Parents who home-school may or may not be aware that many colleges are willing, and even enthusiastic, to enroll home-school students in degree programs. Some question the benefits of a college education for home-schooled students. The reality is that college benefits everyone, whether or not they come from a home-school background. In fact, home-schooled children enjoy the additional advantages of a college degree in the adult workforce, as it provides them with that “piece of paper” so many employers are impressed with. There are many advantages for home-school students who pursue a college education.
The home-school curriculum often provides a higher quality level of education than one typically finds in the public school system. Adding a college education to a home-school-based program increases that knowledge. It allows the home-schooled student to further understand society, emerging developments, clear expression of thought, and abstract and critical thinking. The pursuit of a college degree provides home-schooled students with specialized information they would otherwise not be able to obtain, and this can open up a new world of possibilities that build on the home-school foundation.
There are many real world job-based benefits for home-schooled students who obtain college degrees. A college education allows children from a home-schooling background to command higher salaries than those who enter the workforce immediately. College degrees also provide home-schooled children with a greater variety of options when it comes to careers. There are many professions that are simply not open to those who don't graduate from an accredited college or university. The nature of home-schooling programs often allows home-schooled children to enter and complete college degree programs faster than their public education peers, and sometimes at an earlier age.
In the past, it was a commonly held belief that home-schooled children could only attend community colleges. However, more and more four-year colleges and universities are demonstrating their willingness to enroll home-schooled students in degree programs. There are many ways parents who home-school can help their children select, apply, and be accepted at the college or university of their choice. Standardized testing, GED programs, student portfolios, and even personal recommendations are now acceptable “substitutes” for high school diplomas at many prestigious higher learning institutions. A college education is a solid choice for any home-schooled student. The possibility should not be dismissed out of hand. Colleges are now welcoming students from home-school backgrounds.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling parent, author, children's rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of almost 3 decades reside with their 8 children in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Rothschild co-founded Learning By Grace, Inc. because "our current system of education has broken its promise..." Learning By Grace, Inc. delivers Internet-based multimedia education to PreK-12 children in the United States and throughout the world.
Rothschild has authored a number of books about education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Daily Education News Blog contains feature stories on alternatives in education.