x post: University of California and homeschoolers

[EKS]

Am I reading this right? It appears that the University of California will not accept homeschool transcripts. Does anyone here have experience with applying to the UC schools as a homeschooler?

 

Thanks!

[April in CA]

Hi Kai! Yes, the UC system and the Call State University system are still rather suspicious of homeschoolers, for whatever reason. However, my older son was accepted by both UC Riverside and Cal State Fresno (the only public CA schools to which he applied). However, his transcript did not scream "homesachooler" and he was a National Merit Finalist with very high SAT scores. We homeschool through our local Christian school. As part of the home education branch of that school, we have our own special registration number with the College Board, and our own school name, recognized by the state and the College Board. Although the brick and mortar school is accredited, the home ed division is not - I don't know if either of those facts mattered to UC or CSU.

 

Honestly, although I and my dh are graduates of the CSU system (Humboldt State University, and, no I never participated in the party scene!), I really think CA is losing out big time by this policy of scrutinizing homeschooled students so closely. Also, in addition to hiking tuition and fees, UC and CSU offer astonishingly little in terms of merit aid. My son was offered a $5K scholarship from UC Riverside if he wanted to be part of the honors program. He was offered nothing by CSU Fresno. However, to be fair, he could have applied for a substantial scholarship from CSU Fresno; he chose not to since that school was pretty low on his list.

 

Public education is a mess here in CA, in my opinion. The wealthy can afford to send their kids to the UC, and financial aid still seems to be available for the poor and first generation college students. Middle class kids, whose parents have tried to do the right things by saving and preparing the students for college, sadly, really cannot afford to go to university here, unless they are willing to go into debt.

 

For my older son, this was not such a big deal, because he was offered really good merit aid by a number of universities (and could probably gotten a full ride if he had chosen certain out of state public universities), and his first choice university, LeTourneau University, in TX, offered his full tuition for 4 years (in exchange for keeping a 3.4 GPA). However, our younger son will likely be interested in some larger public schools. He is also likely to make it to at least NM Semifinalist. I would really like him to have to opportunity to go to school here in CA, but he will need to follow the money, and the money will most likely lead him away from California.

 

If you really want your students to go to UC or CSU, many are advising students to go to a CC and then transfer in. Also, be prepared to take more than 4 years to get a degree.

 

As you think of us here in CA, say a prayer for our state - we were once the envy of the nation; not anymore. sigh.

Blessings,

April

[Brilliant]

Yes, it's hard to get into a UC or CSU school as a homeschooled freshman applicant. I don't know anybody personally who's ever gone that route, and we've been hsing in CA for 11 years. Most homeschoolers we know start off at the CC and then transfer - it's more cost effective anyway, and if you are a good (B+ or better) student you are usually guaranteed admission to the university of your choice. The CC you choose can affect your admissions also - for example, Fullerton College has fast track transfer admissions to UC Irvine among others, while Mt San Jacinto has a special transfer program to Cal Poly Pomona.

 

I don't agree that California public colleges are expensive. Total in-state fees this year at the Cal States (including the polys) is less than $4300/yr! Despite the increase due to the budget crisis, it will still be less than $4800 next year. UCs are more expensive, but still only about $12,000 after the increase.

[Janice H]

Tuition varies with the school. Some are already above $5,500 for 2010/2011. See http://www.calstate.edu/SAS/fa_coa.shtml#hum

With talk of another 5% (?) tuition increase for fall semester 2011, there is a pretty handsome compounding effect. It's not just annual fee increases anymore, but each semester.

 

Another cost is the relatively expensive cost to live on campus, if that is necessary. The Cal state schools charge more for dorms and food than the LACs we have applied to.

[Trillian]

UC Riverside has a special track for homeschool students. Information is here http://www.my.ucr.edu/admissions/Pages/pathsAdmission.aspx . I believe they are the only UC school to offer a homeschool admission "track."

 

Holly

[Brilliant]

Tuition varies with the school. Some are already above $5,500 for 2010/2011. See http://www.calstate.edu/SAS/fa_coa.shtml#hum

With talk of another 5% (?) tuition increase for fall semester 2011, there is a pretty handsome compounding effect. It's not just annual fee increases anymore, but each semester.

 

 

 

 

Oh, I didn't know there was such a wide variation - I checked 2 (CSU Fresno, and Cal Poly Pomona) which just happened to be two of the lowest - I think I also didn't add in the smaller extra fees so my numbers are about 10% lower.

 

I still think it's a bargain, tuition-wise. Our state is in a fiscal crisis, and as the UC Chancellor put it during last year's protests, he couldn't not raise tuition, because "I STILL don't have any money!" The in-state fees don't begin to cover the actual cost of the education, so we, the taxpayers, are subsidizing it to a huge extent (I realize that's part of the responsibility of having state universities). Many of the more vocal protesters have an entitlement mentality ("Don't balance the budget on the backs of students!") but they need to realize that our taxes have already been raised significantly in the last 2 years and we are tapped out.