It is my desire that this College Prep: Admissions Essay post will clear up the mystery of the dreaded college essay!It’s the one part of the college application that causes students the most stress. But it doesn’t have to. The purpose of the admissions essay is simply to: Get to know your child better Find Read More
Years ago, when homeschooling was new, colleges required personal interviews and thick portfolios outlining every detail of the homeschooled student’s high school coursework and experiences. Now that homeschooling is more mainstream, portfolios are no longer requested or required. However, in this post, College Prep: Portfolios, I’ll explain why they are still a good idea. Here are Read More
Most universities and scholarship boards require applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. This can be tricky for homeschoolers since colleges do not want letters from parents. When my daughter began her college application process, she had never completed a class outside the home except for an online dual enrollment course through Read More
Like AP exams, colleges put a lot of stock in the SAT Subject Tests, sometimes known as the SAT II tests. In fact, some Ivy League and top tier universities require at least two SAT Subject Tests to be taken before a student is even eligible to apply to that university. Like CLEP, the SAT Read More
In this post College Prep: AP Anyone? I’m giving away one of the secrets to wooing those admissions counselors and luring in an acceptance letter from the college of your child’s dreams. For academic hopefuls, the junior year matters. Time to spit shine that transcript! My daughter never took an AP class until her senior Read More
In the last blog, we talked about depth—not breadth—when pursuing extra curricular activities. In this one, College Prep: Standing Out, we’re going to talk about ways to get noticed in college admissions. Commitment, leadership, and long-term involvement are what colleges like to see. Homeschooled students have the rare opportunity to become experts in the fields Read More
Be Unique! Colleges look for students that “stand out” from among other applicants. They’re interested in those they feel will enhance their school and campus. That’s not to say a “typical” student can’t get in, but it helps to show that your child is special and can offer something unique to the student body and to Read More
So you know your child will need to take college entrance exams as part of the college admissions process, but which test should he take and when? This post, College Prep: SAT vs. ACT, explains the similarities and differences of the tests to help you think through which test is best for your child. The Read More
Colleges love extracurricular activities. So shouldn’t my child do as many as possible to impress the admissions committee? That seems to make sense but it’s not the case. Think not too many, not too few. Depth not breadth. Ultimately, do what you love in a way that shows the colleges the unique person you are. Read More
Ideally, ninth grade is the time to begin mapping out the courses your child will need in high school to graduate with a great college prep transcript. It’s okay to begin thinking through the courses in eighth grade or even later than ninth grade. My older daughter decided she wanted to go to college in Read More
Jumping through hoops. Yep. That’s what it boils down to. Navigating the road from high school to college can be tough. You’ve been told it’s easy. You’ve been told it’s hard. You’ve been encouraged. You’ve been discouraged. You’ve been given information. You’ve been given misinformation. Well now it’s time for the truth. But let me Read More