Recently, it was suggested that I start writing a series of blog posts reflecting on my homeschool memories and detailing my experiences as a homeschool graduate. There are many blogs written by homeschool parents, but not nearly as many written by those who were homeschool students. With that in mind, I am setting out on a new adventure! If you have any questions or topics you would like me to consider writing on, leave me a comment, or email me at rebeccam (at) edventuresathome (dot) com.
One of the questions I hear most frequently from those considering homeschooling their children is “Will my child be able to get into college? Will they be adequately prepared?” The answer to that is yes, with a quality home education, students are able to get into college. And truthfully, I believe that the majority of homeschooled students are not only adequately, but also uniquely prepared for a college environment.
Based on my experiences, here are four reasons why:
1. Homeschooled students view learning as a lifestyle. No school bell means no end to learning! Homeschooling families are likely to keep both formal and informal educational experiences rolling through evenings, weekends, and even vacations.
2. Homeschooled students have the flexibility to participate in academic pursuits that are meaningful to them. Colleges love to seek out students who have shown themselves to be dedicated to their academic pursuits. Homeschooling allows students not only to explore areas of interest, but gives them flexibility in structuring their time so that they can study, develop skills, and excel in areas that are of particular interest to them.
3. The types of socialization afforded to homeschooled students transfer well into the college environment. Rather than socializing with a group of peers who are the same age, but may or may not have similar interests, homeschooled students tend to socialize with people of similar interests, with less focus on age group. This is much like the college environment, where students spend time working and networking with individuals who share similar academic and social pursuits, but who may or may not be the same age.
4. Homeschooling prepares students to stand out. Instead of being shaped and influenced by constant peer pressure, homeschooled students are able to be who they want to be. Developing these independent roots at a young age allows them to stand strong in their beliefs and worldview during their college years.
So, what about academically? How can you make sure your students are prepared? I’ll explore that in a future post! For now, leave a comment and let me know if you can think of other ways that homeschooling prepares students for college.
