FYI - UMass Amherst seems to have dropped GED req. for homeschoolers

[Matryoshka]

Or, at least they seem to have added one additional way to prove high school graduation that is actually do-able.

 

From their website:

 

Home-schooled students who are admitted are required to provide the university with proof of graduation in one of the three following ways:

• An official final transcript from the local school district.
• An official final transcript from a home school association or agency.
• An official GED/HiSET score report.
• An official college transcript(s) showing successful completion of 27 college credits

 

They used to just have the first three options (and apparently forgot to update the number of options when they added the fourth! ;) )

The first two are completely not available in MA, so the GED was the only option, and they were unwavering in insisting on it. 

 

[Nan in Mass]

Wow! Still not an acknowledgement of Mass. Homeschooling laws, but at least doable! Yeah!

 

Nan

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Or, at least they seem to have added one additional way to prove high school graduation that is actually do-able.

 

From their website:

 

Home-schooled students who are admitted are required to provide the university with proof of graduation in one of the three following ways:

• An official final transcript from the local school district.
• An official final transcript from a home school association or agency.
• An official GED/HiSET score report.
• An official college transcript(s) showing successful completion of 27 college credits

 

They used to just have the first three options (and apparently forgot to update the number of options when they added the fourth! ;) )

The first two are completely not available in MA, so the GED was the only option, and they were unwavering in insisting on it. 

 

This is similar to the revised policy for Drexel.  (I think Drexel wanted to see 24 college credits.)  I wonder if they would accept credit granted for AP exam scores.

 

It's nice that there is some means possible now, but it grates.  In my mind, it says that their college wants to see a year or more of success in some other college setting in order to consider admission.  

 

I don't know how good of a school U Mass Amherst is.  Drexel's policy was reason to apply to other, more accommodating schools.  (I'm especially irked by the fact that they will accept a transcript from a home school agency. I have friends who have used such organizations.  The agency looked over logs and samples of work and tests.  But they really don't know if the logs and work samples represent what the educational experience really looked like.)

[Matryoshka]

This is similar to the revised policy for Drexel.  (I think Drexel wanted to see 24 college credits.)  I wonder if they would accept credit granted for AP exam scores.

 

It's nice that there is some means possible now, but it grates.  In my mind, it says that their college wants to see a year or more of success in some other college setting in order to consider admission.  

 

I don't know how good of a school U Mass Amherst is.  Drexel's policy was reason to apply to other, more accommodating schools.  (I'm especially irked by the fact that they will accept a transcript from a home school agency. I have friends who have used such organizations.  The agency looked over logs and samples of work and tests.  But they really don't know if the logs and work samples represent what the educational experience really looked like.)

 

I agree that it still grates.  There is no mention of APs being okay, or SAT2s, or using outside online classes, or heaven forbid, a plain old mommy diploma.  I happen to luck out because CC is what dd wants to do, but if she didn't, I'd be just as far up a creek.

 

UMass Amherst is a good, solid school.  UMass Lowell is also very good, but mostly for science/engineering/tech.  For liberal arts, it doesn't have much. The smaller state schools are not as highly ranked (although my hs'ed senior will going to one anyway).  But writing off the biggest, highest ranked state school with the most majors, or having to get a GED, just stunk.

 

And there is no such thing as a homeschool agency in MA.  Even if we wanted to use that option, it does not exist.  Nor will a local district give you a transcript or diploma.  Not an option.  As Nan pointed out, their policy is totally at odds with MA hsing statutes.

 

Edited February 8, 2016 by Matryoshka

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I agree that it still grates.  There is no mention of APs being okay, or SAT2s, or using outside online classes, or heaven forbid, a plain old mommy diploma.  I happen to luck out because CC is what dd wants to do, but if she didn't, I'd be just as far up a creek.

 

UMass Amherst is a good, solid school.  UMass Lowell is also very good, but mostly for science/engineering/tech.  For liberal arts, it doesn't have much. The smaller state schools are not as highly ranked (although my hs'ed senior will going to one anyway).  But writing off the biggest, highest ranked state school with the most majors, or having to get a GED, just stunk.

 

And there is no such thing as a homeschool agency in MA.  Even if we wanted to use that option, it does not exist.  Nor will a local district give you a transcript or diploma.  Not an option.  As Nan pointed out, their policy is totally at odds with MA hsing statutes.

 

 

Would they accept a school that does transcripts for homeschoolers?  Something like Crossroads Christian School?  They aren't physically present in MA, but I think they will do transcripts for homeschoolers living in many places.

[Matryoshka]

Would they accept a school that does transcripts for homeschoolers?  Something like Crossroads Christian School?  They aren't physically present in MA, but I think they will do transcripts for homeschoolers living in many places.

