What Colleges Like to See from Homeschoolers

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: What Colleges Like to See from Homeschoolers. What Colleges Like to See from Homeschoolers What are colleges looking for from homeschoolers? What are the latest tips for successful college applications? Vicki is joined today by 7Sister Marilyn and our good friend, Dr. Barbara Varnell. Both ladies serve as high school advisors for the local homeschool community and have helped hundreds of teens get into college. They are going to share their latest tips! Things are always changing in the college application process. This are always changing in what makes homeschoolers college attractive. So, let's jump in with some updates from Barb and Marilyn: Colleges like to see the Common Application (or their own application) You have heard of Common Application (we simply call it "Common App"). But just in case you have not heard of it, Common App is an application that a number of colleges accept. High school seniors complete one application that is then sent to several colleges of their choice. Common App makes life much simpler since teens only need to fill out on application instead of an application for each college. Tip from Marilyn and Barb: Sometimes it works works better for homeschool high schoolers who do lots of interesting and unique activities to choose the individual colleges' applications. These college applications often allow teens to highlight their unique offerings better than the Common App. Barb tells the story of her daughter's application to Pennsylvania State University. Penn State's application was so much better at allowing her to show off her creative high school extracurriculars. SO, take a look at each college's application and compare it to the Common App. Some colleges like to see SRAR SRAR (Self Reporting Academic Record) is a list of your homeschool high schooler's courses and the grades for those courses. It is separate from the Common Application and also from the transcript. Not all colleges require the SRAR so check colleges of interest to see their requirements. In most cases, transcripts will also be required at some point in the admissions process. * Take a look at the University of Delaware's SRAR page. * And at Penn State's SRAR FAQ page for information on their requirements, to give you an idea of what colleges are doing these days. Tips from Marilyn and Barb: * Do not wait until senior year to compile a transcript. Start early. Start in 9th grade and add to it yearly. You will be glad you did! (It will save many hours and tears while trying to regather and reconstruct all the records of those busy high school years.) * When you send in the actual transcript, make sure that it accurately lines up with everything on the SRAR. If not, it is possible the acceptance offer a student receives might be rescinded. Some colleges like to see SATs and ACTs In some parts of the country, the use of SAT and ACT exam scores has changed. For many years, colleges in the north and east often required the SATs, while southern colleges preferred the ACTs. Recently many of our eastern colleges have switched to asking for ACTs instead of SATs. Many colleges are not requiring these entrance exam scores at all (they are not requiring SATs or ACTs). Tips from Marilyn and Barb: * When your homeschool high schooler takes an SAT or ACT exam, tell them not to choose a college to receive those scores. Wait and see how the scores turn out. There may be times when a teen will be better off not reporting their scores to a college at all.