5 Top College Planning Tips, Especially for Homeschooling Families

 by Katherine O'Brien, ThD Candidate, Certified College Planning Specialist 

 

Because you already do the hard stuff—this part shouldn’t be harder than it has to be.

If you’re a homeschooling family, you’ve already taken the road less traveled—and let’s be honest, you’ve probably had to figure out most of it yourself. That can be tough. Figuring it all out, then wondering if you’ve done enough.

From choosing curriculum to finding and exploring (or starting!) co-ops, from writing transcripts to understanding college entrance requirements, you’ve done your best to do what works best for your child(ren). But, when it comes to college planning, even the most seasoned homeschool families pause and wonder:

Are we on the right track? Are we missing something? Have we done enough and done it right? Will colleges accept my child’s accomplishments?

You’re not alone. College planning is hard for all families—but it can feel even more overwhelming for homeschoolers who don’t have a school counselor or easy access to the same resources as public or private school students. (In fact, most traditionally school students aren’t well supported or well informed, either.)

That’s why I created this list—to give you a starting place. Five things that every family with a college-bound student needs to know.

1. Figure out what college will really cost your family.

 

Colleges do post their prices on their websites. That’s the sticker price. What you need to know is what you and your student will need to pay. Not what your neighbor paid. Not the average cost from a search engine. Your actual out of pocket cost.

The actual cost of college, even for students attending the same college, is different for every family. It depends on your income, your assets, your student’s academic and extracurricular profile, your child’s income and assets — and how generous your state (for in-state public schools) and each college is with financial aid. Consequently, it can be a bit of a puzzle to figure out how much you’ll actually pay. And you want to know that BEFORE your student applies, gets accepted, and falls in love with a college. Some colleges have sticker prices close to $100,000 for ONE year of college. You NEED to know what you’ll actually pay.

There are two main types of financial aid to understand:

• Need-based aid is based on your financial situation and is calculated using the FAFSA form (and, at the 300 colleges that require it, the CSS Profile form). (There are a handful of colleges with their own form, instead of, or in addition to, these forms.) The amount of need based aid changes each year depending on your student and your income and assets, as well as what year your student is in college.
• Merit-based aid is awarded for things like grades, test scores, leadership, or talents. Most colleges will guarantee this aid for four years, as long as your student keeps up his or her GPA and stays enrolled full time. Most merit aid comes directly from the colleges. Private scholarships also exist. However, private scholarships lower need based aid eligibility dollar for dollar.

Your student might receive some of both—but unless you understand what’s available, what’s likely, and what each college offers, you’re flying blind.

It’s crucial to know what colleges will expect your family to pay—and whether that amount fits your budget. Guessing can cost you thousands.

👉 Use the colleges’ NET PRICE CALCULATOR to see what college will really cost your family. Then you can begin to build a custom plan that works.

2. Find trusted guidance early—don’t navigate this alone.

One massive difference between homeschooling and traditional schooling? No school counselor.

No one hands you college prep timelines, upcoming test dates, scholarship deadlines, or application tips when you homeschool. Sometimes that doesn’t happen in traditional schools, either. Or students are expected to be proactive and organized, traits most teens don’t yet possess.

That means you have to do all the counselor’s tasks—and, unless you’ve done this before, it’s a lot to take on – course selection, extracurriculars, emotional issues, learning differences, education support needs (equipment, tutoring, etc.),  transcripts, testing, dual enrollment program selection and coordination, and college prep, including career exploration, internships, college and major selection, financial aid, and more.

With all of that on your plate, the earlier you get started, the better. Among other things, you’ll need to learn how financial aid works, how to compare colleges, how to build a strong college prep and application timeline.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. That’s why I’m here. I homeschooled my six children, the youngest of which is a sophomore in college, and have been a professional college consultant since 2004. My first students are nearly old enough to hire me to help them with their own children.

👉 I have tools, timelines, and guidance built for families like yours.

3. Use standardized tests to win scholarships

 

Some colleges have test-optional admissions policies, which means students can apply with or without ACT or SAT scores. However, many colleges still use standardized test scores to award merit-based scholarships, even if they don’t require them for admission. (You can usually find notations about this in the fine print on their websites.)

Tests like the SAT and ACT can still be valuable tools for homeschool families.

Both are college entrance exams accepted by every college in the country. Your student can choose which one to take—colleges don’t prefer one over the other—and they can take either test multiple times to improve their score. (Read my recent blog on the shifts the ACT is in the midst of making.) https://collegeprepanswers.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-act-is-changing-in-2025.html

You’ll also want to look at the PSAT. Your student can take it in 10th grade as a practice run, and then again in 11th grade to qualify for National Merit Scholarships, which can lead to thousands of dollars in aid. I have a $10 booklet on using PSAT scores to win Scholarships. Email if you’re interested!

