Families make the decision to home school children for many reasons. Up to 40 percent of parents choose home schooling because of religious reasons. Often, however, parents choose the ability to customize their children’s education to individual needs rather than to the needs of the majority of a classroom in public or private schools. Whatever the reason, once home schooling is finished and students have completed high school, college is the next step.
Getting Ready for College
After graduating from a public or private high school, it is time to head off to college for home schooled teens and for those who attended a classroom outside of the home. In most studies, home schooled children score between 15 and 30 percentile points higher than children from public schools on achievement tests, and this illustrates the readiness of the home schooled population to enter the next phase in their educations.
Christian colleges are eager to accept home schooled students into the collegiate population. Several universities and colleges have noted the successes of home schooled students as reasons for actively recruiting to their campuses. For more information on home schooled students in college, see the Home School Legal Defense Association website .
Prospective college students all want the same thing—a top school that is reasonably priced and that provides academically rigorous programs to prepare them for their futures in the workplace. There are dozens of Christian colleges around the nation that offer highly ranked academic programs in a Christian-based curriculum for home schooled students who are interested in this combination.
Top Christian Colleges for Home Schooled Students
Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI, has excellent programs for students looking to enter economics, journalism, and other liberal arts programs. In 2011, Forbes ranked Hillsdale College as the top ranking Christian college in its “Best Colleges” list.
Grove City College in Grove City, PA, is renowned for its programs in politics, law, computer science, and others. Additionally, Grove City College has been noted as an excellent school to receive a high quality education at a lower cost than competing schools, and it has earned awards from U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and many other notable education ranking organizations.
Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, is the largest Christian college in the United States, and its numbers continue to grow as the student population in its reputable, in-demand online and distance education programs continues to increase.
Other notable Christian higher learning institutions include LeTourneau University in Texas, New Saint Andrews College in Idaho, Moody Bible Institute in Illinois, Ave Maria University in Florida, Biola University in California, College of the Ozarks in Missouri, and Harding University in Arkansas.
The Home Schooling Trend
The number of home schooled children continues to grow each year, and the reasons families choose this route varies. One consideration is religion, and after home schooling is finished, there are many Christian college options for high achieving home schooled students to continue to receive the same academic and principled education. For more information on home schooling statistics, visit the Homeschooling Fast Facts at the National Center for Education Statistics.
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