Applicants who have been homeschooled are welcome to apply to Uni. The general guidelines for 8th grade (subfreshman) and transfer (9-11) applications should all be followed; homeschooled applicants will complete the same application.

In general, when we look at an application from a homeschooled applicant, we are looking for evidence that the applicant has a strong academic background and a variety of experiences that will allow them to enter an academically challenging program. Students should have, at the very least, experiences with reading, writing, math, science, social studies and physical education. Some exposure to fine arts and computers is also helpful.

Application: Please have the student complete the application online, except for the parent statement.

Recommendations: Applicants should ask two unrelated people to provide recommendations. Recommenders should have knowledge of the applicant's academic pursuits, as well as the ability to complete and send in the recommendation forms.

If a parent is the primary math teacher, it is appropriate for that parent to complete the math recommendation. If a student has had no interactions of an academic nature with any unrelated adults, a parent can complete one of the required recommendations in addition to the math recommendation. The second recommendation should be from someone familiar with the applicant’s behavior, work ethic, character, social interactions, etc.

Transcript: There are various options to evaluate homeschooled applicants’ academic abilities and performance. For students in traditional schools, we ask for two years of transcripts, which include each course taken and an assessment of the student’s achievements in that course (via a grade, narrative, or standards-based assessment). A transcript may also rate students on their behavior and work completion.

We require comparable information from home-schooled applicants. Again, we are looking for evidence that the applicant has a strong academic background and a variety of experiences that will allow them to enter an academically challenging program. Students should have, at the very least, experiences with reading, writing, math, science, social studies and physical education. Some exposure to fine arts and computers is also helpful.

Some considerations for families who need to compile a transcript:

• If the student is enrolled in online programs, those programs often provide a transcript for courses completed. Cooperative programs may also do this. Please include those evaluations when you send us your homeschool transcripts.
• The adults primarily responsible for homeschooling the applicant should include the following information in a document of no more than 3 pages:
  • What philosophy guides your home school program? (1-2 paragraphs)
  • Curriculum: Please provide a list (1-2 pages) of the subjects covered in the applicant’s curriculum for the past two years. Include texts and resources used, outcomes of learning assessments (grades or evaluations), names of textbooks or online programs, etc.
  • If you have no formal grades, please briefly summarize the applicant’s level of achievement in each subject.
  • What outside programming (online courses, cooperative programs, camps, tutoring programs, etc) are used in the administration of your homeschooling program? Please provide names, dates and links to these programs if available.