If people who discover we homeschool are still speaking to us after making it through the what-about-socialization-what-about-highschool-what-about-prom-what-about-calculus litany, they often move on to the college issue.  How can a child whose mother grades his papers ever enter college?

While we have not reached this point in our homeschooling yet, we have researched it considerably, and thought about it even more.

Home: a cozy place to learn

Over the past several years, colleges have begun actively seeking homeschoolers for their maturity, independence, and self-motivated natures.  Thus, it is generally not an issue for a homeschool child to be accepted into most traditional universities.  Much to the surprise of cynics, most do quite well socially, being generally more mature and less affected by peer pressure than their conventionally schooled peers. (This is the general report from out in the field. We all know exceptions to both sides, and I can point to variances within my own family. I do, however, challenge you to find a student who is not influenced by the people with whom he spends the majority of his waking hours, which for the typical child is his peers.)

From this Christian homeschooling parent’s perspective, it makes little to no sense to raise a child in a godly environment only to set him or her loose into the depraved setting of a liberal university when he has barely reached the threshold of manhood. Not only will he incur debt beyond reason with which to start his adulthood, but he would similary be introduced to a wave of amoral behavior that leaves none at least somewhat affected. It is for those reasons that we focus on options other than the traditional path.

An increasingly popular alternative to the classroom is a continuation of the homebound studies.   Many colleges offer dual credit programs which give the child high school credit and college credit for taking a single class. Another, more time-consuming option is dual enrollment in which a child who is taking high school level classes either at a school or at home is also enrolled in college classes, often at the local community college.  

Homeschooled children, by virtue of having increased time on their hands, often develop skills and have experiences (such as running a business or volunteering) that traditionally schooled children do not have time to pursue.  Students with such experiences can take advantage of credit by exam, testing out of classes for which they can demonstrate equivalent knowledge of the coursework or practical experience and mastery.  Finally, students can opt for now well-respected, less time-consuming, and far less expensive online college courses.  They can achieve any number of certifications, a two-year degree, a bachelor’s degree, and even an MBA online.

It is no longer necessary for your child to be entered into a traditional university in a traditional dorm setting incurring traditional debt. For our current children who have their future goals in mind, local internships, credit by examination, and online college courses are the way to go. As for me, perhaps it’s time for my own MBA online. Or perhaps I’ll pay off my overwhelming school loans first.

While this article accurately reflects my current views, it is my policy to inform my readers whenever I am paid to produce content. Rest assured, dear friends, that Notable Blogger will never knowingly post or promote anything that goes against our Christian values or personal beliefs.

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