For some women, it comes on suddenly.

At two in the morning you snap awake in a cold sweat, heart racing, gasping for breath with every muscle tensed. You wonder, “Is this The Change?” “No,” you tell yourself, “I’m only 40.” When you finally come to your senses, you are able to verbalize the true source of your panic. Sitting up straight in bed, you seize your husband’s shoulders and scream, “But what about COLLEGE!?”

If this hasn’t happened yet, tonight might be your lucky night. It seems when you homeschool high school, your biological clock suddenly tells you “the end is near.” If you make it through homeschool high school and haven’t experienced this panic, you are a strong woman indeed!

When this sort of “change of life” occurs, don’t panic. Plan. Look college admission straight in the face, take a deep breath, and find your happy place.

The most important factor in college admission is the part homeschoolers do the best — following a rigorous curriculum. You don’t have to do everything all in one year, but over the four years of high school include these subjects: English, math, social studies, science, foreign language, PE, fine arts, and electives. Colleges love homeschoolers because of their high quality academics, so as you are “fighting the good fight” don’t waste time comparing yourself to public schools. They aren’t perfect either (no one is perfect, no – not one!). So don’t compare, just work to do your best with your children in order to be successful.

The second most important factor in college admission is character. The strength of homeschooling is character training! In an interview with the Harvard Admissions Dean, I heard him say, “The foundation for every admission is character and personal qualities. We want to get people who will make people around them better. That is the foundation.” Character is not only the key to getting in; it’s the key to thriving. Character will keep your children from spiraling away from their family values, and keep them performing well academically. Character education will ensure that AFTER college, your children are still loving family members who function well in society.

Academics and character education can be accomplished in any homeschool, with any size family budget. Thousands of homeschoolers successfully negotiate those college prep ingredients each year! There is, however, a key to college admissions you may not know as much about; planning. Strategizing and organizing your high school years can make a tremendous difference in college admission and scholarships.

Students should take a college admission test; usually the SAT or ACT, as well as the PSAT. These tests will show colleges some outside proof about your rigorous curriculum. They can indicate scholarship potential and give valuable feedback regarding colleges that are a good fit.

Plan your college search. The perfect college won’t just fall into your lap. The college near you may be a good fit – but then again, it may not. Make a conscious decision to search for just the right college for your student. Start by going to a college fair in your area. Compare college statistics at the library, and identify some that look promising. Plan to apply to colleges that are a good fit. To avoid disappointment, apply to a college that is a “reach” school, where they would be lucky to get in. Also apply to at least one “safety” college where they are sure to get in.

Once you have identified some interesting choices, visit the schools. You can visit them in person, online through their website, or vicariously through meeting alumni in your local area. Try to really get to know the school, because colleges ALL look wonderful on paper. It’s important to remember some colleges are Christian in name only, and their campus may not reflect Christian values at all. Visits are crucial to determining the character of the school.

After the choosing and visiting are done, the planning work begins. College applications aren’t like applying for library card! It’s a challenging process; not hard, but definitely time consuming. The application is long and detailed. The application includes academic work, certainly, but that is only one piece of the puzzle. They want to know about extra-curricular activities and volunteer work. They want to know about jobs and leadership skills. It’s very helpful to include a reading list that includes school books as well as reading for pleasure. Colleges are looking for clues about the character of your student. It’s similar to filling out a resume when you are searching for a job. The more you remember about the four years of high school, the better this portion of the application will be. Keeping records will remind you of all of these areas, not just the academics.

Applications include long personal essays. These essays can be very challenging for students, who may not be tremendously self-aware or insightful. Many Christian colleges will ask for a personal statement of faith. Because it is stressful for students, allow plenty of time for your high school student to work on them. Fortunately, when you homeschool through high school you can incorporate these essays into your English program, as part of their writing instruction. At least they won’t have to write all these essays for “homework after school” but can do it during the day for high school credit.

Applications are a lot of work, but students don’t do all the heavy-lifting. Parents have to do their part as well. College applications require paperwork from the parents. You need to provide a transcript. Many colleges would like homeschoolers to provide course descriptions of each course on the transcript. These are duties for you, the “school administrator” to take seriously, but don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t need a masters in education; just write like the “real person” you are, using plain English.

Planning ahead is critical. Planning for college has some steps that require your calendar. Don’t be afraid about it, because homeschoolers successfully negotiate college admissions all the time. Colleges really DO want your student there, after all! Just make sure you plan ahead so that your children to apply on time to appropriate colleges. That will increase their chances of admission and scholarships, as well as improve their opportunities for long term success in adulthood.

When I speak, there is one common question. Seeking reassurance, parents will ask me, “What do you hear the most from parents with homeschool graduates?” By far, what I hear most often is, “Oh my goodness! It worked!” They are surprised (sometimes even shocked!) that their children are admitted to college, given scholarships, and are performing wonderfully at the university. When you are thinking about college admission, start by taking a DEEP breath. Remember, other parents have gone before you, they have done it, and you can do it to!

Middle School

• Learn about high school
• Practice keeping records

Freshman and Sophomore Year

• Begin high school record keeping
• Keep a reading list
• Make a transcript and course descriptions

Junior year is pivotal

• Take the PSAT in October
• Take the SAT or ACT in the spring
• Find colleges where you want to apply

Senior Year

• Begin applications in the fall
• Receive acceptances by winter
• Financial aid awards may not come until spring

Check out my article on page 22 of the funky flipbook edition of Heart of the Matter Magazine.

Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email newsletter The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from The HomeScholar Blog.