College Prep for a Senior Homeschooler

College Prep for a Senior Homeschooler

Senior year is finally here!  Something you and your teen have worked hard to achieve.  If your senior plans on going to college, he has a busy year ahead of himself.  In fact, having a senior homeschooler means you may have a bit more work ahead of you than a traditional public school student does.

Here are some tips for getting your senior homeschooler ready for college:

Start Filling Out Scholarships Now

If there’s one way to get through college without a ton of debt, it is scholarships.  Now is the time to start applying for all types of scholarships.  Using resources like Scholarships.com and Fastweb can help you find scholarships that pertain to your homeschooler, so they’re not wasting their time applying for unnecessary scholarships.

Don’t Forget to Fill Out the FAFSA

The FAFSA is a great tool to use to help get government financial aid for college.  The state and federal government both have different deadlines for the FAFSA, so don’t miss out on free money for college by missing either deadline.

Keep Superb Records on File

As you’re applying to colleges, you’ll want to keep superb records on file.  It will get old trying to find the same records for different colleges.  Start a file and keep all your important documents in it.  This will help you save time down the road.

• Transcripts
• Recommendations
• Receipts for Paid Applications

Get Testing out of the Way Early

In order to get into college, there are a ton of different tests that must be taken.  Make sure you get tests like the SATs and ACTs out of the way early, so you don’t have to worry about it later in the school year.  Also, testing early allows you to retest if you’re not happy with your scores.

Start Buying Supplies Early

If you’re a budget savvy family, then start preparing for the financial part of college early.  Sure, there is tuition to pay, but there are tons of supplies to buy, too.  Start buying these supplies early in the year, so you’re not forced to pay a ton of money right before college starts.  Some of the more expensive items they need include a computer, a vehicle, and even a cell phone (While these options might be optional, most college students find that they need them).  There’s no shame in your senior getting a job to help pay for these items.

Research Majors

Some college freshmen waste a ton of time in school not knowing what they want to do with the rest of their lives.  While it’s okay to have a change of heart, that change can be costly.  Have your senior spend some time job shadowing and researching different jobs he would like to consider.  Getting a hands-on-experience can really help your senior know exactly what he wants to do for the rest of his life.

Teach Your Senior Life Skills

Please don’t send your homeschooled senior off to college without having basic life skills.  Teach him how to wash dishes, do laundry, and do other things around the house.  Also, knowing how to manage his money, change the oil in the car, and how to pump gas are great tools to give your senior.

What are some tips you have for getting your homeschooler ready for college?