Determinants of Proficiency for Homeschooled Students: The College Admissions Process and It's Relationship to Homeschooling

Abstract

This Capstone project explores the relationship between homeschooled students and the college admission process. Specifically, this essay is designed to answer the following question: Are homeschooled learners being adequately prepared to meet the challenges of the college admissions process now and into the foreseeable future? Peer-reviewed, scholarly articles and research data provide the basis for understanding homeschooling considerations and rationales from the perspective of homeschooled students and their families. In addition, this paper uses in-person and telephone interviews with undergraduate admissions personnel at five representative American universities of varying degrees of admissions selectivity to conclude that there exists a separate and distinct methodology to the college admissions process for homeschooled students. In particular, research indicates that there exists a substantial disconnect between achievements and aspirations of homeschooled students and their perception and treatment by college admission departments in United States institutions of higher learning. This paper examines the rationales behind the growth of homeschooling in America since the1960s by delving into the following: 1-exploration of the research done regarding current homeschooled learner profiles, 2-examining homeschooling in the context of college “readiness” and the admissions process through the lens of achievement and success criteria, 3- examining the impact, acceptance and variants of homeschool curricula and 4- indicating the relationships of homeschooler secondary school graduation G.P.A. data and the role of standardized college entrance examination scores and other measures of achievement in the college admittance process. This homeschool learner and learning profile will be synthesized with the admission department interview data to yield a clear picture of where homeschooled students fit into established admissions policies and procedures at five representative institutions of varying degrees of undergraduate selectivity in the United States. Lastly, the implications for both homeschooled students and for future accommodations of homeschooled students in the admissions process at the collegiate level will indicate important points of discussion for continued development and investigation. Keywords: homeschooled, `assessment, college admissions, achievements, “college readiness”