College Application and Admission Requirements
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Although college entrance requirements may vary depending on the nature of the institution, generally colleges and universities entrance requirements include successful completion of college preparatory classes in high school, acceptable scores on certain standardized tests, and a personal statement. Doing well in these areas can also help students obtain college scholarships, which will defray college costs. Regardless of any advice provided on this page, students should always research colleges and universities they are interested in in order to tailor their four year plan to their desired schools' specific requirements.
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Personal Statement
College applications often require a personal statement, which is meant to illustrate a particular student's unique experiences and qualities that sets them apart from other equally intelligent and high-achieving students. There are plenty of students who earn excellent grades and have high SAT scores. Thus, a competitive college or university is really interested in students who add something unique to their particular school's dynamic. For this reason, it is important for students to be well rounded by having experiences outside the academic realm. The personal statement is the place where a student can highlight why a given school should accept him or her. The following activities may enhance a student's high school experience:
- Participation in volunteer and service organizations
- Participation in sports, music, and other extracurricular activities
- Participation in groups that demonstrate leadership skills such as ASB (Associated Student Body)
- Paid work experience
- Acceptance into national honor societies--information on homeschool honor societies can be found here http://www.hslda.org/highschool/academics.asp#nationalhonorsocieties