Homeschool to College
If you are homeschooling and college is the long-term goal, there are a few important components to understand early on.
Homeschool is becoming an increasingly popular educational environment for all students, but the number of homeschooling high school students has increased steadily in the last four academic years. As such, colleges and universities are now seeing an influx of undergraduate applicants from homeschool students. As homeschooling gains mainstream momentum, and colleges expect (and accept!) more homeschooling high schoolers, it is important to understand academic expectations in order to make your homeschooling high school student a competitive college applicant.
Compliance vs. Competitive: What’s the difference?
Compliant means meeting your state’s graduation requirements to receive a high school diploma. This varies widely by state, but it always includes consistent record-keeping, attendance logs, portfolio reviews, or standardized testing, depending on where you live. It is entirely possible to be a compliant homeschooled student and high school graduate, without having a competitive profile to be considered for college and university admissions.
Competitive applications entail building an academic and extracurricular profile that aligns with college expectations and the typical admitted student profile. This may include AP courses, ACT/SAT scores, dual-enrollment programs, and strong extracurricular activities such as volunteering, working, athletics, performing arts, and so on. Competitive homeschool applicants demonstrate a rigorous academic course load, display innate curiosity and ambition for learning, and showcase academic depth and consistency in their program- just like students attending traditional high school.
Core Academic Requirements:
While graduation requirements vary by state, California does not mandate specific diploma requirements for homeschoolers. This means parents and students can prescribe their own course of study, determine when the student is diploma-ready, and issue a diploma accordingly. While this flexibility is a major benefit of homeschooling, families considering college after high school are strongly encouraged to follow, at a minimum, California public school graduation requirements, which include:
3 years of English/ELA
2 years of Math to include Algebra I
2 years of Science to include physical science and biology
3 years of Social Studies to include U.S. History, Geography, World History, and some combination of American Government, civics, and economics
1 year of Foreign Language
1 year of Fine Arts or Career/Technical Learning
2 years of Physical Education and Health
Many homeschool students follow these guidelines to align their program with post-graduate expectations. However, students seeking admission to the University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) systems must complete coursework in the following content areas, known as the A–G requirements:
4 years of English/ELA
3 years of Math to include Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry
2 years of Science to include physical science and biology
3 years of Social Studies to include U.S. History, Geography, World History, and some combination of American Government, civics, and economics
2 years of Foreign Language (must be in the same language)
1 year of Fine Arts to include Visual or Performing Arts
1 year of Academic Electives such as psychology, computer science, chemistry, etc…
California is a very homeschool-friendly state in terms of the freedom families have to design a program that fits their student. That said, it is important to consider life after high school and what your family envisions as your student completes their learning journey and potentially transitions to post-secondary education.
At Teach Play Learn, we support all educational paths and are committed to helping homeschool families design and implement programs that are both meaningful and future-focused. As always, we are here to help your child succeed and learn their way, and we are honored to be part of your village. If you have questions about your child’s homeschool experience, contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation with our team.
