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Home School Your Child into Harvard (or Any Other College)
By: Gen and Kelly Tanabe


4
Know which testing requirements apply.

To verify your child's academic potential, he or she will be required to take a battery of standardized tests including the SAT or ACT. Be sure you know the dates of the tests and have a plan for when they will be taken. In general, you want your child to take these tests early so that you have options for retaking them if you're not happy with the scores.


5
Show college credit if possible.

As mentioned in a previous step, encourage your child to take some community college courses so that he or she can show the admission officers readiness for college-level work. Other ways to establish proficiency in a subject include AP exams or the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Both of these tests demonstrate knowledge of a specific subject and help the colleges quantify academic ability.


6
Cultivate recommenders.

Some colleges will not accept evaluations from a parent, even if the parent is also the student's primary instructor. Think about other adults who have taught your child in a formal setting at a community college or high school or who have interacted with your child in extracurricular activities. These people often make good recommenders.


7
Make sure your child is involved in the community.

Even though home-schooled children may not have access to activities at a high school, they can participate in activities within the community. While academic promise is the most important factor in the admissions process, it is also important to show other ways a student will contribute to the college. Colleges are not looking for book worms. They want students who bring a wide array of talents and interests which will enhance the entire campus community.



About the Author

Gen and Kelly Tanabe
Founders of SuperCollege and authors of 13 books on college planning.



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Get Into Any College

By: Gen & Kelly Tanabe
The only how-to book which shows all students how to get into the school of their dreams. Based on the experiences of dozens of successful students and authored by two graduates of Harvard, this book shows you how to ace the application, essay, interview, and standardized tests.


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