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Five Things to Know About the Transition from Home
By Leigh Anne Giblin
Graduating from homeschool to university is
an exciting time – and also a little
intimidating. Here's the good news: plenty
of homeschooled students have made the
transition, and we know many times over that
these students are more than up to the
challenges of college.
Below are five things you should know about
the transition from homeschool to
university. Keeping these tips in mind can
ease your mind and help you appreciate
everything you've accomplished and all
that's ahead of you.
1. Get Oriented
Chose a university with a variety of
orientation events and training seminars for
incoming students. From social events for
freshmen to afternoon presentations on how
to use the campus library system, such
offerings are of value to all students, but
of special value to homeschooled students,
who may have less experience dealing with an
institution.
2. Find Your College Family
Before college, homeschooled students enjoy
a level of parental support and affirmation
that traditional students don't often
experience. So when homeschoolers leave the
house and head to the university, building a
new support network is critical.
The sooner homeschooled students make
friends at college, the sooner they'll feel
at ease in their new home. New students
should look for a local church with a strong
university fellowship, or join a campus
Christian group. Or maybe they can find a
good crew of friends in the dorm who enjoy
eating dinner together every night. A strong
feeling of fellowship makes all the
difference.
But remember this: according to a study by
Mary Beth Bolle, Roger D. Wessel, and Thalia
M. Mulvihill published in the Journal of
College Student Development, the more often
homeschoolers call their families during the
first year, the faster they will make new
friends. So neither parents nor students
should worry that severing the bond is the
only way that a new college student can meet
new people. Rather, the feelings of love and
support give way to an appealing confidence
in a young college student.
3. Trust Your Skills
Homeschooling teaches students how to budget
their time and learn at their own pace.
Also, homeschooled students tend to study in
more personal, individualized ways than
their private and public school peers.
So when homeschooled students arrive at the
university, they should trust the skills
they developed while learning at home.
Because in college, success depends on time
management, self-pacing, and study skills.
Far from being less prepared for life away
from mom and dad's supervision,
homeschoolers know how to work on their own.
The skills learned in homeschooling are the
very skills needed as a college student.
4. Get to Know Your Professors
One of the greatest challenges for the
homeschooled graduate entering college is
adjusting from the expectations of the
parent or primary teacher to the
expectations of professors.
During the first week of class, new students
should visit all of their instructors during
office hours. Ask professors about their
expectations, what they look for on tests
and in papers, how much they imagine
students should study each week. Before the
first assignment is due, ask to see a sample
of a successful paper or project to see
firsthand what they think is exemplary work.
5. Remember, It's the Same but Different
The homeschooled student doesn't make a
transition all that different from the
public or private school student. Both
adjust to life away from home. Both discover
how to responsibly manage their new freedom.
Both learn to navigate the services and
procedures of campus. And both must discern
how to meet new expectations. When you
arrive at your new school, look around at
your classmates. Take peace in knowing
they're experiencing the same feelings of
excitement and intimidation you are.
Leigh Anne Giblin is an Associate Marketing
Manager at Regent University. To learn more
about this Christian
online university, please visit the
Regent website.
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