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College acceptance has been a concern for homeschoolers in the past, but today’s home-schooled applicants in many cases are actually looked upon more favorably than their public-schooled counterparts. Some colleges actively recruit homeschoolers. Homeschool students can even receive substantial scholarships!

Transcripts/Portfolios

Most colleges will want to see a record of high school classes the student has taken, and the grades received. Homeschool families can develop their own transcript. Design a letterhead and choose a name for your "school" to give it a professional appearance. Include a summary of what is covered in each class, and keep detailed records of the curriculum used, books read, reports written, test scores, extra-credit assignments, special projects, field trips taken, etc. Decide on which grading system you want to use (letter grades or numerical) and keep track of the grades given. You may also want to create a student portfolio, containing a collection of the student's best work, writing samples, final exams, awards or certificates received, letters of recommendation, records of extra-curricular accomplishments and community service/volunteer work, etc.

Did You Know...? Transcripts Made Easy is your friendly guide to high school paperwork! Now available as an e-book! Click Here!

Diploma/GED

It can be beneficial to be enrolled in a homeschool program which issues an official high school diploma, but it's not absolutely necessary. It used to be recommended that homeschool graduates take the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) test. (Information on GED test sites is available from the State Department of Education's GED office.) However, there is no longer any legitimate reason for homeschoolers to take the GED test. This includes those students who may not wish to go on to college. A homeschooler who obtains a GED risks being considered a high school drop-out by the job market. Most colleges, employers, and the military will accept a parent-issued high school diploma along with a detailed transcript or portfolio as sufficient proof of high school completion.

College Admissions Requirements

You must check with the specific colleges of your choice to make sure you will be able to fulfill their individual requirements. Homeschoolers can usually get into college by submitting SAT and ACT test scores, a transcript, reference letter and essay.

State Universities

State universities generally require having completed 4 years of English, 4 years of Mathematics, 3 years of Laboratory Science, 3 years of Social Studies, 2 years of a Foreign Language, and 1 year of Fine Arts. They require a high school diploma and a score of 22 on the ACT or 1040 on the SAT.

Community Colleges

2-year community colleges are open to all applicants. Most even have early entrance programs that allow high school students to take college classes with permission. After obtaining 36 eligible credit hours at a community college, you can enter a 4-year university as a transfer student, with no SAT/ACT or high school diploma required.

Military Requirements

Before 1998, home schoolers were officially considered “second tier recruits” and faced difficulty in gaining enlistment to the military or acceptance into military academies. The best approach was to first obtain 15 credit hours from a community college. HSLDA lobbied Congress to fix this situation and create an equitable enlistment route for home- schooled graduates. Each branch of the military now reserves a certain number of slots for home schoolers and is required to consider home-schooled graduates as Tier 1 enlistees.

Recommended Books

And What About College? and Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook, by Cafi Cohen.

Homeschooling: The Teen Years, by Cafi Cohen and Janie Levine Hellyer.

E-books: Homeschooling the High Schooler and Get a Jump Start on College

Recommended Websites

Cafi Cohen's Homeschool Teens and College
A homeschooler's guide to college admissions and educating teenagers, from the author of And What About College?

Learn in Freedom: Colleges That Admit Homeschoolers
More than 1,000 schools of higher education appear on this FAQ and its subpages, and links to over 980 college Web sites appear on these pages. Read on to find out which colleges have admitted homeschooled children, and continue to the linked subpages to find out more about how to get into the college of your choice.

www.hslda.org/highschool/default.asp
Homeschooling Thru High School, from the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

www.HomeschoolTranscripts.com
This is your one-stop station for serious high school help: planning junior/senior high curriculum, documenting all secondary level training options, preparing for college and career decisions, and presenting professional credentials for prospective opportunities.

www.homeschoolfriendlycolleges.com
Homeschool Friendly Colleges and Universities

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000234.asp
An article on homeschool graduates being accepted into Ivy League universities, from the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

http://www.hslda.org/highschool/brochures.asp
Homeschooling Through High School Brochures - Developed by HSLDA’s high school coordinators, these brochures address a variety of topics to help you homeschool your high schooler. Simply download and print!

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