Many beginning homeschoolers wonder what’s in store for their children after finishing high school. They wonder if their children will have the same options as students who had a public education or if they will even be accepted into college or university. Thankfully, there are many opportunities available to those with a home education in Canada than most realize. Take a look at the options in this article, and be encouraged to keep on teaching your kids at home and learn how you can prepare them for the road ahead.
Looking at University and College
You may think that you need to be working towards getting education from an accredited source for your homeschool student. This is true, depending on what course you are pursuing. However, many universities and colleges across Canada offer entrance exams that mature students can take to start their programs, with or without high school credits.
Joel Van Essen was a homeschooled student who successfully went to college without a high school diploma and landed a job in his field. Listen to Joel’s story here:
Also, hear Barbori Streibl’s story of her success after high school here:
One major point to consider is that it helps to know which path your child will take, which will point you in the direction of the type of programs you’ll be looking into. Then you can look directly into the institutions that offer such programs and inquire about how to apply as a homeschooler. Statistics show that homeschoolers are welcomed into college and universities because they have proven to be good students. Don’t be afraid to call in or visit college fairs where you can ask questions and get to know the staff while considering your options.
Hear more about the post secondary options after home education in Canada with Janet LoSole who shares a story of her daughters’ unique journey after high school - one of many paths teenagers can take for higher education.
Check out some statistics on the academic performance of homeschoolers from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI).
Total College Success
SchoolhouseTeachers.com, our sister site, has partnered with College Options Foundations to provide a FREE resource for its members on preparing for college. With Total College Success, you’ll have access to
- Student Planning Guide
- The Essential Guide to the ACT
- The Essential Guide to the SAT
- Choosing the Right College
- College Admissions Process
- Key Interview and Essay Skills
- College Financial Aid
- Scholarships
- Military College Funding Programs
- Creative Options
- College Success
- Zero Hour Threat interactive games designed to increase standardized test scores as well as enhance general mathematics and vocabulary skills
- Step-by-step guidance, skills review and exercises, helpful videos, financial aid search tools, expert tips, interactive test practice, and more help you and your teen prepare for life after homeschool.
While it includes specific content for American students, there are still plenty of resources on preparing for colleges and universities here in Canada, including test preparations.
If you are a SchoolhouseTeachers.com member, you’ll find your access code in your member dashboard. If not, consider trying SchoolhouseTeachers.com today!
Which Path Do I Take?
Homeschoolers are introduced to many interests in their years of learning, and sometimes it may be hard to narrow down a focused career path. Learning from the college prep resources above is a start. But it also requires some thinking on their own and most importantly some time in prayer.
Questions like “What is God’s will for my life?” and “How can I know I am choosing the right path?” are common. What’s Next: Discovering God’s Will for Your Life is a six-session course at SchoolhouseTeachers.com in which students receive Biblical encouragement to answer questions like these as they plan their next steps. They will learn from Biblical examples, such as Ruth and Esther, to help them find God’s perfect will for their lives.
Sherri Seligson says, “. . . during the transition seasons when your children start to graduate, be excited to see how God will use the years ahead. He has gone before you and prepared a path. He perfectly formed your children and placed them in your home on a perfect timeline for them. And he even has great things ahead for YOU as he uses this amazing homeschooling journey to transform and mature us as parents for what he has in our future!”
You can read more from Sherri and other homeschooling veterans in the Life After Highschool issue from The Homeschool Minute.
Deborah Wuehler, senior editor of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, reminds us to be encouraged in teaching our children at home as it prepares them for life in many ways by
- Laying a Biblical foundation from the earliest years
- Providing a Biblical worldview on the big issues of the day
- Teaching children how to learn, not just what to learn
- Providing a rich atmosphere of good and beautiful ideas
- Providing entrepreneurial opportunities
- Introducing them to the community at large and all it offers
- Providing opportunity to be in ministry with their parents
- Gaining life skills and independent living skills
- Gaining career path ideas through outside activities and electives
- Fully preparing them academically for life after high school
We pray that you have been renewed in your conviction for home education! In Canada, we enjoy a plethora of options for post-secondary institutions, some of which especially favour homeschooled students. You are giving your children the best education that they will carry with them to build their future. Keep on going!
This article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our themes page that has a new theme topic added every month!
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).