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college info
| Ten Reasons to Homeschool Through High School |
| Cafi Cohen |
| Cafi Cohen lists ten reasons to homeschool the older child, including efficiency, getting a head start on college, allowing for work experience, limiting peer pressure, and more. |
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| The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 4,700 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves over three and a half million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program®(AP). | |
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Search for schools and careers, find test preparation courses, get information on scholarships, and more. |
Homeschool code for the PSAT, SAT, & ACT exams?
| SAT |
970000 |
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| ACT |
969-999 |
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| For the PSAT, each state has its own homeschool code, so be sure to use the one from your state. |
| 990199 |
Alabama | |
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A letter from Peter Negroni, Vice President, Teaching and Learning, of the College Board, addressing the procedure for students to take the PSAT/NMSQT, AP, or any other secure College Board tests.
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Alison Mckee |
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Alison McKee began unschooling her two children over twenty years ago and from their family's experiences wrote the book "From Homeschool to College and Work: Turning Your Homeschooled Experiences into College and Job Portfolios." In this Frequently Asked Questions list, she discusses unschooling through high school and how this works when your child wants to head off to college. |
| Alternatives for 18-Year Old Homeschoolers |
| Larry and Susan Kaseman |
| Increasing numbers of homeschoolers (and conventionally-schooled young people) are choosing alternative ways of living and learning after they reach age 18. They are moving beyond the widespread assumption that high school graduates should either go to college, get a full-time job and live on their own, or join the military. Instead, many homeschoolers choose to build on and expand what they have been doing: learning through life experience; pursuing their passions; interacting with people of many different ages; and doing real work that contributes to their own growth and development and strengthens them, their families, and their communities. | |
Q: How do you choose a college? Is a big name college really better?
A: In choosing a college, you want to find a school that is a good "fit" for your student. Finding a good fit will require some work on the part of the student and his family. Consider some of these things:
Big school or smaller school
Distance from home
Public or Private
In my materials I list 9 questions to help you decide as you begin your search to help narrow down the type of school you desire.
Many people feel a big name college is the best place to be. That may be a very good choice for some students, but most can get an excellent education at another school. The "fit" for the student is far more important than the name on the diploma for most students. Also, be aware of the sticker price! Some of the big name schools have really high prices, and a less prominent school may be able to give you a great education at a much lower cost.
In my materials, I also include over 50 questions to be considered about each school you look at–––everything from academics to the cafeteria! These questions will help guide you as you check out each school.
Q: How do we know what courses to do in high school?
A: Each college has a list of their requirements for admission, and these vary some from college to college. You can find their requirements listed in their catalog, usually under admissions requirements. As you begin high school, if you will work toward getting the following courses done, you will be on-track for admission at most schools:
3-4 years English (includes Literature, grammar and writing)
2-3 years Mathematics (need to get in Algebra I & II and some geometry.
Calculus and Trig are a plus, but not really necessary at most colleges)
2-3 years Social Sciences (History, government, economics, geography)
2-3 years Science (physical science, biology, chemistry, physics are some of the
choices. Try to get 1 or 2 with some lab work)
2-3 years foreign language (all in the same language)
Some colleges will also require some Physical Education credits or some Fine Arts credits, but not many have these requirements. Generally, the more selective the college is, the greater the course requirements become.
When you have decided on what schools you will be making application to, be sure to double check their course requirements and work to finish up anything you have not completed. If you are looking at a very selective college, you will want to have everything done that is recommended in their admissions requirements, but if you are looking at the more average school, they will work with you on courses that still need to be completed.
As a beginning Freshman, if you will just concentrate on getting an English, science, math, social studies and a foreign language done each year, you will be well on your way to completing your course requirements in time to add anything extra during your senior year when you know what school you wish to attend
Q: Should our student apply at more than one college?
A: Yes, for most students, it is best to make application to several schools. You might want to apply to a school that is somewhat of a "reach" for you (this is a school that is more difficult to gain admission to) and also apply to at least one that is a sure thing. I also recommend applying to at least one public school and at least one private school.
