Exploring College Options

Bismillah.

Sooo… homeschoolers and college. How do you do it? Do you get a diploma? Will colleges and universities accept homeschoolers? Perhaps we could opt for a GED? CLEP? Dual enrollment? What’s up with AP? Aaaahhhh!!! The list is never ending. And researching all the possible options causes anxiety, increases your stress, and well, frankly, you’ll probably never get all your answers most of the time.

Right now, I am graduating from high school and will be attending college in the fall, insha’allah. I’ve gone through the entire process on my OWN. No parents help, nothing, except advice from friends here and there, online research, talking to the principal of the Islamic school, hearing stories from other homeschooled college graduates… things like that. I do think I’ve gotten a pretty good insight into how things work. My goal is to present all the possible options I am aware of.

Let me make a very important note on diplomas. You don’t need one. This is no doubt the most important concern parents have. But let me clarify again. You don’t need an official diploma. You must, however, meet all the credit requirements and have a well organized TRANSCRIPT. (I now wonder whether the transcript I sent in was good enough. Ya Allah!)

It’s very important, I think as a homeschooler, to have a head start on college through dual enrollment and AP courses. They will both save time and money and grant high school as well as college credits. It is DEFINITELY the way to go. You will save almost TWO years worth of college tuition. Dual enrollment is available in many community colleges and university. You’ll have to contact the college for specific information, but I’ll give you a gist of the program. Basically, you will be taking college classes during your high school years and it will allow you to earn high school credit ALONG with college credit. It is FREE. You just have to spend some money on textbooks 😀 but that’s not a biggie. AP courses (Advanced Placement), on the other hand, are a lot tougher than college courses. They’re meant for people who are SERIOUS. And when you apply to a university with lots of AP credit, it boosts your application because it shows that you’re willing to accept challenges and face them. I love taking AP. Yeh, I think they’re fun, hehe! You can take AP courses online, you can develop your own curriculum after intense research on what is used, though that might be difficult unless you can get an expert in the field to help you out. I tried studying AP Psychology on my own by reading the textbook and taking practice tests and stuff, but it was too late :(. I started half way into the school year and with so many other AP courses, it wouldn’t be possible for me. But if you give yourself time and have the right resources, I believe it’s possible for homeschoolers to prepare for AP exams on their own terms. Oh yes, the AP exam. In the month of May, AP exams are administered and this is what counts most. Your score on the exam. For more information on AP courses and exams, check out: About AP from CollegeBoard.

Another great option is taking CLEP. It’s ALMOST like AP, but less rigorous. Say you’re well-read in a certain subject like World History, but you can’t prove it. You’ve studied it passionately during your high school years and you think you know more about the history of the world than you’re supposed to for your level (a.k.a you’re at a college level ’cause you’re an awesome nerd)… then CLEP it :D! You’ll get college credit for it. And again, this will help you finish college earlier than most people. Isn’t that cool? The exam doesn’t have a specific date, you can take it whenever you want. And it doesn’t cost much either. Click HERE for more info on CLEP from CollegeBoard (CollegeBoard dominates the test world, doesn’t it :D).

Ah, the glorious, majestic SATs… one can never escape from it’s splendor. Seriously, you can’t. Well, you can. But they’re easy. I think you should still take it no matter what. Oh and for the record, people make a big fuss about it, but its not a big deal. You don’t need to take an expensive SAT prep class. Just get The Official SAT Study Guide and practice and practice and DRILL your brain and get acquainted with the test. Become best friends. The more you practice, the better. It’s that simple. Oh but hey, I haven’t taken it yet! But I will be in March, inshallah, and the practice tests are… pieces of cake. I enjoy them. If you have problems with Math though, then you might want help (like me! May Allah bless the brain of my awesome math tutor cum friend with more brain cells which she can kill with her ninja math love). It’s also a great idea to take the PSAT before taking the SAT. It’s just a practice and it doesn’t count for anything much, unless you want to get the National Merit Scholarship… which I never really figured out. The requirements and all… Lastly, don’t get carried away with all the tests and exams!!

And my advice to you :)… forget GED. It DOES have stigma associated with it and it’s the road people who DROP out take. The GED doesn’t show that you’re competitive and WILLING to accept academic challenges. And from what I know of it, it’s VERY easy. 75 minutes for 50 questions… Seriously, that’s a piece of cake.

As for scholarships, all you need are community service hours and proof that you are indeed needy/worthy of receiving a scholarship. It’s best to apply for EVERYTHING you can and you might just get accepted in something or the other.

Just a note. I’m not trying to make anyone feel as though they have to rush through high school or college but honestly, I believe it’s BEST to finish as soon as you can because there’s more to life than just academic accomplishments. Oh and like they say, one can never stop learning, for knowledge must be acquired from the day we are born to the day we die. We must learn to APPLY what we learn and not just store everything in our brains. And implementation can be in the form of perception and how you think. So when you’re done with school and you’re only 18 or 19 or 20… You’re…. well, free :D. You’re not restrained to a system anymore. You can learn on your own terms once again (from homeschooling to college to homeschooling yourself once again… make sense?).

And that will be it. Please feel free to add any other helpful ideas or info! And if you have any questions… I love questions :D.