The decision to homeschool a child sparks an irrevocable bounty of benefits. With the increased flexibility of schedules, the opportunity to choose and adapt curriculum, and the ability to tailor learning methods and advance creativity, it’s no surprise that the number of children in homeschool and online programs has nearly doubled in the past six years!
However, as homeschooled children reach that pivotal moment when they’re preparing for college applications, parents are often overwhelmed with a laundry list of questions. Recommendation letters? How can my child source those? Do I write them? What about test prep and test strategy? Will I need to be their guidance counselor and their instructor? What about their extracurriculars? And the list of questions goes on!
At Collegewise, we’ve compiled a list of questions most frequently asked by the parents of homeschooled students we counsel. Our students come to us from online schools like Fusion Academy and Texas Connections Academy, as well as home-based schools with parent-taught curriculum, so we have a breadth of experience working with students from a variety of nontraditional schooling backgrounds. Our hope is to provide some much-needed assurance and guidance as you aid your child in navigating the early stages of their college applications.
“Will colleges recognize the homeschool curriculum I’ve chosen for my child, or have I ruined their chances before we’ve even started?”
Having the flexibility to choose curriculum or online schools is one of the greatest advantages of homeschooling. However, parents of high schoolers sometimes worry they’ve made the wrong choice. If you’re one of them, take a deep breath (a deserved one!). Your curriculum will indeed be recognized, and your hard-earned results while educating your child can actually improve your student’s chances of being admitted to college. Colleges aren’t persnickety when it comes to the curriculum you chose to employ. They are more concerned with evidence that your child has learned the material necessary for success in a college degree program.
There are two key components you’ll need to consider before diving into college applications to guarantee a seamless application experience.
1. Ensure you have a syllabus on file for your child’s classes on the off chance that the college asks for clarification.
2. Double-check that your curriculum includes all required courses for your child’s intended colleges and majors. If your child wants to major in biochem, then it's crucial that they have a chem class. If they want to major in engineering, then physics will be necessary.
“Does my child need to take the SAT if they are homeschooled? Or maybe the ACT?"
Although colleges continue to fluctuate between test-blind, test-optional, and test-mandatory policies, it’s a good idea to have your child take either the SAT or ACT twice during their junior year. This is Collegewise’s recommendation for any student enrolled in public or private school, and the same applies to homeschooled students. In fact, the standardized tests can help validate what your child has learned through your chosen curriculum, thus reducing the chance that a college might ask for syllabi or more granular information.
As far as test prep goes, there are plenty of DIY resources available that you can invest in to help your child prepare. Additionally, there are many professional test prep companies with whom you can work. Collegewise, for example, has an incredibly strong test prep and tutoring division that has seen incredible success in readying students to achieve their best score!
“How can I ensure my homeschooled child is involved in extracurriculars? The local schools have so many athletic programs and clubs, and I’m worried my child will miss out.”
Extracurricular activities are indeed one of the most important parts of a student's college application, regardless of their educational format. And public and private schools do tend to offer myriad opportunities for participation. However, some of the strongest activities Collegewise students include on their activities list have no affiliation with their school. From farming bees, to coding home automation software, to organizing a clothes drive for the underprivileged, a student’s most meaningful activities often stem from their own initiative and desire to engage in something that excites them!
Personal passion projects, part-time jobs, summer programs, volunteer opportunities, club athletics, family responsibilities, and countless other experiences don’t require a school to back them. So, help your child explore what interests them. Foster their curiosity based on what they are learning and loving in their curriculum. There’s no limit on the impact any single activity can have if a student feels truly engaged.
“I've heard most colleges require three letters of recommendation. Do I write one for my homeschooled child? What about the other two?”
Recommendation letters aren’t any more challenging to source for a homeschooled student than they are for a public or private school student. But the sources for each of the three letters will differ.
1. The first letter required by colleges will be a recommendation from the student’s school counselor. For a homeschooled student, this will be you, the parent! You’ll want to speak to your child’s academic strengths and maintain professionalism in regard to their achievements.
