Do tier 1 colleges accept homeschoolers?

[LilyK]

My DS is fast approaching high school. He is very motivated and is interested in some pretty lofty schools. I never worried about college because I figured he could go to junior college and then transfer. But if he really wants to go for four years, is it impossible if he has a homeschool diploma?

[Maverick]

Definitely! Way back in the 1980's the Colfax family from California sent three homeschooled sons to Harvard, and there are more every year. Some schools are more homeschool-friendly than others, but very few are reluctant to admit homeschooled kids and many actively seek out homeschoolers because they recognize the benefits of admitting independent self-starters. I would urge you to go to the websites of the colleges your son is interested in and read their admissions policies. Many of them have a special section with instructions for homeschoolers.

[Gwen in VA]

This year a homeschooler from Texas was accepted ED to Yale and was accepted to Harvard with a likely letter. Homeschoolers were also accepted to Rose-Hulman and U. Chicago. (Those are just acceptances that come to mind right now.)

 

If you look in the homeschool section of collegeconfidentail.com you can see a thread on the various colleges homeschoolers have been accepted to this year. Some of them are very presitigious name schools.

 

With homeschooling, the sky is the limit! :001_smile:

[Bev in B'ville]

Homeschoolers are not only being accepted into top Tier 1 schools, but those schools are actively seeking out homeschooled students. I wrote an editorial for my hometown paper not too long ago in response to a front page article with a quote from an official in eduation (in which she said that homeschoolers are dropouts - long story).

 

In my research for my letter I came across numerous quotes from admissions officials from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and many others exclaiming how they want more homeschoolers to apply to their schools. The main attraction of homeschoolers, according to them, is that homeschooled children do not need as much "handholding" and are much more independent when they reach college. HS'ers, in general, already know how to study independently. HS'ers also are scoring higher, generally speaking, than their public or private schooled counterparts.

 

I did not retain my sources for these quotes after I printed my article, but I will tell you that the ladies on this board were great about helping me find those articles and refuting the education official.

 

HTH.

[Janet in WA]

There's a long-time poster on another homeschooling board whose son went to Stanford. He took a few classes at his local high school, but received only a home-issued diploma.

[Gwen in VA]

Bev,

 

Could you post a link to your article? I am giving a talk to some parents who are just beginning to think about homeschooling high school, and I would love to start with some enthusiastic news!

 

Thanks!

[Bev in B'ville]

I've pm'ed you the article.

 

Bev