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A homeschooling education is defined as the education of children from the home or another place other than a public or private school system. The concept of homeschooling children has been exploding over the last few years.
Parents choose to homeschool their children for several reasons. Some of the most common reasons are for religious beliefs, to support a learning-disabled child, to give their child a more individualized and advanced learning experience, and to remove their children from a negative learning environment brought on by bullying.
Whatever the reason may be, homeschooling has doubled over the past five years. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, during the years 2015-2016, 3.3% of school-aged children received a homeschooled education.
In the most recent full school year, 2020 to 2021, the percentage of homeschooled children has drastically jumped to 6.73%.
If you are interested in learning more about the demographics of homeschooled students or how homeschoolers perform academically, please visit Admissionly.
Is it Harder for Homeschooled Kids to Get into College?
A common misconception is that it is typically harder for homeschooled children to get accepted into college programs than students who attend public or private school systems.
However, the concept of a homeschooled education is becoming more accepted throughout the United States and many colleges and universities are happily welcoming homeschooled applicants into their on-campus degree or online certificate programs.
It’s important to note that some colleges and universities do have specific requirements for homeschooled applicants to meet before being accepted into one of their programs.
A student’s homeschooled education needs to meet their specific state requirement where they are applying. This typically includes providing valid transcripts and standardized test scores with their application.
If a student can show these requirements, their applications should be viewed the same as a student who attended private or public schools.
Additionally, here are 5 recommended things that homeschooled students should have on their application. Even though the concept of accepting homeschooled students has become more universally accepted, there are still some colleges and universities that are more willing than others to accept homeschooled students into their degree and online certificate programs.
Here are 5 of the Best Homeschool Friendly Colleges and Universities.
1. Maryville University
Maryville University is an online university offering online certificate programs in software development, machine learning, and artificial intelligence for students aspiring to a career in data science.
2. Oklahoma Baptist University
Oklahoma Baptist University is one of the top-rated universities in the state of Oklahoma. They are a Christian-based university offering a variety of excellent nursing and pre-med degrees and online certificate programs.
3. Patrick Henry College
Patrick Henry College is a private liberal arts non-denominational Christian College located in Purcellville, Virginia. Patrick Henry College offers a Liberal Arts education with degrees and online certificate programs in journalism, history, government, environmental science, and more.
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is one of the premier schools for math, science, and technology in the country and actively recruits homeschoolers.
5. Ivy League Universities for Homeschoolers
Ivy League schools, like Yale and Princeton, are also encouraging homeschoolers to apply to their degree and online certificate programs. Here is a general overview of requirements for homeschoolers applying to a college or university among the Ivy League.
Financial Aid for Homeschoolers
Homeschooled students may still qualify for financial aid for their college degrees or online certificate programs. However, they may need to do a little more research for scholarships that apply strictly to their unique situation of being a homeschooled student.
Since they do not have as many scholarship opportunities available as in-school learning students, they may also need to devote their free time to volunteering and getting involved in their communities for additional scholarship opportunities.
Joining a non-school-oriented recreational sports team is also a great way to open up scholarship opportunities for homeschooled children.
If you or your child are applying to colleges, here are some of the top scholarships for homeschoolers in 2022 to look into for educational financial aid.
Applying to College as a Homeschooled Student
If your child is a homeschooled student, they can have an equally successful college experience as someone who attended a public or private school system.
While the admission and financial aid process can be a little more difficult, many colleges and universities in the United States are welcoming homeschooled students into their degree and online certificate programs with open arms.
Before applying, research the above homeschool friendly colleges, compare programs of interest, and see what scholarships you qualify for to ensure you receive a successful college education.
