What say the hive? Diploma from online school or Homeschool transcript from mom?

[annabanana1992]

We are trying to figure out what would be the most advantageous route to college admission.  We can pursue a diploma from an online school which makes things seem "official," but at the same time it would pretty much lump DS in with all other typical high school grads.  The online school is good but it isn't going to have the reputation with admissions that established B&M schools would have.  If we pursued admissions as a homeschooler, he would be (perhaps?) evaluated against a smaller pool.  I am not sure though.    A homeschool admissions might actually allow him to stand out more?  

 

Any thoughts?

[klmama]

He will be evaluated against all of the students applying for admission, not just against other homeschoolers.  What they care about is if he has met their requirements for admission, plus what else he does that makes him interesting to them. 

[Julie of KY]

I wouldn't worry too much about a diploma from home - it is more work and sometimes it takes explaining that it is "real". I would pursue whatever education meets your student's needs the best. If that comes with an accredited diploma that's a bonus.

[Riley]

As far as I know they don't really seperate are homeschoolers from others. If you really want a diploma from a school, my family personally uses NARHS. It might be too expensive but basically you show proof, grades, etc. and you can get a diploma from the state of Maine. Really, a college will care more about the work you've done and things you've achieved.

[elegantlion]

We will not use an accredited diploma. Ds will have an "official" one issued by me - most recommend using the phrasing "official transcript". There have been several recent threads on transcripts, might be worth searching for. 

 

As far as standing out, doing things on our own will be a better representation of ds than anything he could get through an accredited source. He has some unique interests that really couldn't be explored in a traditional school or even through an accreditation source that required certain classes. 

 

 

[SkateLeft]

I agree with Klmama. Your student will be evaluated against the rest of the applicants, regardless of how you educate him.

 

My daughter has a homeschool transcript, and it didn't hurt her in the least when she applied to colleges. She was admitted to every university to which she applied, and received scholarship offers from all of them. Nobody cared that she'd be homeschooled. Instead, they evaluated her transcript, test scores and extracurricular activities, just like any other applicant.

 

So I'd recommend choosing the high school option that's right for your child. There are very few US universities left that have not admitted homeschooled applicants, and those few are not top tier schools. 

[annabanana1992]

Thank you so much for your input!  Assuming he will be evaluated in the same large pool, would anyone think that homeschooling would be an advantage or irrelevant as long as other admission criteria were met? 

 

He has pretty much met the criteria for the diploma, and we will be using it for NCAA purposes no matter what.   The transcript from the online school will not include additional coursework  (work done at home and from other online providers) so I will need to supplement somehow anyway.  Just trying to figure out whether to highlight the diploma through the online school's transcript and supplement with my own or just do it all myself....

[ThisIsTheDay]

Thank you so much for your input!  Assuming he will be evaluated in the same large pool, would anyone think that homeschooling would be an advantage or irrelevant as long as other admission criteria were met?

My personal opinion is that homeschooled transcript might be an advantage.  It provides an opportunity for you to write the "counselor letter," giving your homeschool philosophy and highlighting things about your student that might be missed otherwise.

 

With one of dd's college choices, she had no other contact besides two general tours.  She applied early admission.  I don't know the breakdown between early and regular, but the school had a total of 22,000 freshman applicants.  The admissions counselor called me--called me!!--to advise that dd should consider adding in a higher level math class during her senior year to make her competitive.  He acknowledged that she had that kind of flexibility because of the fact that she was homeschooled.

 

I am still blown away by that. I can't imagine I would have received a similar phone call if she'd been a part of any other kind of school.

 

She ended up choosing a different school that offered her a spot in its honors program.  For reasons I won't go into here, I am sure that at least part of the reason was due to homeschooling.

 

For the uncertainties and doubts that we've sometimes had through the years of hsing, this past year was just really amazing, leaving us with no doubt of the benefits.  She feels it's an honor to have an Official Homeschool Transcript.  :)

[JennW in SoCal]

Thank you so much for your input!  Assuming he will be evaluated in the same large pool, would anyone think that homeschooling would be an advantage or irrelevant as long as other admission criteria were met? 

 

He has pretty much met the criteria for the diploma, and we will be using it for NCAA purposes no matter what.   The transcript from the online school will not include additional coursework  (work done at home and from other online providers) so I will need to supplement somehow anyway.  Just trying to figure out whether to highlight the diploma through the online school's transcript and supplement with my own or just do it all myself....

 

 

I'm wondering if your question is really something a bit different than just the issue of a transcript or diploma. Are you really asking whether your ds should apply as a graduate of the on-line school  -- in other words listing that school as his high school?  Is there a guidance counselor from the on-line school who would then cover all those parts of the common application? All that stuff like sending in the official transcript and writing the school profile and counselor letter.  You could include his other classes separately in the application package.  Is that something that matters as far as NCAA eligibility??   

 

I know nothing about NCAA stuff, but I do know about applying as a homeschooler with several transcripts.  My ds had transcripts from a public umbrella charter as well as from the local community college.  He applied as a homeschooler with his official transcript being one I created.  I included all the classes on one master mommy-designed transcript, organized by subject,  and it included charter, community college as well as mommy classes, indicating which were which.  It gave the admissions committees a big picture of my son's education.   I had official transcripts sent separately from the charter and CC.  It didn't seem to make a difference one way or the other that he had classes from those 3 sources.  None of the admissions committees batted an eye when he went in for interviews, and he wound up getting accepted to some of his favorite schools with nice merit scholarships.

 

As far as homeschooling itself being an advantage, it depends on the spin you use.  I don't think homeschooling alone is that unique anymore.  I remember admissions people saying that they want to see what a homeschooler did to take advantage of the unique opportunities that come with homeschooling, whether using their flexible schedule to do projects or work outside the home, or to study a subject in depth or to practice and master an instrument or sport.