When you first decide to home school your child, it can be overwhelming. All sorts of questions abound: what should we study; how; am I qualified? After youâ??ve gotten yourself into a routine, though, many of those uncertainties seem to fade away as you and your child discover the world together. However, after youâ??ve been at it for a few years, youâ??re bound to notice that your child is reaching the age where people start asking about college.

That opens up a whole new can of worms for a homeschooler, and a whole new set of questions pop up. Will my homeschooler get into a good college? Will admissions officers look negatively on the homeschooling experience? Will my child fit in with the other students who are coming from a traditional school environment? The list is practically endless!

However, as most homeschooling parents are pleasantly surprised to discover, homeschooling doesnâ??t work against your child when it comes time for college. In fact, many of the nationâ??s top schools seek out homeschooled students because of their diverse learning experiences and broad knowledge base! The admissions process may be a little different for homeschoolers, who may or may not have completed many of the standardized tests that are offered in traditional school settings.

Many of the top schools take the time to interview every student they are considering for acceptance. An interview is the best place for the homeschooler to shine. Itâ??s a chance to show all the knowledge and skills that are gained from homeschooling and itâ??s also the best place to show the independent thinking and maturity that often results from staying out of the traditional school setting. Since homeschoolers tend to be surrounded by adults more than children, they often demonstrate an ability to relate to the college environment more easily than a traditional student who has been indoctrinated in deference to authority and obedience to random rules designed to handle the herd.

The fact is, the college life is a lot different from a high school atmosphere. Most courses a student will take throughout their postsecondary education require few prerequisites that donâ??t come directly from the college experience. A high school course in history is quite different from one in university: high school courses are designed to teach facts and basic skills, while a college course is designed to teach theories and independent thought.

The one aspect of the college admissions process that your homeschool student may miss out on is some of the scholarship opportunities. Many of the sports or club scholarships require participation in a high school environment. However, there are many scholarships available that arenâ??t tied to these activities, or will accept participation in community teams or clubs as equivalent. Make sure that you put the same effort into researching your college applications that you do into creating your homeschool experience.

Kim Yonkers
http://www.articlesbase.com/homeschooling-articles/when-your-homeschooler-hits-college-age-133505.html

Colleges look at many different factors in deciding which students to admit. To complicate matters these factors, and the weight given to each, differs from school to school. However, in general terms, colleges are looking for students who have the academic ability to succeed at their school. They begin that process by looking at the courses taken in high school, the grades received, the student’s standing relative to their classmates, and their test scores. Once they have determined that a particular student could succeed academically, many schools will look at a variety of other factors. Some of the other factors are discussed below.

In general terms, larger state schools tend to rely more on grades and test scores. The smaller the school and the more selective the school, the more factors are generally considered in deciding whether to admit a particular student. To determine what factors for admission are looked at by any particular school you should ask an admission counselor from that school.

Academic Achievement Reviewed

Your transcript

The colleges will look at the level of difficulty of the courses you took and the grades received in those courses. They will also be looking to see if you challenged yourself by taking advantage of the AP and accelerated courses that are available.

Class rank

The colleges will review your GPA and where you rank in your class

Standardized Test Scores

SAT I, SAT II and ACT. How well did you do on the standardized tests compared to the average candidate to that school.

Teacher and counselor recommendations

Most schools have forms that they ask your teachers and counselor to complete. These forms provide specific information about strengths, accomplishments, areas of improvement and recommendations

Achievements/Awards/Scholarships

What academic awards have you received.

Academic interest (major)

Some schools have a reputation in a particular area of study. At such schools, it may be easier to gain admission if you are planning on studying a major for which they are not known.

Personal Achievement Reviewed

The list of factors a particular college is looking for in a student in a particular year varies widely. Listed below are some other factors that may be considered:

Extracurricular activities

The college will be looking at the amount of time you spent in your activities and whether you held a leadership role. The more time involved and the greater the involvement (i.e. captain of a team), the more impressive your activities will look. Remember that colleges are not looking for the well-rounded student; they are looking for a well-rounded first year class.

Character traits

What traits do you possess that reflects on your leadership, fellowship, inspiration, discipline or determination?

Interview

The interview can give put a face to your application and might highlight a special talent or problem in your record.

Recommendations

What sort of person and student do your teachers and counselor think you are?

Summer experiences

What have you done in the summer and how has that influenced your life/perspective? Donâ??t worry if you havenâ??t had any great experience during the summer. Most schools are impressed by someone working during the summer to save money for school. It reflects a certain level of maturity to be able to hold a job.

Other Considerations

The list of factors a particular college is looking for in a student in a particular year varies widely. Listed below are some other factors that may be considered:

Gender

Many schools try to achieve as close to a 50-50 balance between men and women as possible. Depending on the school, this may give one sex or the other an advantage if the school needs more men or more women.

Family background, race or ethnicity

Students who are the first in their family to go to college are often given additional consideration. This is also true if you are of an ethnic background that school seeks for diversity.

Residence

Schools are often looking for geographical diversity in their students.

Special talents

If you are particularly talented in some area (art, music, writing, athletics, etc.) you may be given more consideration.

Area of interest

If you have a particular interest that is very unusual and to which you have devoted a great deal of time, you may get additional consideration.

Legacy status

Many schools give preference if one of your parents or siblings has previously attended the college to which you are applying.

Financial need

Some schools make admission decisions based on whether you are seeking financial aid or not.

Disciplinary issues

If you have been disciplined by your school, the colleges will look closely at what occurred.

Todd Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/what-colleges-look-for-in-admitting-students-116516.html