 

Probably?  I thought about enrolling older dd in NARHS for this reason, but then she decided not to apply there.  But that would have been a lot of money just to have someone else type up a transcript with their name on it....

 

[Nan in Mass]

UMass Amherst accepted my son a few years ago, and offered him a scholarship. I didn't even send them everything they asked for from homeschoolers. He was accepted someplace else that he prefered and turned down the offer. I have no idea if they would have insisted that he take the GED before they would matriculate him. The admissions office was still insisting that he had to have a GED. The requirements for financial aid WERE in line with Mass. homeschooling laws. I don,t think they appreciated me pointing out that the two weren't in agreement with each other. I suspect everyone would have quietly ignored the issue if my son had actually gone, but who knows? They might have refused to graduate him when the time came, for all I know. None of the other Mass. schools that I know of require a GED. Ages ago, a UMass Lowel representative at the CC fair told his older brother, also homeschooled, that he would be a transfer student and accepted him on the spot. She made a phone call to the main admissions office to confirm that. Someone in admissions at UMass Amherst must have had some bad experiences with homeschoolers somewhere along the line. It is the only time homeschooling has been a hassle. I,m relieved that they,ve changed their policy.

 

Nan

[hopskipjump]

Right now, UMass Amherst is one of dds very top choices...

 

(deleted some information)

 

DD shouldn't have any problem at all, but these "We Are Seeing If Your Education Meets Our Formal Approval" things always make me jittery.

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2016 by hopskipjump

[Nan in Mass]

hopskipjump - It is pretty normal to give freshman a placement test at orientation to see which math class they should take.  I was surprised when my older two did NOT have to do this, it is so normal.  And given that writing is so much a part of college classes and the writing portion of the SAT is useless, I think it is sensible for them to double check to see which students are going to need extra help at the beginning.  I wouldn't let those things bother you.  Is her acceptance conditional?  Did her acceptance letter say "conditional" on it and state the terms?  If not, then the tests are placement tests only, something that you really WANT to happen because they will forestall any problems your child has when starting college classes.  And as far as the GED goes, is there any reason your daughter can't take it later?  My plan if my son chose to go there was just to pretend they don't have that requirement until someone actually refused to do something for him, like enroll him in classes, give him his grades, or hand him a diploma.  If at that point it becomes an issue, then I would have had him go take the GED.  It may be that the admissions department has requirements that aren't in line with the rest of the university.

 

Our public schooled neighbor goes to UMass Amherst.  She didn't want to go.  She couldn't afford her first choice and went very reluctantly.  She is absolutely loving it.  I went there years ago.  So did my husband.  It is a pretty cool place.  Such a lovely area.  Such a huge variety of classes and people!  I always drooled over the course catalogue.  There was a lot going on when I was there and it looks (judging from our research) like there is even more going on now and that they are doing a number of things to keep students from being lost in its largeness - honors college, themed dorms, tutorials to go with the big freshman lecture classes.  I'm actually really happy that they are testing everyone's writing and helping them bring it up to par.  That means they are going to make their students write in their classes, which is something that I believe is one of the markers of a good  college education.  If the university were going down hill, I think they would just alter their classes to be easier and not require much writing.  Writing makes you think and problem solve.  Anyway... best of luck to your daughter!  Please let me know how it all turns out!  Tell her if she goes that if there are still swans on the campus pond, not to eat her lunch too close to them or they will steal her sandwich.  They are very big and not at all friendly. : )

 

Nan

[Nan in Mass]

PS -I I completely sympathize with your jitters.  I will never, ever forget the day that my first homeschooled high schooler went to the community college to take the placement tests.  I downplayed the whole thing but he saw right through that.  In the car on the way to the test, he said, "So this is when we find out if homeschooling worked, isn't it?"  I had to tell him yup, it was.  Ug.  He did fine and the euphoria afterwards!!!!  No achievement of his before or since has come anywhere close to how happy for him I was that day.  Good luck!  -Nan

[RootAnn]

I'm already a little alarmed at the required testing day. The other schools haven't sent her information about this - so maybe it's required by the others too... but she (all freshmen) have to test into English and (iirc offhand) math by taking the tests there at some point over the next few months (I'm really foggy on the details atm)...

 

Way back in the dark ages, we had a required math placement test on orientation day. I felt bad for some of the other kids because it had been a year or more since they'd taken math (for the ones who didn't take math senior year). Since I already had Calc 3 & Diff Eq in my records, I looked at it as a fun math lark. If I remember correctly, there was no calculus on the test I took. Her SAT & AP results should help place her correctly as long as the testing on that day doesn't show a huge discrepancy.

 

Best of luck to your daughter!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Probably? I thought about enrolling older dd in NARHS for this reason, but then she decided not to apply there. But that would have been a lot of money just to have someone else type up a transcript with their name on it....

