Anyone’s homeschool diploma not get accepted by colleges? A parent who’s considering homeschooling her kids had worries about college acceptance. Her husband’s co-worker, who was homeschooled, was only accepted into a Christian college. To avoid the problem, they asked a homeschooling community for input.
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Know What Colleges Want
A commenter says they had to tailor their program to colleges’ requirements. They checked homeschool admissions at the most likely colleges and listed the expectations. You can find the conditions on your state university’s website.
Focus on the Transcript
Several answers cover the fact that transcripts are more important than diplomas. In some states, homeschoolers don’t get diplomas. They can only get a completion document or letter. It would help if you had a transcript for college admission. When your kid nears high school completion, you should research admission requirements. This will help you decide how to approach homeschooling.
You May Need Extra Items
A parent of a high school senior shares that some colleges require SAT or ACT scores and extra recommendation letters from people outside the family. There’s a better chance of success if outside-the-home grades back up the scores you give your kid. Dual enrollment at a community college could help.
Their son was accepted to all the universities he applied to. They provided transcripts, course descriptions, a counselor letter, and a school profile during the application process. It’s best to start looking for the appropriate record-keeping process when your kid gets to middle school.
Community College Is Powerful
Another contributor says you could get a lot of homemade credentials by trying out basic classes. In one year, you’ll have undergrad-level credentials acceptable by universities. You also need to consider that not all trades require a university degree.
Colleges Like Homeschoolers
A commenter says they have not heard of colleges rejecting homeschooled students. Dual enrollment allows kids to have college credits that prove their academic capabilities. If you get rejected, you can fight the university’s decision. State law determines the validity of a diploma. In most cases, issues arise due to ignorance about homeschooling.
Schools are Different
The number of hurdles you have to overcome depends on the college. A parent shares that they had to meet numerous requirements when applying to a public university. Surprisingly, the institution had the lowest admission needs. Contrastingly, a competitive Christian university gave them admission with only the ACT.
Some Colleges Are Too Strict
Harvard doesn’t require a high school diploma for admission. A contributor says that they are sure most colleges are not better than Harvard. You could talk to the admissions office and tell them about your homeschooling experience. Ask them for their requirements; if they balk, that’s not your school.
No one Cares About Diplomas
Another parent shared that they sent homeschool transcripts to eight public and private universities in four states. All universities accepted their application without question. Two asked for course descriptions and textbook lists. They got acceptance letters from all the universities, and no one asked for a diploma.
Take the GED
A commenter said that the acceptance rate depends on the state and college. Their state passed a law that requires state-funded schools to take in homeschool transcripts. Private schools do not have to comply with this law. You can work around this by ensuring your kid gets a high school equivalency test that all colleges can accept.
The State Is the Problem
Numerous thread contributors agreed that states have different rules. While some states accept diplomas and test scores, others are stricter and need more paperwork.
Homeschool students do not get exceptions. They are subjected to the exact requirements as public school applicants. Their submissions are reviewed and weighted like public school students.
