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Homeschooling and College Acceptance?
NAAHA.com 

Opponents of homeschooling argue that children who are homeschooled have a much more difficult time with college admittance than do children who have attended school in a traditional classroom setting. Fortunately the vast majority of colleges are eagerly accepting students who are schooled at home. And, the number continues to rise with each new year.

The largest hurdle homeschooled students face when applying to the college of their choice is the lack of a traditional transcript and diploma. Since these admissions requirements do not physically exist for most homeschoolers, some colleges will ask the student to obtain a GED or provide a portfolio of their work. Colleges and universities will also require student to take standardized tests, such as the ACT and/or SAT.

Portfolios of a student’s work are oftentimes

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quite sufficient for college admission. Be sure to help your child prepare his portfolio and include a detailed account of all completed course works, the results of any other advanced placement tests, proof of attending community education or pre-college courses and volunteer work.

You may even find that colleges might consider the inclusion of character references from family, friends and employers during your child's admission process. Additionally, a stellar essay, which explains your child’s interest and displays good writing skills and outlines their goals for the future can have a monumental effect on their chance of admission. (continued below)

Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook: Preparing Your 12- to 18-Year-Old for a Smooth Transition

Homeschooler's Guide to Transcipts and P

Failing to have tangible transcripts, although a hurdle for some families, is easily resolved by enrolling your child in an online homeschool educational program. These schools offer hard copies of transcripts and report cards. These documents are usually sufficient, in the eyes of the admissions departments. Perform a keyword search for accredited online school programs. You will be surprised at the number of accredited online school programs available to you. They, of course, cost more than if you create your child’s curriculum yourself. But, as your child grows older you may find that it is well worth the cost if you are either new to homeschooling or do not have a great deal of extra time or resources to allocate to course preparation.

Like traditionally schooled students, homeschooled students need to take the time to find the college which will best meet their educational needs and career goals. Just like their public, private and charter schooled peers, this entails contacting several schools, receiving their application packets and scheduling an on-campus tour. On-campus tours will also help you, as a parent, and your child get a feel for the learning environment and the overall acceptance of homescholed students.

Your child can make their final college choice after determining which schools are the most willing to assist them with the admission process. As homeschooling grows, however, many parents and their homeschooled children are finding that the admissions process is not as daunting as it once was when home education was new. In those days homeschooled children and their parents were generally swimming in unchartered water. But the paved the way for future generations of homeschooled students to get a fair shake in the college admissions process.

You will find that many colleges are very receptive to the needs and wants of students schooled in a home environment. As more homeschooled children are entering the ranks of higher education, these colleges and universities have finally realized that these children are primed and ready to continue learning and to receive a sterling education.