 

I do have a similar opinion of transcript services. Families I know and respect have used them, but I can't get past the feeling that I'm buying credibility with no value added for the education.

[hopskipjump]

hopskipjump -   Is her acceptance conditional?  Did her acceptance letter say "conditional" on it and state the terms?  If not, then the tests are placement tests only, 

 

Nope - no conditions on her acceptance! She was accepted to her first-choice major. My logical brain knows they are just placement tests and also knows that she will have no problem on them (she's a smart kid after all, I keep reminding myself! lol) --- but it still makes me jittery. All that judgment... {shiver}. :lol:

 

  And as far as the GED goes, is there any reason your daughter can't take it later?  My plan if my son chose to go there was just to pretend they don't have that requirement until someone actually refused to do something for him, like enroll him in classes, give him his grades, or hand him a diploma.  If at that point it becomes an issue, then I would have had him go take the GED.  It may be that the admissions department has requirements that aren't in line with the rest of the university.

 

IF the GED becomes necessary, it will absolutely happen at the veryveryveryvery last minute possible. They'll only get us to agree with it after I have lodged a complaint and spoken to every possible human being involved, even if it means an in-person visit (no small feat - the school is at least eleventy-billion miles away from our house! :driving: ).

 

But- in dds case, her sport trumps my indignation, and if this turns out to be the team she feels most "at home" with... well... then we'll do whatever it takes to get her there. I just hope it won't get to that point.

 

What kind of silly policy is it to accept a student, invite them into the fairly-selective honors college... and THEN question the student's high-school education and demand a GED (or "Approved" transcript, or 20+ hours of comm. college) for validation? For an upper-quartile, honors-student?? It makes no sense. smh

 

 

Our public schooled neighbor goes to UMass Amherst.  She didn't want to go.  She couldn't afford her first choice and went very reluctantly.  She is absolutely loving it.  I went there years ago.  So did my husband.  It is a pretty cool place.  Such a lovely area.  Such a huge variety of classes and people!  I always drooled over the course catalogue.  There was a lot going on when I was there and it looks (judging from our research) like there is even more going on now and that they are doing a number of things to keep students from being lost in its largeness - honors college, themed dorms, tutorials to go with the big freshman lecture classes.  I'm actually really happy that they are testing everyone's writing and helping them bring it up to par.  That means they are going to make their students write in their classes, which is something that I believe is one of the markers of a good  college education.  If the university were going down hill, I think they would just alter their classes to be easier and not require much writing.  Writing makes you think and problem solve.  Anyway... best of luck to your daughter!  Please let me know how it all turns out!  Tell her if she goes that if there are still swans on the campus pond, not to eat her lunch too close to them or they will steal her sandwich.  They are very big and not at all friendly. : )

 

I will also be happy they have writing and math testing policies ... once my kid has taken those tests and passed them.  :smilielol5: Only then will I be practical about it. Until then I will be petulant and bothered.  :D

 

Very glad to hear of a current student who loves it there! DD was on a national committee last year and one of the boys who graduated is going there this year. DD refuses to text him and ask some Very Practical questions about how he likes it there... if he needs a car to get around easily... how difficult it is to get the classes he needs on his schedule each semester... if he's in the honors college and what he thinks... !! Argh!! Her refusal is driving me nuts!!!!

 

LOL about the swans! I'll be sure to pass that info along! I'm sure a few upperclassmen enjoy encouraging the freshmen to picnic with the swans... :p 

 

Nan

 

Edited February 10, 2016 by hopskipjump

[Nan in Mass]

UMass Amherst's policy is indeed puzzling.  None of the other Mass state schools work that way, as far as I know.  Very peculiar.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you about that GED.

 

And about the placement tests.  The responsibility that we bear as homeschooling parents in unbelievable.  I had conniptions over those tests, too.  Sigh.  In some ways, homeschooling gives me great faith in my children.  I knew them so well... But in some ways, I think it gave me less faith.    After years of homeschooling, I was all together too familiar with my children not actually being able to do later something that I thought I had taught them to do and was sure they knew.  I wonder if the tests are the same ones the community college gives?

 

When we were at UMass Amherst, there was a really nice free bus system that ran around the edge of the campus constantly and into the surrounding neighborhoods and towns.  Students could take classes at the other colleges in the system (Amherst, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Hampshire) and the bus ran back and forth between those colleges as well.  When we visited, we saw the buses, but I don't know if they still run as frequently and are still free.  I'd just call the admissions office myself and ask the first live person I got on the phone.  If the bus system is still good, I doubt your daughter will need a car.  It took me about 10 minutes to get from my dorm at one end of the campus to my classes all the way at the other end, walking quickly.  I had enough time, just, to get from one class to the other on time, provided it wasn't something like a riding class in the stables, which were on the top of the hill past dorms in the other direction.  I didn't always have time to stop and grab coffee from the campus center, which was in the middle of the campus.  I think the campus has expanded a bit, but I think it did it along the other axis, so she should be able to walk from class to class ok.  She'll need a warm coat and scarf and boots.  We mostly wore hiking boots.  UMass is windy and snowy in the winter.