As a homeschooler, you’ll need to register for the PSAT through the testing coordinator at a local high school or testing center. Planning ahead is key. The ACT and SAT registration is online at their websites; the tests can be taken at a number of different sites. Register early to ensure your student will have a seat at a location convenient for you. Your student can also take AP Tests through your local high school. Please note that students do not need to take AP classes (which are available online to homeschooled students!) in order to take AP exams.

📚 Learn more about PSAT, SAT, and AP test dates and how to register via College Board https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/for-parents/planning-for-college/college-planning-for-homeschoolers

Learn more about ACT test dates and registration via ACT. Register just like any other student, except your school code is 969-999. https://my.act.org/account/signin

4. Get connected to scholarships and opportunities.

 

One of the biggest challenges families face in the college process is simply knowing what scholarships are out there. In a traditional school, students often hear about scholarship opportunities, college fairs, fee waivers, and campus events from their school counselor. As a homeschooler, you have to go looking for those opportunities—but they’re out there.

Start by tapping into local high schools, especially if they allow homeschool students to participate in college fairs or attend financial aid nights. Reach out to school counselors and ask if they can include you on scholarship email lists or let you attend relevant events.

Next, look into community-based organizations, homeschool co-ops, and regional college access groups. These groups often post about local scholarships, essay contests, and summer programs that are open to all students, not just those enrolled in public or private schools. The National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) hosts numerous college fairs each year to which all interested people are welcome.

Don’t forget: many colleges also host their own events—admissions presentations, preview days, or virtual Q&As—specifically designed to help students learn more about campus life and affordability. These are great ways for homeschoolers to connect directly with admissions reps and learn about aid options.

It takes more intention, but building your own information network pays off. In fact, this is exactly what the most successful students do, no matter what their school setting.

👉 Visit my college planning site to learn more about my College Success Program. Over the past decade, my students have been well prepared for college, with nearly 100% being accepted into their top choice program and school, and each been offered nearly $250,000 in merit scholarships, on average. https://www.celticcollegeconsultants.com/college-prep-services

5. Build a strong student resume—beyond academics.

Homeschoolers often do an amazing job when it comes to academics. But when it’s time to apply to college, it’s important to showcase the student’s entire array of accomplishments. That’s where a strong student resume comes in.

Have your teen think about what s/he does outside of core coursework:

• Volunteering
• Working part-time
• Taking significant family responsibilities
• Leading a class or club
• Pursuing creative passions such as music, art, or writing
• Participating in community theater, athletics, Scougin, or youth groups
• Starting a small business or launching a project

ALL of these things matter!! They show initiative, responsibility, interests, and a sense of purpose. They also help homeschoolers stand out in a college applicant pool.

Encourage your student to try new things, take on leadership roles, and document what they’re doing. The goal is to reflect who they really are and what they care about and are interested in exploring, whether as a career or just for fun.

Final Thoughts

There’s no one “right way” to homeschool—and the same is true for college planning. But there is a smarter, more informed way to do it, and it starts with understanding the steps ahead.

The tips I’ve shared here aren’t about doing more—they’re about doing the right things at the right time, with the right information.

You don’t need to have all the answers today. But by taking small, intentional steps now, you’ll set your student up for success—and save yourself a lot of stress  - and money! - down the road.

I’m here to help you do just that.

 

I’m Katherine O’Brien, veteran homeschooling mom, mother of 6, including 3 Eagle Scouts, certified college planning specialist, founder of Celtic College Consultants. I’d love to meet with your family today. Email to schedule a consultation: KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com

 

The ACT is Changing in 2025!

By Katherine O'Brien, Certified College Planning Specialist, Founder of Celtic College Consultants

The SAT changed significantly a couple of years ago after the ACT gained more than 50% of the market. Now that the SAT is being taken by more than half of test taking students, the ACT is changing.

The ACT is phasing in its changes.

October 2024

Students could pilot the new ACT on a limited basis.

April, June, and July 2025 National test dates - TWO OPTIONS

Students can take the new ACT online OR the current version on paper. The cost is the same. Both online and paper exams must be taken at official testing centers. As before, students will select the testing center when registering for the exam.

September 2025 and beyond

ALL ACT takers will take the revised ACT.

The new ACT will be a digital test.

What's new?

1. The ACT will be a SHORTER test. The Science section will be OPTIONAL.

The ACT will drop from being more than three hours long to being just over two hours long. (125 minutes v. 195 minutes) Overall the revised ACT will include 44 fewer questions than the current version. Students choosing to take the science section will have an additional 40 minutes. The optional writing section also takes 40 minutes.

