Teacher Says: Prepare Homeschoolers for College

Evelyn Vuko (washingtonpost.com)

College admission is fiercely competitive and the process can bring even more challenges for families who have opted to educate their kids at home.

Join Evelyn Vuko and Cyndi Simmons, editor-in-chief of Homeschooling Parent and parent of four home-schooled children, on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss helping homeschooled children through the college admissions process.

Homeschooling Parent is a bi-monthly magazine focusing on stories of interest to homeschooling families and products to assist parents in teaching their children at home.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Evelyn Vuko: Hello out there and welcome! We're slightly delayed today, so hang on, we'll be right with you. Thanks for your patience.

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Evelyn Vuko: My Cyndi Simmons is delayed today. Hopefully, she'll join us soon, so let's get started.

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Vienna, Va.: Hello,

This isn't a question about homeschooling and college admissions. However, I'd appreciate your thoughts if you have time.

How necessary is preschool for four-year-olds? My daughter is 3.5 and we're investigating preschools for next year. We have a nice one at our church, but I'm not sure that there are enough slots to include everybody who applies.

She's bright and verbal -- she can already read three-letter words, she asks very deep questions, and she loves books. She doesn't belong to a play group but interacts with kids weekly at a music/movement class and a weekly Sunday school class.

Would she have a hard time in kindergarten? Or do kids adapt pretty quickly to that? FWIW, I didn't go to preschool and did just fine in school, but I know that times are different now.

Thank you!

Evelyn Vuko: Though this question is about preschool, it's a topic dear to my heart so let me say a few words here ...
I believe that you are the best judge of whether or not your daughter needs a formal preschool program. She sounds bright and motivated to learn and if you have the time and inclination, you could fashion a "before formal schooling program" of your own. You are fortunate to be in the metro Washington area, because of the wealth of educational institutions at your disposal; many of which have extensive educational programs geared toward younger students. Even historic homes like Gunston Hall in Lorton, VA, have programs geared to little ones. Libraries, community centers, play groups and online resources could keep you and your daughter educationally occupied one way or another every day. You might also contact a preschool or visit one and discuss what curriculum they follow and pattern your work with her on that. You'd need to work on finding situations for her where she could interact with her peers, one of the things naturally provided by a formal preschool program.

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Happy Camp, Calif.: My daughter has been convinced by public school educators that she absolutely must have high school "credits" to get into college. I don't think this is right because I know homeschooled children get into college all the time. What can I tell her to convince her this alliance with public school values isn't necessary?

Evelyn Vuko: Let me speak from personal experience...my niece was homeschooled in Philadelphia for the last two years of high school and received high school credits for her work. In Philadelphia at that time (five years ago), she was given a curriculum to follow by the high school she had been attending. The stipulation for credit was that all the work she completed be reviewed by a certified teacher. This teacher had to approve the work or resubmit it to her for correction. Once the work was approved, the teacher submitted an approval letter to her high school and credit was granted. Since homeschooling varies so widely from state to state, you might want to investigate this further by contacting your State Department of Education.

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Cordova, Tenn.: How many years' work should a portfolio being submitted to a college admissions office contain? Just 9th through 12th grade?

Evelyn Vuko: Dear Cordova: this is the standard requirement, however, much depends on the college to which your child is seeking admission. Certainly any remarkable achievements during the middle school years should be included. These might be creatively incorporated into the college admissions essay! If the application does not answer all your questions, don't hesitate to pick up the phone and speak directly to the Admissions Office.

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Phoenix, Ariz.: As an addendum to Vienna, Va., comment, my daughter did some research as well as an in-person assessment of a pre-school for my granddaughter who is 3 yrs old. As a young child, she is also verbal, interested in books. She's very social, and now that she's been going to preschool for several months she LOVES it and is excited about getting in the car to get there. Her manners are improving, her general play has more of a sharing component, and most of all she's having FUN learning.

Thanks for having this extraordinary chat program!

Warren

Evelyn Vuko: Thanks, Warren! I am all for visiting prospective schools for kids, no matter their age. Your daughter obviously made a good choice for her daughter.

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Vienna, Va.: Possible pre-school mom here. Thanks for your answer! As I read more about the pressures on kids in early elementary school, I get less enthusiastic about sending her off to school so fast. But I'm glad to hear that it wouldn't be a disaster if she didn't go to preschool.

Evelyn Vuko: Glad I could reassure you a bit. However, there's nothing more powerful when it comes to educating your child, no matter her age, than listening to your intuition about schools, teachers, programs and curriculum. And of course, have a constant dialogue with your child. Good luck.

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Evelyn Vuko: Cyndi is joining us momentarily. Thanks for your patience.

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Phoenix, Ariz.: Are there colleges that are more "user friendly" for kids that have been homeschooled, so that the transition is more seamless?

Cyndi Simmons: Yes, there are certainly colleges and universities that are "homeschool friendly" -- the way that we measure an institution's reception toward homeschoolers, obviously is rooted in the admissions process. Are they willing to look at a portfolio in lieu of a computer generated transcript? Does the admissions staff have a solid understanding of homeschooling as an educational alternative? Are they familiar with the laws as they relate to a qualified high school graduate?...and so on.

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Tom's Neck, N.J.: Cindy,

My son is 13 now and his mother and I are starting to help him decide on some colleges to look at. Do you know of any "mainstream" (e.g., not overtly religious) colleges on the east coast that actively assist homeschooled young people adjust to college life?

