial plans for a college are thought out carefully as well. Research scholarships for outstanding students and apply for them. There are many scholarships available that people are unaware of. Ask about them. Prepare your child to do excellent academic work, meaningful service work, and participate in extracurricular activities so that he or she will be both distinguished and well-focused on the goal of college and career. Help your child to make career exploration truly meaningful so that they will continue to pursue learning with eagerness and consistency throughout their college years and into adulthood.
