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<p>Actually, he was caught several times. Bowdoin kicked him out for plagiarism. Then Harvard kicked him out for falsifying records. Yale caught him, too, for falsifying his admission application. It was only AFTER getting caught by all of those institutions that his parents forced his hand.</p>
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<p>What does home schooling have to do with a public school grad who has spent the better part of his adult life attempting to lie and cheat his way into prestigious universities and career opportunities?</p>
<p>Home schoolers can’t just make their records up. My son just finished his senior year of home schooling and my daughter completed 9th grade. Every year we home school I’m required to write a Letter of Intent for each child and send that, along with an Individualized Home Instruction Plan, to our district superintendent for review. I have to tell them what subjects each child is studying to make sure we’re in compliance with state law and give them a detailed list of books and other resources we intend to use. At the end of each quarter I’m legally required to send the district a report card for each child that includes a report describing what we’ve covered in each subject and assessing each child’s progress. The results of the standardized tests each child takes are submitted with the 4th quarterly. </p>
<p>Colleges required different things but, generally, they wanted copies of all the documents listed above, plus a report that explained our home school philosophy, a school profile that described our area and the resources available to us, letters of recommendation from outside (unrelated) sources, SAT scores, and a letter from our district superintendent certifying completion of state requirements. Home schooling is challenging and rewarding, and includes a host of checks and balances. We are not working in a vacuum. Please do not lump honest, hard working families with liars and cheats.</p>
<p>OP, I know local students (both home schooled and public school grads) who have been admitted to the Ivies. The best you can do is score as well as you can on standardized tests, take a rigorous course load at your high school, take a sincere interest in helping others in your community, and follow your interests. Know what you can offer the colleges you’re applying to, and what they offer that will allow you to make the best use of your talents. Make sure you line up financial and academic safeties and matches. Then do your best and take advantage of whatever opportunities you’re given…Good luck.</p>