 

Getting classes was always nerve-wracking.  It was for my sons, too.  They queue up their classes in their shopping cart and then stay up until midnight so they can push the "buy" button at 12:01.  Youngest's school is a tech school where the system is a bit different (too many kids would do it automatically and jamb things up) but no less nerve wracking.  The signup process for freshman classes was different for my sons.  Their schools are tiny.  Even back when I was at UMass, classes filled up fast.  If your daughter is unwilling to ask for herself, this is something that I would call admissions about, as well, just to be sure she wasn't missing any deadlines.  Watch the deadline for the housing deposit, also.  Make sure you find out when that is and pay it.  You don't want her to lose her dorm room.  That happened to my bil.  He wound up waiting in line all day his first day there.  When he finally got to the head of the line, the woman at the desk asked him what dorm he wanted to be in and my husband (his older brother) thought fast and told him to ask for Coolidge.  At the time, this was a highrise dorm with 22 or so floors, all girls except for 3 coed floors.  To their amazement, the woman said ok and gave him a room.  It worked out ok, but it was a huge panic at the time for the poor freshman.  The other thing to watch is the medical requirements.  She'll need to send her vaccination records.  One of my sons couldn't sign up for classes until that was done.  I wouldn't hesitate to be a helicopter parent until my freshman was installed and had everything figured out.  When my sons were accepted to college, they were worn out by the application process and leaving home became real and scary and they just wanted to ignore the fact that they were running off the end of their world soon.  I wanted to prepare for college and they just wanted to ignore it.  It was frustrating.

 

Nan

 

 

[shelleysboys]

Anyone have additional experience with UMass Amherst since these posts? 

They are still listing a GED/HiSET as the way for MA homeschoolers to get in and an admissions counselor said the same thing - which I really can't believe given that no other MA state school has the policy, the DOE never mentions it and UMass Amherst financial requirements more align with what I would expect.  Who knows if my kid can get in.. but! 

[Matryoshka]

2 minutes ago, shelleysboys said:

Anyone have additional experience with UMass Amherst since these posts? 

They are still listing a GED/HiSET as the way for MA homeschoolers to get in and an admissions counselor said the same thing - which I really can't believe given that no other MA state school has the policy, the DOE never mentions it and UMass Amherst financial requirements more align with what I would expect.  Who knows if my kid can get in.. but! 

I'll be interested to know what you hear.  All my kids have graduated now, and both with homeschooled hs diplomas graduated from UMass Amherst - but they transferred in, although they could have applied as freshmen using the CC credit route.  That seems the most straightforward way to get around their ridiculous GED obsession. 

It's unconscionable that they have persisted in this requirement that is completely at odds with state homeschooling regulations.

It has gotten harder to get in. Neither of my nephews (from public school) got in.  CC/transfer isn't a bad option. My youngest did MassTransfer, which included guaranteed admission to both the university and her chosen major, and she was done in 2 years. Other one did a different state school as a freshman,  then transferred and did 3 years there.

[shelleysboys]

Well if he does not get in maybe transferring will be the thing to do! 

[Matryoshka]

3 minutes ago, shelleysboys said:

Well if he does not get in maybe transferring will be the thing to do! 

Assuming you're in-state, always good to apply to one of the state universities (such as Bridgewater, Salem, Fitchburg, North Adams) as a backup. They're affordable and much easier to get in to, especially if you do early admission (non-binding).  Pick one that has majors your kid is interested in - they're all different.  

[shelleysboys]

Yes, he will be applying to most of them regular admission, this month!   We shall see.

[Matryoshka]

8 minutes ago, shelleysboys said:

Yes, he will be applying to most of them regular admission, this month!   We shall see.

You should be fine. We went on a tour at Bridgewater where the dean said with EA you pretty much needed a pulse and a 2.something GPA to be a shoo-in. With RA the bar is higher, but nothing like UMass Amherst, which seems to be a bit full of itself these days.  Still a good school, but no longer the safety it once was.  My third kid went to UMass Lowell because they gave her a scholarship and they have a good coop program.

[shelleysboys]

All good to hear. Lowell would be great too. 

[NittanyJen]

I have pointed out to colleges that it would be a major violation for a homeschooler to get a GED, as the GED is to be taken by someone who has NOT graduated from high school, and homeschool grads are absolutely high school graduates under their respective state laws.

 

It’s possible the rules have changed since then— I didn’t look them up recently. But it is frustrating when a college, of all places, wants our kids to take an utterly false credential that is worth less than the real one they have already earned.