Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles examining unusual high school experiences among Dartmouth students.
With statistics indicating that the home-schooling movement is on the rise -- the number of home-schoolers in the United States has tripled over the last decade, according to the U.S. Department of Education -- the Dartmouth admissions office has come to pride itself on its ability to accommodate formerly home-schooled students. Current Dartmouth students who were once home-schooled speak equally positively about their experiences applying to the College and about their transitions to Dartmouth life.
Several home-schooled Dartmouth students said, though, that most colleges frown upon admitting home schooled students because it is hard to judge their academic abilities.
Former home-schoolers fared as well or slightly better than conventionally educated students in Dartmouth's admissions process. Twenty-three home schoolers' applications were submitted and five were accepted last year. Four matriculated into the Class of 2007.
"Home-schoolers tend to be strong candidates and are usually a bit more mature, independent and self-motivating, making it easy for them to assimilate to college," Furstenberg said. Dartmouth does not, however, specifically target home-schoolers, he added.
Home-schooled applicants can, however, face some significant obstacles in the process. James Throckmorton '06 recalled receiving unfavorable responses from many schools -- including Harvard University -- when he called to inquire about applying as a home-schooler.
"Colleges tend to be wary of home-schoolers -- it's an anti-establishment movement and they're an establishment," Throckmorton said.
Possibly the most important obstacle home-schooled applicants face is their lack of conventional high-school transcripts. Christopher Schooley '06 had to create his own transcript with a brief description of the books he had covered during the last five years of his education, as well as scores on tests he had taken and activities he had participated in.
The Dartmouth application asks for various types of information and grades are only a part of it, so it is nonetheless fairly easy for home-schoolers lacking formal transcripts to apply, Furstenberg said.
It is quite common for home-schoolers who apply to Dartmouth to sign up for college courses at local schools, Furstenberg added, and the transcripts these students receive from other colleges can sometimes bolster their applications.
Noah Riner '06, for instance, took some traditional college-level courses at local colleges and universities.
Some home schoolers also organize in small groups that resemble traditional classes, an experience which some former home-schoolers report nicely replicates traditional classroom experiences.
For example, Throckmorton got the opportunity to take an Advanced Placement history class with a group of other home-schoolers, taught by a member of his church.
Again because of their lack of traditional transcripts, standardized test scores can take on a more important role for home-schooled applicants.
Many colleges, for instance, require home schooled applicants to take twice as many standardized tests as students that come from traditional schooling background. Dartmouth, however, does not require home-schoolers to take any additional standardized tests.
"Why should an applicant that was home schooled have to take more tests to apply?" Dean of Admissions Karl Fustenberg said.
By contrast, the Georgia Institute of Technology strongly recommends that home schooled applicants take at least 3 SAT IIs -- Writing or Literature, Math-Level IIC and Chemistry -- on top of their SAT I or ACT. Traditionally-schooled students are just required to submit their SAT I or ACT score.
The University of Michigan similarly requires home-schooled applicants to submit five SAT II scores, and Michigan warns that additional tests and academic records might be required; applying early is strongly suggested. Other applicants are not required to submit any SAT II scores.
Recommendations are another hurdle for home-schooled applicants, according to former home-schoolers. Colleges typically require two to three recommendations from high school counselors or teachers. Home-schooled applicants usually need to compensate by getting recommendations from bosses or professors that they took classes from, as recommendations from parents are typically not accepted.
Schooley had spent a summer at the University of Chicago and was able to receive recommendations from some of the professors there.
After matriculation, students who had come from home-schooled backgrounds reported having experienced smooth transitions to Dartmouth.
"I had come from a preppy, academically focused culture and moved into a preppy, academically focused culture," Throckmorton said.
"Dartmouth is a very free place. It's geared towards individual responsibility. Like home-schooling, everything is first and foremost your responsibility; things aren't just a grade," Riner said.
Riner has spoken warmly of Dartmouth during talks on behalf of the Take Dartmouth Home program, which encourages Dartmouth students to return to their hometowns, visit high school students and talk to them about their experiences at the College. Riner talked to many home-schoolers while he was home this past summer.
Dartmouth's first home-schooled student was accepted about 10 to 15 years ago, according to Furstenberg.