2. The second and third letters should be sourced from outside the family. If your child has taken any community college courses, they could reach out to the instructor. If they have engaged in a summer camp, they could ask a camp counselor. Alternatively, the letters could come from a manager, a volunteer coordinator, a church official, a significant mentor, or any other adult who has worked with your child in an educational or professional environment. At Collegewise, our counselors who work with homeschooled students will often be asked to write a recommendation letter, and they are always thrilled to oblige! The goal should be to choose recommenders who can speak to your child’s character, values, and strengths—typically, the more meaningful the relationship, the better.
“Do I need to be my child’s instructor, and guidance counselor, and priest, and cheerleader, and parent? How many hats will I have to wear? Or should I consider working with a college counselor to support my homeschooled student's college admissions journey?”
As all parents know, the number of roles you’ll have to play for your child seems to expand with each passing year. From the first time they sleep through the night as a newborn to the terrible twos and their thrilling tantrums to the whys of a budding toddler and the moodiness of angsty teens, no one has as vast a range of required capabilities as a parent. And, largely, this rings true for your role in counseling them in their academics.
You may indeed be required to play the role of the counselor who ensures your child is on track to meet their degree program’s entry requirements while simultaneously learning how to write a recommendation letter and trying to prepare them for the next SAT while reading over their most recent English essay. It’s daunting, yes! But a parent is a superhero, and superheroes have super powers, even if that early morning alarm feels like kryptonite. In short, you can do it!
However, even superheroes need a sidekick from time to time to help manage the load. Thankfully, that’s where working with an independent college admissions company, like Collegewise, can help you shoulder the responsibilities of guiding your student.
Collegewise counselors have supported many homeschooled students over the years, including those who are following their own curriculum and those attending online schools. Collegewise’s expert counselor, Hanifa Abdul Sabur, had this to say about her recent homeschooled student, Sterling, and the work they were able to accomplish together:
“I met Sterling as a student at Texas Connections Academy (TCA). Their decision to homeschool was motivated by limited academic options at the local schools in their rural community, as well as a desire to connect with a more diverse student body.
Sterling’s personal experiences led them to a strong interest in politics and advocacy, with an ambitious goal to one day become a US congressperson. Facing a lack of school clubs specific to their interests, and a very limited political scene in their local community that was often at odds with their perspective, Sterling needed help developing opportunities to demonstrate and further explore this interest. I helped Sterling identify and fill in gaps in outreach efforts at their local democratic party office. Through these efforts, Sterling was able to apply leadership skills they developed at TCA in real-world scenarios, making a difference in their community and strengthening their college applications as a political science and public policy applicant.
After receiving multiple exciting admissions offers, including a $100k merit award at American University, Sterling is now thriving at Georgetown University, majoring in Public Policy and minoring in Creative Writing as they continue to support political outreach efforts in their hometown!”
And in response to Hanifa’s efforts, Sterling had this to say in a heartfelt letter:
College admissions often leave parents and their children inundated with anxiety as they attempt to enter into a veritable amphitheater of nerve-wracking news headlines, shock and awe statistics, and sob stories of one too many rejections. But the truth is, with each passing year, more students are being admitted to more colleges than ever before in the United States. That’s a fact! For homeschooled students, this truth carries the same weight. The opportunity for a college education is abundant. So, as hard as it might be, try to replace some of those nerves with excitement. Your child is starting their college journey! And that alone is something to celebrate.
At Collegewise, we take great pride in working directly with online schools and other organizations to provide college admissions support to local communities through 1:1 counseling, workshops, webinars, and other free resources. Our goal is to help educate families on the realities of college admission, dispelling the anxiety inducing fiction from the reassuring facts. Should you wish to further connect with Collegewise, please reach out to Belinda Paras, Director of Partnerships Growth.
Additionally, we offer direct counseling support if you feel you and your child could benefit from extra guidance. From course planning, to test prep, to extracurricular strategy and so much more, Collegewise is here to help. You can set up a free consultation here.
About Us: With more than 25 years of experience, Collegewise counselors and tutors are at the forefront of the ever-evolving admissions landscape. Our work has always centered on you: the family. And just like we’ve always done, we look for ways for your student to be their best self - whether in the classroom, the applications, or in the right-fit college environment. Our range of counseling, test prep, academic tutoring, and essay management, all with the support of our proprietary platform, lead to 4x higher than average admissions rates.