Thank you.

Cyndi Simmons: William & Mary has an admissions staff person dedicated to homeschoolers. I would suggest you select the colleges you are interested in pursuing and then question the school on how they meet the needs of incoming students.

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Charlottesville, Va.: Can you recommend some good online sights that will provide guidance for teaching academic subjects, especially high school math?

Evelyn Vuko: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has an excellent Web site with sections for both parents and teachers. Go to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Or try some of the major book publishers like Harcourt Brace who offer companion sites for some of their textbooks like the Math Advantage series for elementary school. Go to Harcourt School Publishers. Also try the math departments at university Web sites, many offer games or online programs for parents, like Drexel University in Philadelphia.

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By e-mail: How can I encourage a mother of four children under ten who has just decided to homeschool them. She barely graduated from high school and though she's committed to helping her kids at home, she's terribly concerned that she doesn't have "the smarts" to do the work required. Her school district, by the way, is not offering much support or guidance.

Cyndi Simmons: I would suggest several options:

First of all, there are numerous programs available in a long distance learning format, whereby the curriculum is provided and monitored for the parent. Mom or dad are responsible for orchestrating and delivery. I find that for first time homeschooling parents, many are drawn to definitive curriculum programs, which can be quite helpful when one is just learning the ropes of teaching at home.

Some suggestions off the top of my head:
Keystone National High School
Abeka
Alpha Omega


I would also suggest that this mom find a support group in her community of seasoned homeschooling parents. There is no better way to learn and gain confidence than from those that have already journeyed the road.

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Washington, D.C.: Could it be also called Cyberschooling? I think this is a great Web site for homeschooling. Home School U

Evelyn Vuko: Cyberschooling, in my opinion, is more like what is/was called "distance learning." Colleges, universities, educational institutions and even trade schools sometimes offer students the option of taking courses online or through video feeds to classrooms. I can't vouch for the Web site "Home School U," however, it bears investigating. And as you would for any site on which you're depending for accurate information, check their references against ones you trust.

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Washington, D.C.: Are there any national requirements homeschooling families must follow? Seems to me like there's a major disparity in what states require. What's the deal?

Evelyn Vuko: According to Cyndi, there are no national requirements. "All education whether private or public is enforced on the state level," she says. This is indeed wide disparity among states as to the requirements a family must comply with if they chose to educate their kids at home. Some states merely require that parents notify the school district of their intent to homeschool. Some states, at the other extreme, reserve the right to review your proposed curriculum. Contact the Homeschooling Office or Superintendent's Office in your school district to find out your state's specific requirements.

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Selinsgrove, Pa.: What do you think of homeschool high school programs, accredited ones, like the ones offered by universities or Keystone National, or Laurel Springs? Do/Can these prepare my son for college better than me on my own?

Cyndi Simmons: Yes, I am familiar with these programs. I find that a family's approach to homeschooling and the curriculum they choose to use, is quite diverse -- obviously, children have a multitude of interests, talents, and learning styles.

With that said, many families use long distance learning programs. If your child is college bound, I would suggest becoming familiar with admission requirements and then backing up to choosing a curriculum that will fulfill those needs. If you choose a long distance learning program, accreditation, curriculum, organization, assistance for both student and parent, technical asst., stats on SAT scores and college bound students ... these are all areas I would investigate.

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Greenbelt, Md.: Not a question, but I didn't know William and Mary had someone devoted to homeschooling! That makes me very proud of my alma mater!

Cyndi Simmons: Check out our article in the September-October 2004 of Homeschooling Parent Magazine.

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USA: I would like to be a little contrarian here. I teach at the college level, and have for years. I've had a few homeschooled students. Granted, my sample size is small and my impressions are subjective.

It seems to me that academically they displayed about the same mix of ability as most students. Socially, however, there really are issues. Some of them, of course, did fine. But if one watched them interact with other students before/after class (talking, laughing, joking, flirting), it really does become apparent that a lot of them pay a price in terms of being at ease around people their own age.

I'm sure there are ways to avoid these problems, but honestly, I just don't think homeschooling, at least at the high school level, is a very smart plan except under exceptional circumstances.

Just $.02 from somebody who has a vested professional interest in making sure that the 19-year-old crowd is as smart and well-prepared, for school and for life, as possible.

Cyndi Simmons: Yes, this is an age old comment when it comes to homeschooling -- socialization.

The truth of the matter is that I have also been in a college classroom and I know from first hand experience that there are all kinds of mixes of students, regardless of how they were educated on the secondary level.

I have been homeschooling for over ten years and of course, I publish a national homeschooling magazine...I have been immersed in this nationwide community of homeschoolers. There are more social avenues available to homeschoolers than the general public realizes. Homeschoolers do not lack for socialization. This picture that folks try to paint of kids sitting at home in this dull gray environment, weeping for someone to be their friend...it simply is absurd.

Visit the next homeschooling conference in your state... likely to be held in late spring or summer...you will be amazed at what this community is really all about!

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Evelyn Vuko: Well. There's certainly no shortage of opinions about whether to home school or not and I hope we've addressed at least some of your concerns and questions. Thanks for your patience as we got off to a delayed start today and thanks to Cyndi Simmons for sharing her expertise with us today. Join me again on February 1 to chat about the safety issues and educational advantages to sending high school kids abroad for a year of high school.

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