Jeannie Fulbright Press — College Prep

Years ago, when homeschooling was new, colleges required personal interviews and thick portfolios outlining every detail of the homeschooled student’s high school coursework and experiences. Now that homeschooling is more mainstream, portfolios are no longer requested or required. However, in this post, College Prep: Portfolios, I’ll explain why they are still a good idea. Here are the three reasons your child should consider keeping a portfolio: Colleges might have some questions about a course or two on your child’s transcript. For example, they may want more information about the biology course your child took. If you have a well organized portfolio, […]

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In a recent survey, I asked homeschoolers and test prep teachers what the typical point increase was for students who took an actual SAT or ACT test prep course and for students who did not. The results were what I expected but not what is generally reported in the media.  Students who did not take a prep course, but rather prepared on their own using SAT/ACT prep books and online practice questions did not see an increase in their scores. It is usually reported that SAT prep increases a student’s score only by an average of 30 points. However it […]

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Most universities and scholarship boards require applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. This can be tricky for homeschoolers since colleges do not want letters from parents. When my daughter began her college application process, she had never completed a class outside the home except for an online dual enrollment course through Liberty University. She was enrolled in classes her senior year but barely knew the instructors when she started applying to colleges. My daughter ended up asking for letters of recommendation from her ballet instructors and mock trial coaches. It’s important to begin thinking early about […]

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Like AP exams, colleges put a lot of stock in the SAT Subject Tests, sometimes known as the SAT II tests. In fact, some Ivy League and top tier universities require at least two SAT Subject Tests to be taken before a student is even eligible to apply to that university.  Like CLEP, the SAT Subject Tests were created by the College Board to assess college level knowledge of a subject. Also like CLEP, colleges are often willing to grant credit if a student scores well on the SAT II exams.  If your child is strong in a particular subject, […]

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CLEP has become quite popular in the homeschool community. You may be wondering, “What is CLEP?” Should I consider it for my child? In this post, College Prep: CLEP or Not? I’ll share the upside and downside of CLEP in college admissions. CLEP is a test created by the College Board to assess college level knowledge of a subject. It’s called the College Level Examination Program. Essentially, if your child knows a subject well enough to pass the test, he can earn college credit for that subject. When is CLEP a good option? If your child is highly motivated and eager […]

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