Does applying to university as a homeschooler put me at a disadvantage?

Introduction

So, you're homeschooling and you're a teenager. You could be homeschooling for a variety of reasons, whether it is to be able to explore subjects at your own pace or to be in an environment that suits your individual needs better. While some homeschoolers do not consider university as the right next step in their journey life, some still want to pursue higher education at one point or another, in order to get a formal degree to help with career prospects, or simply to experience university life, which if done well, can be a wonderful chapter in one's life.

But the question, and this is something that many of our customers ask, does homeschooling put you at a disadvantage when it comes time to apply to universities?

The answer is, as you might guess, a bit more complicated than a plain yes or no.

In this article, we'll break down the pros and cons, and give you some actionable advice on what to prepare for IF you want to give university a shot after homeschooling.

The pros of applying to university as a homeschooler

Let's first talk about the advantages of applying to university as a homeschooler.

1. You have more opportunity to stand out, in a good way

One thing to remember about most university admissions is that they are assessing for an applicant's fit to the institution.

While some universities are more academics focused, others value a holistic profile.

Regardless of the above, being a homeschooler can put you at an advantage in order to stand out amongst the application pool, primarily because since you're homeschooling, you're most likely not going through the same, cookie-cutter cirriculum that other applicants have gone through.

This is a HUGE pro.

You could have pursued academic subjects related to the programme you're applying to that other applicants may not have had the chance to undergo as a result of the limited opportunities provided by their schools.

Or, if academics is not the only thing a university admissions team is assessing, you have much more free time and headspace to pursue extracurricular activities ranging from learning new skills and volunteering to taking up a job (suitable for your age) and even starting a business.

2. You have more time to prepare for your application(s)

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that you do not need to strictly adhere to the timeline prescribed by the traditional educational system.

Importantly, while other applicants apply to university in their last year of high school studies, when they do not yet have their final academic results, you as a homeschooler do not have to follow this path.

If you are preparing for academic credentials that are useful for university applications, you could wait until you have received your results to assess the right universities to apply to.

This can help you stand out compared to traditional applicants, because while many of the credentials and grades they submit are predictive, yours are definitive. Your results are the sure thing, which gives admissions tutors/officers more certainty on your academic potential.

And relatedly, should you receive an offer for a place at your university of choice, the offer will likely be unconditional, because your results are a done deal, while other applicants will most likely receive conditional offers, meaning they need to ensure they achieve the predictive grades for their final exams and tests, leaving a lot of room for anxiety and uncertainty.

3. You might be more mature than other applicants

The final top advantage of applying to university as a homeschooler is that you could be more mature and potentially more prepared for university life, compared to traditional applicants.

This could be because you have given yourself more time to prepare for university applications and therefore you have taken an extra year or two.

Or you may have taken up more extracurricular activities and/or tried your hands in the "real world" with a job or your own entrepreneurial ventures.

A higher level of maturity puts you at a great advantage, as universities would typically view you as more capable of time management, self control, as well as independent living, all aspects that are conducive to a more successful university life.

The cons of applying to university as a homeschooler

We've covered the pros of applying to university as a homeschooler, but what are some of the disadvantages of doing so? Interestingly, depending on how you play it, the same points that make up for the pros, could easily be turned into cons.

1. You might not have the necessary pre-requisites to apply to the university programme of your choice

As covered in previous articles on what to prepare for in your university applications (see the UK edition and US edition), universities want to see you have proof of foundational academic training relevant to the subject(s) you want to pursue at the post-secondary education level.

But if you're self-directing your curriculum and not pursuing credentials that produce an official transcript or certificate, you might actually not have the necessary pre-requisites to give your preferred university programme a shot.

2. You need to go out of your way to put together a complete application

Another disadvantage of applying to university as a homeschooler is that typically, your application requires at least one academic reference, which if you were traditionally educated, would be from one of your school teachers.

Many homeschoolers do not have a shcool teacher to turn to for reference help. So you'd need to be creative and proactive in this aspect of your university application.

3. You could be considered as less prepared academically

Related to disadvantage number one, because you may not come with an official transcript or credential, universities might view you as less academically prepared, and therefore consider your application not to be the strongest compared to those who come a traditional education background.

There are of course ways of mitigating these disadvantages, and we will cover some of the most important and actionable ones below.

Tips for making a strong uni application as a homeschooler

• Think about what official credentials you can prepare for in anticipation of university applications

  It's a good idea to have something that is not just a home-made transcript when you plan your university applications. Think about if there are official credentials that you can pursue, at a reasonable cost, as a homeschooler, such as the International A Levels, the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), AP (Advanced Placement) exams, or taking community college or Open University courses for credit.

• Start planning who's going to be your reference provider early

  Don't leave application references to the last minute. Start thinking about who you could turn to for references, and build these relationships early, as you want your reference provider(s) to give an honest and believable view on your as an applicant.

• Pursue one or two unique activity that traditional applicants might not be able to do

  Use the opportunity of homeschooling to pursue something unique, like a competitive sport, or a volunteering gig and/or job that directly relates to your subject(s) of interest. Leverage your unique situation to put together an application that stands out.

• Be authentic, and tell a good story

  Most importantly, be authentic. Tell a good story about your special journey as a homeschooler and what makes you a worthy candidate in your personal statement(s). Use every opportunity to add color and qualitative insights to highlight your strengths to the admissions tutors/officers.

This sums up our view on the pros and cons of applying to university as a homeschooler. For further details on making for a strong university application while homeschooling, check out our articles on preparing for uni apps as a homeschooler in the UK and in the US!