| For a long time, homeschooled children were at a | | | | they expect out of homeschooled applicants. Some |
| disadvantage when it came to applying for and gaining | | | | may require some type of transcript of the courses or |
| admission to the country's top colleges and universities. | | | | classes they have taken, while others may require |
| Parents struggled to provide their children with an | | | | something that is more representative of the |
| education that was considered equivalent to the | | | | homeschooled student's academic work such as a |
| curriculum of traditional public or private schools. Even | | | | portfolio. Parents should begin gathering representative |
| when parents did provide an adequate curriculum, | | | | samples of their child's work at an early age so that |
| colleges often failed to recognize homeschooled | | | | they can be easily accessed and compiled during the |
| diplomas as official or accredited. | | | | application process.o Make contact - If a child is |
| Slowly but surely, homeschooling has become more | | | | interested in a particular college or university, parents |
| and more accepted by colleges and universities | | | | should begin looking at the school's specific |
| across the country. As parents become certified | | | | requirements, guidelines, and admission rates for |
| homeschool teachers, and as online distance learning | | | | homeschooled children. Again, different schools have |
| programs seek and receive accreditation, homeschool | | | | different requirements, so it is best to take an early |
| education, diplomas, and students have been legitimized | | | | look before any commitments to a specific school are |
| and are now looked at under a whole new light. | | | | made.o Don't limit your child's choices - Many parents |
| Besides choosing or developing a homeschooling | | | | are afraid to allow their homeschooled children to apply |
| curriculum that will be considered accredited by | | | | to certain colleges and universities. Today, there are |
| American colleges and universities, here are a few tips | | | | close to 1000 schools across the country that regularly |
| for parents to consider if they want to do their best to | | | | admit homeschooled students. In fact, at many of |
| help get their homeschooled child into college:o Do your | | | | today's colleges and universities, homeschooled |
| research - College is certainly never a guarantee for | | | | students are looked at as individuals who can offer |
| any student. Whether by personal choice or by some | | | | something unique to their school's overall experience.o |
| outside circumstance, a child may decide that college is | | | | Give things equal thought - Some parents make the |
| just not the right option. However, if a parent | | | | mistake of placing too much emphasis on their child's |
| recognizes that a child has the interest or the potential | | | | academic transcript. Many of today's AZScolleges and |
| for pursuing a college education (especially at a young | | | | universities use a holistic approach to their admissions |
| age), then the best thing to do is to begin contacting, | | | | process, so parents should be encouraged to provide |
| requesting, and gathering information about which | | | | schools with a diverse array of information on their |
| colleges regularly admit homeschooled students and | | | | child, including standardized test scores, admissions |
| what factors they consider as part of the admissions | | | | essays and letters of recommendation, as schools will |
| process.o Prepare your child's credentials - Different | | | | often give these aspects of the application equal |
| schools have different requirements as far as what | | | | consideration. |