2008 Woodie Awards
Home-schooling increasingly common among univ. students
by Julie Wigley
Issue date: 10/19/07 Section: News
Each year, more home-schooled students are applying to college campuses around the nation.
Louis Hirsh, director of admissions at the university, stated in an e-mail message that he noticed a growing trend in applications from home-schooled students.
In the 2005 Fall Semester, there were 17 such applicants, 23 for Fall 2006 and 31 for Fall 2007.
According to information on the university's "Home-School" application, 60 home-schooled students have previously matriculated to the university and approximately half of them were on the Dean's List.
Although the criteria for admission is slightly different than the average public or private school student, the curriculum home-schooled students study is still a main factor in the admission process, Hirsh said.
"We evaluate them by focusing on what they have studied and on their standardized test scores, admission essays and letters of recommendation," he said.
According to the application, home-schooled students need to supply a portfolio of work they have completed or a sample research paper, reading lists, transcripts of their grades and their scores from the SAT reasoning test and subject tests or an ACT score.
Louise Shulack, director of admissions at Towson University, said he has not noticed an increase in applications from home-schooled students. Towson receives an average of 15 to 20 home-schooled applicants each year.
Shulack said the criteria for admitting these students are basically the same except when there is a different form of grading used in the lesson plan of the home-schooled student.
"They must have the minimum high school courses," he said. "When traditional grades are not available, then we put a heavier weight on the SAT or ACT scores to validate the learning."
Grecia Montero, director of recruitment at The College of New Jersey, said although they do not keep track of all home-schooled applicants, she has noticed an increase.
Louis Hirsh, director of admissions at the university, stated in an e-mail message that he noticed a growing trend in applications from home-schooled students.
In the 2005 Fall Semester, there were 17 such applicants, 23 for Fall 2006 and 31 for Fall 2007.
According to information on the university's "Home-School" application, 60 home-schooled students have previously matriculated to the university and approximately half of them were on the Dean's List.
Although the criteria for admission is slightly different than the average public or private school student, the curriculum home-schooled students study is still a main factor in the admission process, Hirsh said.
"We evaluate them by focusing on what they have studied and on their standardized test scores, admission essays and letters of recommendation," he said.
According to the application, home-schooled students need to supply a portfolio of work they have completed or a sample research paper, reading lists, transcripts of their grades and their scores from the SAT reasoning test and subject tests or an ACT score.
Louise Shulack, director of admissions at Towson University, said he has not noticed an increase in applications from home-schooled students. Towson receives an average of 15 to 20 home-schooled applicants each year.
Shulack said the criteria for admitting these students are basically the same except when there is a different form of grading used in the lesson plan of the home-schooled student.
"They must have the minimum high school courses," he said. "When traditional grades are not available, then we put a heavier weight on the SAT or ACT scores to validate the learning."
Grecia Montero, director of recruitment at The College of New Jersey, said although they do not keep track of all home-schooled applicants, she has noticed an increase.
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