Applying to College as a Homeschooler
Colleges actively seek out homeschoolers. They find them to be independent, self-directed learners, and far more diverse than regularly schooled students. Ask the college you are interested in if their application process is any different for homeschoolers than it is for regularly schooled students. Each college is different.
“Friends and family were again aghast when my older son returned to homeschooling for high school. Now the question was, “But what about college?” Concerns about him applying to college as a homeschooler were needless. Homeschooling turned out to be an asset rather than a liability. Colleges respect these kids as independent learners and want them for their diverse backgrounds.”
Most of my homeschooled students went on to college and became professionals in a wide variety of careers, including education, real estate, music, writing, visual and fine arts, science, medicine, archeology, childcare, healthcare, business, and more.
Read about attending College in High School while earning credits.
Colleges That Accept Homescooolers
Colleges that have admitted homeschoolers (list made in 2013)
College and universities that are test-optional or do not require an entrance exam. Inquire directly to the college to find out if they require a college board exam from a homeschooled applicant.
Statistics about academic performance of homeschoolers from NHERI, stating that colleges actively recruit homeschoolers.
Finding the Right College
I asked my sons what they wanted in a college. As self-directed learners, they knew what they were looking for. My oldest son wanted to attend a film school and focus on writing. My youngest wanted to study oceans and whales in a seaside campus. This made the search easier, and each selected several campuses to visit. On a visit, our son requested to meet with a dean, instructor or senior student in the department of their choice, in order to ask questions. This helped them to realize which school was best for them.
When visiting a campus, sit in on a class or two (especially a class in your chosen field of study), eat a meal in the dining hall or cafeteria, take a campus tour given by a student, if possible spend a night in a dorm. Talk to students. Request an interview with an instructor or older student, preferably who is in the department you want to be in. Come prepared with questions.
My younger son attended a summer program at his first choice college to make sure it was a good fit, and liked it so much that on his last day he requested an interview. To my surprise, both sons applied to only one school, declaring if they couldn’t go there they would do something else. Happily, they were both accepted for early admission, with more generous scholarships that I had thought possible. The older one went to NYU Film School in NYC; the younger one attended College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Article from the Washington Post (2017): This is How You and Your Child Select the Right College. Written by the president of College of the Atlantic (COA, which my son attended), this article contains some excellent advice on how to take a close look during your visit. I remember when we went to visit COA, I sat and ate lunch next to a faculty member, joined a small class with an animated group discussion, encountered imaginative and engaging approaches to a subject that I thought was familiar, all while my son was doing the same thing in other places with other people. By the end of the day, my son looked like one of the other students, barefoot, laughing, playing together.
FAQ about Community Colleges, article from USA Today, 2025. Community colleges are more affordable— sometimes free (though out of state students may be charged a fee), offer job training, accept high school students (many offer dual enrollment or early college), and may have smaller class sizes. Try a class to see if it feels like a good fit.
Applying to College
When my sons applied to college, neither had a high school diploma or equivalent. Here’s what they did have: an SAT score in the middle of the range the college had accepted the previous year (we found that information on their website), a homeschool high school transcript listing courses taken in grades 9-12 and a resume or additional educational activities (both written by the parent), three recommendation letters from teachers or employers, a well-written essay and application, and an in-person interview or portfolio submission. As high school students my sons had earned 24 and 12 college credits (respectively), but both chose to apply as incoming freshmen instead of transfer students, for early admission, because they thought this would increase their chances of acceptance.
Most private colleges do not require a high school diploma or equivalent. Instead, they require proof of four years of a high school education. We proved this with a homemade transcript and other materials listed above.
What 50 top colleges want from homeschooled applicants, an updated list, summarizing different requirements for homeschoolers.
MIT Homeschool page for applicants explaining what they are looking for.
Stanford Alumni Magazine article: In a Class By Themselves, explaining why they actively recruit homeschoolers.
Ask any college that interests you if their application process is the same for homeschoolers as for traditionally schooled students. Most will say their process is the same. If it’s different, ask what they require from homeschoolers.
Alternatives to College
Many people today feel the college is no longer the investment it once was. Students may end up carrying a large amount of student debt and find themselves unable to find employment. There are ways to cut costs, such as attending state schools, a community college, or an online university. Some may also find college to be a stressful environment, overly competitive, without family or support. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to attending a college or university.
Taking a Gap Year
Gap years are common in Europe, less so in the US. College welcome older students as being more mature and readier for intensive study. A year traveling and learning what you want, can help a student to know more about what they want to learn and where they want to learn it. I know of one student who created two internships or volunteer jobs in very different areas: one working with animal researchers, and the other volunteering in politics in Washington, D.C. Doing these very different jobs helped the student to choose her college major from her two main interests: animal medicine and political science. I know another student who wanted to become fluent in Spanish, so planned a gap year in South American countries, staying first in Argentina to take a university course while living with a host family, then working on a farm in Chile (through WWOOF), with plans to volunteer at an orphanage in Peru and then study at a university in Caracas, but she loved Chile so much that she canceled the second half of her plans, extended her stay at the farm and then got a job in a nearby town, since she was now a fluent Spanish speaker. A gap year can be an immersive, life-changing learning experience.
Designing your own high learning program
Not everyone needs to go to college to have a successful life. In Michael Ellsberg's book The Education of Millionaires, he interviewed nearly 40 millionaire and billionaires, and NONE of them had finished college! Here you can read Ellsberg's eight-step program for getting a successful career without a college education (scroll down in the article for the eight steps, which include a self-educated plan and timeline).
Blake Boles has written about self-direction, homeschooling, and life without college. His book College Without High School: A Teenager’s Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College encourages teens to study independently, aiming at high learned. Better Than College: How To Build a Successful Life Without a Four-Year Degree is a guide to self-designing your own higher education while using colleges and other organizations for community and resources.
Rethinking College: A Guide to Thriving Without a Degree by Karin Klein, discussed many of the options listed here, including well-paying jobs that don’t require a degree.
Next Phase Parenting lists over 100 good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree.
Internships, Apprenticeships, Employment
Experience and skill can often outshine applicants with degrees who lack experience and skill. Obtaining an internship can lead to job opportunities in that company, and may even lead to education and training paid for by the company or business.
Most museums, historic sites, public institutions, and many businesses and companies offer internships. Try doing a search for: [subject or type of job] + teen internship + [your city or county]. You may be surprised at the choices that appear.
Here are 16 internships for NYC high school teens, and 27 more internships for NYC teens, some which include payment.
Here are resources for NYC employment and internships for ages 14-24, 16-24, and 18-40.
More Articles on Homeschooling Teens:
Homeschooling High School: Diplomas and College Classes
High School Proms, Graduation Ceremonies, and Driver’s Ed in NYC
Student Exchange Programs / High School Year Abroad
Coming Soon:
Homemade High School Transcripts (how to make one)
Teen Internships Organized by Subject (NYC area)
Volunteering for Teens and Families (NYC area)