College Admission Discrimination Ends for Homeschoolers

For years, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education had in place a policy that applied to all homeschool graduates who were seeking admission into any Colorado state college. This policy was reported to the Home School Legal Defense Association by homeschoolers who believed it was discriminatory.

The policy required all state colleges in Colorado to automatically give every homeschool applicants a 3.0 grade point average—no exceptions. It didn’t even matter if a homeschooler’s high school transcript had a grade point average higher than a 3.0; the homeschool student’s high school transcript always showed a 3.0.

This automatic designation of a 3.0 GPA for all homeschool high school transcripts was somewhat problematic, not for admission, but for when the child applied for financial aid before starting college.

At the urging of homeschool parents, HSLDA Senior Counsel Chris Klicka contacted the commission and began a dialogue with them. He wrote, as well as verbally explained, that homeschool students typically score above average on nationally standardized achievement tests. He explained homeschoolers’ excellent track record of scoring higher then the national averages on the ACT and SAT college entrance exams. He provided studies and further evidence of the tremendous success of particular homeschoolers and how the commission’s particular policy was unnecessary. Klicka also explained that parents supplying a transcript for their homeschool graduates could be trusted because they want their children to be successful and do not want to falsely pad their scores.

The individual at the commission Klicka worked with was convinced, and on November 2, 2006, presented to the commission the arguments from Klicka, as well as a proposed change.

Good news ensued for homeschoolers in Colorado seeking admission to state colleges! The Colorado Commission on Higher Education officially changed its policy, scrapping the automatic 3.0 for homeschoolers, and replacing it with a policy in which each high school transcript would be received and credited at face value. From now on, a transcript from a homeschooler will be treated the same as a transcript from any other college applicant.

Other Resources

Colorado Commission on Higher Education’s Admissions Standards Policy (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

HSLDA Issue Analysis: Homeschooled Students Excel in College

HSLDA Issue Analysis: Homeschool Enrollment in Colleges and Universities