Hello all, the discussion title is relatively self explanatory. I am a high honor high school (albeit homeschool) grad, whom opted out of taking the SATS and ACT due to a few personal convictions. Now, I do realize that A) I’ve put myself in quite the corner, and B) that corner holds no Ivy League acceptance (at least not as a first year student) – thus here I am seeking for some quasi-solid input. What schools would still welcome me? I’ve read a great deal about Bard, and I certainly wouldn’t hate going there - that said, I wouldn’t mind having a few more options of like minded Colleges/Universities. Also, If anyone happens to know of any valid loopholes and/or proverbial backdoors, my ears are open!
Why not take the SAT or ACT now?
https://www.fairtest.org/university/optional
Read up on each college you’re interested in for the specifics.
Take the SATS now? after High School? I suppose it’s an option, although not one i’m entirely keen on.
and thank you for the link, I have gone through the list before however.
I recall a poster whose child graduated HS without taking any standardized tests and took them during her gap year. The student was aiming for top schools - I can’t recall where she ended up, though.
ah well isn’t that food for thought, perhaps a sign as I’ve just began my gap year as well. Her final destination must not have been all too remarkable, or so I would imagine.
No I think it was a top 15-20 LAC. IIRC she was aiming high and had a few options work out.
I strongly recommend you take either the SAT or ACT. Some schools that are “test optional” really aren’t for homeschooled students. (See Brandeis, for example.)
I realize that : /, it’s odd…because my family and I chose the homeschool path precisely for the reason that is anti-reg school and thus anti-SAT. It’s mind boggling to me, that after years of untraditional education, I have to cow tow back to its regulations. I mean, throughout the years I have taken other standard tests to mark my progress, one of them being the California test. I suppose if I really don’t feel like taking standardized tests, I have either two options…that being Bard or FIT - not the worse scenario when I think of it. Thanks all for the input!
Check out Bates (I don’t think it requires standardized testing for homeschooled students). You also might want to contact Wake Forest - it doesn’t mention a requirement for homeschooled students to take the test, but I don’t know if that’s the official policy. And I think that Pitzer might fit your needs - it’s a wonderful school and you would have access to all the colleges in the Claremont Consortium.
Did you look at Wake Forest? What are your financial, geographical constraints, and interests?
@GnocchiB The student you are referring to got in to Carleton College.
For home schooled students, some colleges require subject tests. Without standardized test score, you are limiting yourself in the choice of colleges.
Do you have only home-taught classes? If you have no outside courses, no test scores, no outside competitions, etc. that makes it harder to prove that you are ready for a top school. What do you have in your academic portfolio?
I would suggest taking the tests. The other option, if you live in a state with a good university system, is to start at community college then transfer. Community colleges almost never require admissions testing, though there may be placement tests.
Just about every student has the moment when they realize the Ivy League is not in their future. In 2016, 82,000 undergrads enrolled in schools with an acceptance rate below 13%. (Only about 18,000 of them were freshman admits.) About 8 million enrolled in schools with acceptance rates above 50% and about 1.5 million in the schools in between (the selective, but not highly selective schools). These numbers only include kids enrolled at four-year schools, there are millions in community college as well. The odds were never, ever in your favor. Not having an Ivy future is not the same as not having a future.
Have you checked Bard’s policies for homeschoolers? The requirements for homeschooled students are different than those for public or private school students.
Why not sit a test at home under test time conditions from one of the good prep books to see whether you have the ability to back up an assertion about your education thus far?
Wow, thank you so much, Pitzer almost looks too good to be true…despite being on the wrong coast lol. I will look further into your reccomendations - Bates did fascinate me, but from what I remember, SATS would be needed – can’t hurt to check again!
I don’t think I’ve met anyone IRL who has had an objection to taking standardized tests for college admission and also wanted to attend a selective college, so I find your question interesting.
Are there other parts of living in a community at a selective college that would be uncomfortable for you? I’m not trying to be judg-y … it just seems like whatever philosophical objections you have to standardized testing may also crop up if a college has other requirements like signing roommate contracts, signing an honor code, meeting departmental testing/placement requirements. Have you thought that through?
I have checked Bards Policy, and honestly, I wouldn’t be able to find a school as synonymous with my ideology as Bard – Leon Botstein (Bard president) is as anti-SAT as I, hence their Entrance Exam Essays coming about. Bard is definitely one of, if not my top choice – however, I wouldn’t mind knowing there’s some variety avaible if let’s say, I’m not accepted to Bard.