TryingHardMom Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Hi, I'm so glad I found this website by accident. I will not feel so lost and alone anymore being a homeschooling mom:001_smile: I just wanted to know if anyone here or anybody has heard of homeschooled kids being able to make it to Harvard or other Ivy League schools? or private Middle Schools like Roxbury Latin and the like? I am just trying to dream the dream, and not even sure how to afford it,:cheers2: I just have this thought that some schools are not so accepting of home schooled kids' curriculum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 My sister homeschooled high school and graduated from a top-tier law school. Her high school homeschooling looked like unschooling with some community college classes thrown in. *shrug* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Absolutely - head on over to the high school board and check things out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 You might also join the yahoo group hs2coll which is a support group for those homeschooling through high school. Several regular posters there have children who attend(ed) ivies and other top-tier colleges. From the group description: A group for parents of teenaged homeschoolers who are aiming toward college. We discuss preparing to apply for college; what colleges might want; what courses, materials and curricula work for us and our kids; filling out college applications; how our older kids who are already in college are faring; particular colleges; SATs, SAT IIs, ACTs and AP tests; and other topics related to homeschooling teenagers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NJ Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 We've always homeschooled. My dd while a rising jr was asked to apply for a young scholars program at an Ivy. Now she is a rising sr and has been contacted by all the Ivy's either by phone, email or mail asking her to apply. If that is your dream for your child - go on some of the Ivy school's websites and check out what they like to see from teens applying. Many of the Ivy's even have a toggle button for those who homeschool - giving them suggestions on what they will need. My dd and her friends developed a website for homeschool teens who are taking AP classes. The site is: http://www.sites.google.com/site/apstudi/home She recently added a Mom section so that we can share information, make suggestions and support each other! Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJB Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Have you read this? http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Excellence-David-Colfax/dp/0446389862 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 It's VERY common for kids with top test scores to be sent info from all of the Ivies in the mail, via e-mail, and sometimes phone calls telling them when reps are in their area. Do NOT be fooled into thinking they are "courting" your student. They (almost always) aren't. They, like pretty much any other college, send out this info based solely on stats (and sometimes questionable stats) to get their oodles of applicants knowing they are going to accept very, very few of them. I can't count the number of times I've heard parents (and students) say they were sure they'd get into _____ because of all the mailings and contacts they had some of which seem extremely personal - but are still form letters - only to be incredibly disappointed a few months later and wondering what they did wrong. They did nothing wrong. The majority of students who apply feel the same way. It's almost a crime the way they mislead people who aren't aware of their tactics. But homeschoolers can and do get into Ivies each year just as ps students do. Just don't fall in love or have unrealistic expectations that you're "special" in their eyes due to mailings, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I know of a few homeschoolers that were accepted into Harvard, WPI and one homeschooler was accepted into MIT. I have heard that Harvard is very homeschool friendly, and actually solicits homeschoolers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I have heard that Harvard is very homeschool friendly, and actually solicits homeschoolers. We got info (more than once) from every single Ivy school and they all knew my guy was homeschooled. They send info based on how well one does on tests... (PSAT/SAT/ACT). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryingHardMom Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 i'm so happy to see all your replies! i feel like i've found family here:):grouphug: you guys made my week. wait, make that my year:) here's a toast to all moms/dads who do homeschooling:cheers2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryingHardMom Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Have you read this? http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Excellence-David-Colfax/dp/0446389862 Hi, yes, this is the 1st book I read about homeschooling that made me think of doing it too. Nice to know that it is not a rare occurrence after all. Thanks:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 The one homeschooled girl I knew growing up attended Harvard. My understanding is that's where several of the Colfax children went to college as well. There was also a Stanford alumni magazine article a while back profiling students who were homeschool graduates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Oh, thanks for the Stanford link, Crimson Wife. Appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Several years ago I read an article that mentioned Stanford has a homeschool admissions person due to their positive experiences with HSers in the past. I don't know how many HS students they admit each year. http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/basics/requirements/home_school.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NJ Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Don't worry, we're not gullible parents. I was merely trying to make the point that homeschoolers can and do enter top tier schools. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 You might also join the yahoo group hs2coll which is a support group for those homeschooling through high school. :iagree: This is an *extremely* helpful group. Start lurking as early as possible. 7th grade is not too early ~ you can learn *so* much! It's VERY common for kids with top test scores to be sent info from all of the Ivies in the mail, via e-mail, and sometimes phone calls telling them when reps are in their area.... It's almost a crime the way they mislead people who aren't aware of their tactics. ... Just don't fall in love or have unrealistic expectations that you're "special" in their eyes due to mailings, etc. I've watched several very well-qualified (non-homeschooled) relatives get their hopes up for Ivies; none got in. Make sure you can eliminate all the Ivies you're applying to and still have a full slate of colleges that are viable academic and financial options. It's sad to watch well-qualified kids scramble because their parents didn't understand this. There are many excellent schools out there that aren't Ivies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I didn't "quote" anyone with my response mainly because I'm making a general statement for anyone who may be reading. IME, there are oodles of parents, students, and extended family who get these mailings from Ivy (and similar) colleges, then think there is something special or that they have some sort of edge toward getting in to these colleges. It's not at all true. It's just a sales pitch and many of us who deal with colleges & high school students regularly think it's partially due to their wanting to keep such a high number of applicants to keep their acceptance rate low. IF they were only targeting applicants within their reach - maybe not - but many times they send their mailings to students who have a low realistic chance of getting in as well as to those with a more realistic chance (still 7 out of 100 or so). Their letters and books and phone calls are so personal that they really can be misleading to folks who aren't aware that it's merely an ad campaign. Any time I hear "court" and Ivy in the same context I worry about it. Hence, the warning to anyone on here who may not be as well informed. To those who know, feel free to just nod and agree. To those coming up to the process, note they are just ads looking for applications, not actual courting. And yes, one shouldn't just dismiss the Ivies (and similar) if one wants to try for them. Homeschoolers can, and do, make it in to each one of them every year. But homeschoolers also get rejected each year... so have a back up plan. ;) It never hurts to look at the list of accepted/rejected students on college confidential - and college confidential can be a great source for those considering Ivies (and similar). Here's a link to forums dealing with Ivy admissions: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ivy-league/ For anyone considering colleges in general, most colleges in today's age have a specific admissions counselor who deals with homeschoolers. Feel free to contact them concerning what is desireable in an applicant, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Here's a link to some stats for Yale accepted/waitlisted/rejected students for this fall: (Yale is one of the well-known super mailers.) http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1304717-official-yale-class-2016-rd-results-thread.html These decisions and stats are self-reported, but not out of line with reality. And remember, many students on college confidential to start with are top students (both ps and hs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryingHardMom Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 Here's a link to some stats for Yale accepted/waitlisted/rejected students for this fall: (Yale is one of the well-known super mailers.) http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1304717-official-yale-class-2016-rd-results-thread.html These decisions and stats are self-reported, but not out of line with reality. And remember, many students on college confidential to start with are top students (both ps and hs). thank you so much for all these!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TryingHardMom Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 Several years ago I read an article that mentioned Stanford has a homeschool admissions person due to their positive experiences with HSers in the past. I don't know how many HS students they admit each year. http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/basics/requirements/home_school.html this is such a gem of info, thanks a lot:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 thank you so much for all these!:) If your guy is just 3 right now (as per your sig), you have a lot of time to figure things out - and who knows what might change by then - but best of luck if you head that direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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