 

This chart shows the number of questions for each portion of the test, along with the length of each section of the test. While students only taking the English, math, and reading sections will finish in just over 2 hours, students taking the science and the writing sections will have 205 minutes of testing. (The current ACT with writing takes 235 minutes, nearly 4 hours.)

 

 

 

2. There will be MORE TIME PER QUESTION on the revised ACT

 

The average will be almost 58 seconds per question, rather than the current version which only allowed a mere 49 seconds per question. The English section will allow 42 seconds per question, up from 36. The math section will give more than 10% longer per question, 67 seconds, rather than 60. Additionally, rather than five possible answers, math questions on the revised ACT will only offer four possible answers. The reading section will also allow 67 seconds per question, significantly more than the previous 53 seconds. Finally, for those who take the science section, 60 seconds, rather than 53 seconds will be allowed per question.

3. NEW ACT SCORING

The ACT score composite was calculated from the four sections: math, science, English, and reading. Making the science section optional prompted a change in the way the composite score is determined. Now the composite score will be made up from the English, math, and reading portions of the test. Section scores will be given for the science (The reading comprehension section will include some science reading. ) and writing. A STEM score will also be provided for students who take the science section. The STEM score will be derived from the math and science portion scores.

The top score on the ACT will remain a 36. Per the ACT, the new composite scores will be equivalent to the current scores. Beginning in September, 2025, ALL ACT composite scores will be calculated according to the new method.

4. The OPTIONAL Science section

Except for the fact that there will be more time available per question, the science section will not be changing. The same types of questions will be asked.

The Key to Helping Your Teen Stop Procrastinating and Wasting Time

by Katherine O'Brien, Certified College Planning Specialist, Founder of Celtic College Consultants

 

Time management…

 

Do you struggle to work on your tasks before the last minute?

Do you get lost in your day and find your online class taking forever?

Do you play games rather than do your work?

 

Lots of us struggle with these sorts of things. Most of us, actually, do not have type A, internally motivated to run on hyper-drive personalities (and that is a GOOD thing!)

 

What to do?

 

There are many strategies to organize your work and your time. Simple ones. Color-coded ones. Paper based. App based. Free ones. Expensive programs. However, the best tool in the world is NO help if it is not used. No tool will be used without someone being motivated to use it. So, let’s talk about motivation for a minute.

 

In order to change what we do, we need to have identified what we want to change. We need to want to change it. Being honest with ourselves and identifying weaknesses is hard. Desiring to change something is hard. Change is hard. Change requires taking uncomfortable, unfamiliar actions.  To do something new, something different, we need courage. Support helps, too. Courage is being afraid and acting anyway. It takes energy. It takes the strength of will to choose the new in favor of the familiar.

 

Why?

 

Underneath all of that is motivation. Motivation is essential. It gives us a reason to change, provides purpose, drive, focus, and helps us sustain ourselves through the discomfort of doing something new, stepping out of our comfort zone and into a new way of living.

 

Motivation focuses on the goal, what will be gained in the long term by this short term action, by making this change, by doing something hard, taking an action or refraining from taking one, speaking, or not speaking. Motivation drives us toward certain outcomes and away from others. Sometimes our goal is to move toward something; other times our goal is to move away from something. For example, I want to learn to dance or I don’t want to be uncoordinated on the dance floor when I go to my friend’s wedding.

 

 

Positive motivations

 

Positive motivations are things we desire in life. These are things we want to acquire in life. Here are a few examples:

 

o   Accomplishing a desired goal or a step toward a desired goal, like being able to drive a car.

o   Creating or sustaining an opportunity, like starting and growing a friendship with someone you meet whom you like.

o   Being praised by others – getting a good grade, performance review, high five, etc., like winning a medal at the Olympics/Paralympics

o   Sense of self-worth/ pride/ ability/ confidence

o   Making someone proud or honouring someone, like parents, friends, mentors, etc.

o   Being ready for whatever comes next in life, like being fit, well educated, etc.

 

Negative motivations

 

Negative motivations are things we don’t want in life. These are things we want to rid ourselves of or want to avoid. Here are a few examples:

 

·      Losing something – a privilege, an opportunity, a job

·      Failing and feeling bad about yourself, less capable, etc.

·      Being embarrassed – losing the esteem of others

·      Being punished

·      Being unable to take advantage of the opportunities in life, by, for example, being unhealthy, physically unfit, uneducated, etc.

 

Want to get organized or manage your time better? Find your why! Really focus on what motivates you. Then do the work to take the step(s) forward that you need. Learn how to do, be, or think whatever you need to in order to accomplish your goal. Get an accountability partner to coax you through the learning process and celebrate your growth with you, and take another step toward becoming the best you can be!

 

So, time management –

 

Discover your reason for wanting to organize your time more effectively. Take the time to identify your goal(s) as well as the reason(s) that goal is important to you.