You will not be able to really compare the costs of the schools until you make formal application to them since a school will not generally work up a financial aid package for you until you have applied to the school. Don’t just rely on the stated "cost" of the school since financial aid may vary greatly from college to college. Also, don’t shy away from the private schools based on the cost as many private schools are well endowed and can offer some great scholarships. You won't know what will be offered until you apply, so don’t rule out a school too early in the process. Our younger daughter is going to a private Christian college for much less than she could have gone to a state school because they offered so much more in scholarships and grants. I have much more information on college selection and admission in my notebook.
Q: What if my test scores aren’t great? Can I still gain admission to college?
A: Schools look at more than just test scores, so if yours aren't great, try to have other things that will improve your chances to gain admission. Solid academic preparation with maybe a few community college class credits will be a plus on any college application. Many admissions officers like to see applicants with outstanding community service involvement or leadership within an organization (like scouts, 4-H, etc).
One of the big "buzz" words among college admissions officers is diversity. They want to bring together a freshman class that is as diverse as possible, so you may be able to use that to your advantage. Communicate how you can bring something different and valuable to the school.
One final word on test scores; remember that if your test scores aren’t great, you can take the tests as many times as you wish. Generally your scores will improve some with each testing. Try doing some studying before the exam and even take a few practice exams at home. You might be able to bring your scores up in the process. My Testing section offers some other test strategies that you may find helpful.
Q: College: Is it right for me? Is this the right time for me to go to college?
A: These are legitimate questions that should be explored by the student and his parents. You might want to consider a community college, a technical school, travel, working for a year or two, extended mission work, apprenticeships or trade schools. Look at all your options before making your decision.
How can you know if your student is ready to tackle the academics of college? Think about the following items and see where your student is–––it will help you determine if he is ready for college.
Is he ready to be independent in setting his own schedule? Choosing his classes? Is he independent in his study skills or do you have to remind him to get his work done? Can he organize his time?
Is she ready to take notes in class and do the extra reading that is necessary in college?
Are you comfortable with his reading speed and comprehension? Does he know how to utilize the library for research? Are his computer skills good enough?
These are just a few things you might want to consider as you and your student look toward college. There will be other things that are important to your family, but this gives you a general idea of some things to consider.
Q: As a homeschooler, will my student have to do more to gain admission to college?
A: This will greatly vary from school to school. The colleges our girls applied to required NO extras for homeschoolers–they were admitted based on test scores, transcripts and the basic application. There are colleges that require more of homeschooled applicants. They may ask for SAT II exams (sometimes several more than are required by public school applicants) or higher test scores. Some colleges will not accept a homeschooler unless he has a diploma from an accredited high school. Remember that if you are bothered by a school requiring extra from homeschoolers, you can look at other colleges since there are many schools that readily accept homeschoolers.
When checking on admission requirements, be sure to ask specifically about admission requirements for homeschool students. Frequently a school will require some extras from homeschoolers but may not make note of that in their catalog. The best way to find out is to call the admissions office and inquire. Be sure that you talk to an admissions officer, not a secretary or student worker.
Be aware that the more selective a school is, the higher their admissions requirements are. This is true for all admissions and sometimes doubly so for homeschoolers. Just remember that there are many, many colleges that will welcome your student with no extra hoops to jump through!
Q: What is the current cost of a college education?
A: For the 2006–2007 academic year, the average tuition charges were:
Public 2 year Community College $2,000
Public University $6,000–8,000
Private College or University $25,000–35,000
These rates are approximately 5.8% to 9.6% higher than the year before, and costs are increasing nearly every year. The average family will pay from $120–$1000 more this year than last year in tuition and fees, and $82–$316 more for room and board. (Keep in mind that frequently the stated price on many public schools does not reflect all of the fees that are charged, so be sure to find out what those charges will be as it could add hundreds of dollars a year to the cost.)
Living on campus is an additional $6000–$8000 a year added to the tuition, and books and supplies can add another $730–$800 per year to the cost.
Other expenses to consider:
Travel to and from school (including for Thanksgiving holiday and Spring Break)
Parking fees
Other fees not added into the cost
Computer (does your student need one or are they available on campus)
There is also a charge for out–of–state students at most public schools that averages $3,630 a year at a 2 year school and $6,347 at a 4 year school.
A college education can become a MAJOR expense! We were aware that we could not help our children with these kinds of costs, so we began to research scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid. This is why I have written the homeschool2college! This is the information that we learned along the way, and it can help you find money for your children’s college education. The section on "Money for College" covers the information that we have collected.
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