Summary: How to deal with getting into college as a homeschooled teen. What are the colleges looking for? You can showcase your student to college with their high school electives! This article may include affiliate links to homeschool high school curriculum or resources that we have used or love. Please see my disclosure policy. #gettingintocollege #collegeadmissions
Are you concerned about your teen getting into college as a homeschooler?
Or are you stressing just in regards to the competition involved in college admissions?
Did you know that high school electives can be a real help in getting into college?
ELECTIVES and ACTIVITIES
Electives and high school activities can be a real help for any teen for getting into college.
My daughter, who graduated from our homeschool, got into an honors college leadership program largely because of her high school activities.
Whatever your child is interested in, high school electives and activities can be an important part to them getting into college.
But how do you show them to the colleges in the best way?
But how do you show them to the colleges in the best way?
There's nothing better than watching your teen delve into a subject of interest, seeing that wonderful spark as it is ignited....
Colleges want to hear about their applicant's interests and special skills. But what is the best way to share them?
Where to Share Electives:
Sharing electives helps
the college admissions dept. get to know your student and her accomplishments.
This
can happen right on the application, through the homeschool transcript, or
as part of the college essay.
- On the Application - There is a section for listing activities, volunteering, etc, right on the common application.
- On the Homeschool Transcript - Special interest activities can be made into electives courses, and listed on your teen's transcript. Otherwise, include them on the college application.
- In the College Essay - There are essay questions to answer here, for sure, but the colleges also want to hear about your teen's unique interests and skills, as well.
Depending on the essay question
that your student chooses, the college essay can be a place to share special
interests as well.
Today I'd like to share what we
did for high school activities and electives, and how that helped my teen
get into college.
Colleges want to know your student, re their character and their personal skills, such as leadership and perseverance, both of which will help them in their college experience.
I encouraged my daughter to
explore her interests and to try out different activities that she might be
interested in.
Isn't that what homeschooling is about anyway?
Below are 4 key points to help you get your teen into college, including:
- How to show leadership
- Showing perseverance
- Dealing with college references
- Options if your teen's electives/activities have been cancelled due to Covid19
Showing Leadership
Leadership skills is something
that many colleges look for, as well as your teen's interests and electives.
There are so many places to
learn leadership skills in our communities. Parks Departments have youth
teen boards, and counselor-in-training programs.
Then there is the YMCA, YWCA,
Scouts, church and co-op activities, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Awana, and
homeschool speech programs.
And working in the church nursery, etc.
Leadership skills are something that many colleges look for special interests
as well.
My daughter developed her confidence through this experience.
The teacher helped her to assist with the science labs, and to lead one class by herself each semester.
She liked doing this, but decided that she didn't want to become a teacher after all! She wanted to explore being a leader in another way..., and maybe not in science...
I could share this elective on the college application, to show leadership!
I could share this elective on the college application, to show leadership!
There are so many ways to show leadership, such as volunteering at church, at a day camp, co-leading a co-op class for preschoolers. You name it!
This Teacher's Assistance experience that my daughter did also resulted in a college recommendation letter from that teacher. (More of that below.)
This Teacher's Assistance experience that my daughter did also resulted in a college recommendation letter from that teacher. (More of that below.)
Showing Perseverance
Growing a special interest through hobbies or being in
a sport, a dance class like ballet, jazz, or cheer, or any high school activity
for more than a few years are easy ways to show perseverance.
The colleges want to see that quality in their prospective students in some way.
This was an interest of hers, and her friend was in the class.
She took irish stepdancing until 17, then took a modern dance class.
We included the irish dance activity in the college application, as she had done this for over nine years.
We included the irish dance activity in the college application, as she had done this for over nine years.
And she showed a progressively developed skill.
Early activities are not usually shared on the application, but it is continued through high school, then it is a help to share it.
This showed perseverance and a skill in an area of interest that was developed, which is one of the things that colleges are looking for.
Modern dance was also a help in our homeschool, as it was a great way to get in PE. These activities can be counted for PE credit.
Irish also helped in another way...
Early activities are not usually shared on the application, but it is continued through high school, then it is a help to share it.
This showed perseverance and a skill in an area of interest that was developed, which is one of the things that colleges are looking for.
Modern dance was also a help in our homeschool, as it was a great way to get in PE. These activities can be counted for PE credit.
One of our prospective colleges asked for an essay on multicultural issues.
This is not usual, just for this one U.
My teen decided to share her experiences in irish dance, and how she had learned about the irish culture, and developed an appreciation for cultural differences.
College References
My teen decided to share her experiences in irish dance, and how she had learned about the irish culture, and developed an appreciation for cultural differences.
College References
College applications usually ask for a letter from a teacher and
the school counselor. And for us homeschoolers, they ask for the Counselor Recommendation Letter if we use the Common Application.
For homeschoolers, we can add in letters that come other sources, such as coaches, co-op teachers, or other
leaders in our student's activities.
These can really help your teen get
into college.
One of my teen's favorite electives was in video making.
One of my teen's favorite electives was in video making.
Videomaking, included in a chapter in my book, was the most fun activity that we did together, senior year.
Video Making gave my daughter a source for a college reference letter, as she had an adult mentor help her.
He wrote her a college reference letter.
It is advisable to get multiple college reference letters for your homeschooled teen, beyond the recommendation letter that the Common Application requires.
As homeschoolers, we also need to complete the Counselor Recommendation Letter for the Common Application, as the homeschool parent. That guide is included in my book, below.
It is advisable to get multiple college reference letters for your homeschooled teen, beyond the recommendation letter that the Common Application requires.
As homeschoolers, we also need to complete the Counselor Recommendation Letter for the Common Application, as the homeschool parent. That guide is included in my book, below.
What if your teen's preferred activities or electives are not being offered now, due to covid 19?
Options For Virtual High School Electives/Activities
If your area is still affected by Covid19, volunteering can still be done in some helpful and needed ways.
They can check on neighbors, call elderly residents in nursing homes, help with food delivery, etc.
They can make masks. And many electives can be easily done at home. Here's another one. My friend at 7 Sisters Homeschool shares how to earn service hours for the homeschool transcript.
These easy to use no-busy work courses, are PDF based, are well done, in my opinion, and are frugally priced.
Or they could spend time with their photography, video-making, or make use of one of the many free online offerings being seen during this time of covid-19?
More information on that and how to make art into a high school elective is here.
Electives and activities whether for homeschooled or public schooled teens, can be key to their getting into college!
Vicki Tillman from 7 Sisters has more information on Homeschool Transcript Electives and Extra Curriculars here.
My friend from FUNDA FUNDA ACADEMY also offers lots of great online high school elective courses in her academy, including:
- Ecology
- Nature Journaling
- Photoshop
- Visual Literacy
- Theater
- Photography
- Programming
- and MORE!
I love the focus that she has on how learning should be FUN!
And it is fun at Funda Funda Academy. For more information on electives and more, click here - Funda Funda Academy Electives and Fall Courses
Have you seen my book on high school already?
Betsy is mom to her now college grad, who, she and her husband homeschooled through high school. She blogs about the early years, high school, and college and is the author or Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd edition. Betsy still loves going on nature study trips whenever her daughter can fit them in.
Want to stay in touch?
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