Preparing for College Applications

 

Gone are the days of questioning whether or not homeschool students can make it into college. Today homeschool students are not only getting into colleges but also being actively recruited by many schools. However, the college bound student must have an academic plan which is recorded on their high school transcript and they must complete the required testing before they can submit college applications.

Academics

The college bound student should have a specific list of academic goals. The place to begin making this list is the admissions office of the college in which the student is interested. Make an appointment to visit with an academic counselor or check the college admissions website to see what the admission requirements are for high school academics. Based upon this information, work with your student to create a plan that will enable him to meet the school’s requirements.

Typically, most college admissions require: 4 years of English, 3 years of Mathematics, 3 years of History, ½ year of Government, ½ year of Economics, 3 years of Science, 2 years of Foreign Language, and 3-4 years of Electives. I currently have two students in college and their academic goals exceeded this list. Both graduated with 4 years of English, 4 years of Mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Consumer Math), 3 years of History (Cultural Geography, World History, and US History), ½ year of Government, ½ year of Economics, 4 years of Science (Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Advanced Biology), 2 years of Spanish, 2 years of French, ½ year of Driver’s Education, 4 years of Physical Education, 4 years of Piano, ½ year of Speech, ½ year of Test Prep, and ½ year of Computer Science. These planned high school courses prepared them for college courses.

Testing

Colleges rely more on test scores than the transcript for homeschool students. When you check the college admissions website for admission requirements, be sure to find out which test(s) and what scores are required for admission to the college. Both, the ACT and SAT, tests are multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper tests used by most colleges to make admission decisions. The purpose of the ACT and SAT test is to measure a high school student’s readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admission officers will review test scores along with student’s GPA, courses taken in high school, letters of recommendation, extra-curricular activities, admission interviews, and personal essays.

The ACT is 2 hours, 55 minutes in length. There are four ACT sections: English, Reading, Math, and Science. The ACT also includes an optional 40-minute Writing test. The max score is 36 and the average score is 21. The ACT is offered nationally every year in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. Visit www.act.org for test dates, test locations, and to register for the ACT.

The SAT is 3 hours in length. There are two SAT sections: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. The SAT also includes an optional 50-minute Essay section. Some colleges require the SAT Essay, simply check the college admissions website to see if it is required. The highest SAT score is 1600 and the average SAT score is 1060. The SAT is offered nationally every year in August, October, November, December, March, May, and June. Visit www.sat.collegeboard.org for test dates, test locations, and to register for the SAT.

Most high school students take the ACT or SAT during the spring of their Junior year or during the fall of their Senior year. It is important to leave time to re-take the test if you need to raise your score before you apply to college.

While the ACT and SAT are very different tests, they fulfill the same role in the admission process. The ACT and SAT tests are designed to provide college admissions officers with two things: a predictor of the first-year academic achievement in college, and a common yardstick to use in comparing students from a wide range of educational backgrounds.

Do you have a student preparing for college applications? The college bound student will need required academic courses and required test scores before they can submit college applications, be sure to check college admissions websites to prepare your high school student for college applications.

Happy Homeschooling!