 

Over and over and over in my college consulting work, I have the privilege of helping teens sort themselves out, come to know their gifts, talents, interests, desires, and start to create a vision of what they could do in the future. Because it is based in themselves and their values (helping other people, for example), it is theirs, deeply theirs. It’s completely different from the imposed from the outside goals often foisted upon them. Once they know they want to do this sort of thing in their life, then taking challenging classes, learning the material taught to them, earning good grades, scoring well on the ACT, CLT, or SAT, all these chores, these tasks that take time and effort and require diligent effort, all of these tasks are worth doing. No longer are they impositions from the adult world; they are now stepping stones towards a life I want to live, work I want to do. Motivation makes all the difference!

 

For more information about my College Success Program, please visit my website, CelticCollegeConsultants.com. To schedule a consultation for you and your teen to meet with me, please email me: KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com

 

A Look at Ten Recent Admissions Trends

 

 by Katherine O'Brien, ThD Candidate, Founder of Celtic College Consultants

Admissions trends are interesting. With thousands of colleges, each having its own slant or take on how to evaluate applications and select which students to issue admissions invitations, which to waitlist, and which to decline, pinpointing their rationale is impossible. Nonetheless, as my colleagues and I share our notes and observations on the outcomes for the Class of 2023, various trends emerge. I have gathered and categorized the comments of many colleagues. I am grateful for their public candor, sharing what they have seen with others in our professional communities.

1. Increased Use of Enrollment Management Tools

Underlying much of what we see happening are statistical analysis tools used by most colleges to predict yield (the likelihood of each candidate to attend that college if s/he is admitted). This is used to help admissions offices offer the correct number of acceptances in order to yield the number of students the college desires to have for the next class. This information is nuanced in many ways, for example, to ensure that a particular college or major within a university has an appropriate number of students or that the percentage of in state and out of state students is what they desire it to be or to balance the full pay students with students who need deep discounts in order to attend (revenue yield). Correlated to this is the increase we have seen in the laws enacted in many states, setting forth regulations regarding various aspects of college admissions.

2. Larger than Usual Tuition and other Cost Increases

Ascribed to COVID costs and inflation, costs have increased at an increasing rate. Numerous schools now have a cost of attendance of over $90,000 per year. To have the total cost of one year of college nearing the six figure mark is a fact which leads many families to remove those schools from their lists. Either they fear they will not be able to afford even the net cost at these schools (or their student will feel out of place because designer clothes, etc. will not be their norm) or they are affluent families simply unwilling to spend so much on college. College costs have long increased at a rate exceeding other costs and income increases; the jumps in those increases in recent years has been notable, breathtaking even.

 

3. The Common App is Less Common than it was just a couple of years ago

The Common Application is a platform used by more than 1,000 colleges and universities. It includes common information (demographics, activities, courses and grades, and a main essay) which is sent to every college the student lists. Colleges also include particular questions and supplemental essays which are specific to the college or the major or program the student is applying to. In the past couple of years, the number of these mini-essays has increased significantly. The inclusion of various diversity questions among those supplemental essays has also increased significantly.

 

4. Student Abilities, A Huge Increase in both Superstars and Poor Communicators

On one end of the spectrum, high achieving students are accomplishing truly incredible things. However, the number of these superstars is also increasing significantly. This means that the pool of top notch students has broadened. Students typically fail to recognize this shift so do not respect the reality of the admissions pools they join. 

On the other end, for several years now, we have noticed a precipitous drop in the caliber of student writing. Composing a sentence has become a major challenge for many. Writing a coherent paragraph is a major accomplishment for most. The introspection and internal reflection required to write truly excellent personal statements, admittedly difficult for teens, has become even more elusive. 

5. Application Inflation

At the same time as we are seeing a swelling in the number of top applicants, we are also seeing an uptick in the number of applications each is submitting. Both of these factors lead to increasingly selective admissions results. Keep in mind that selective admissions tends to work like a magnet for those colleges, attracting even more top notch applicants. Applying to wonderful schools that your peers are not applying to is a prudent practice.

 

6. Early Decision and Early Application shifts

For high fliers, ED has become a key strategy. Previously, most of us widely discouraged ED applications, because of the commitment they entail, to all but the most dedicated to a particular school students. Now, with many, many colleges and universities filling half or more of their classes from the ED pools, applying Early Decision is key for our top notch students. 

Among our EA applicants, we are seeing farm more deferrals, followed by waitlist placements, rather than acceptances. These factors are making us rethink the advice we give our students.

 

7. Grade Inflation is Rampant/Test Optional Policies are Smoke and Mirrors

Somehow, 70% of high school students appear to have a 4.0 or higher GPA. One of my colleague mused, wondering if an A now indicates that a student has completed all assignments and requirements. I recently shared the school profile with a student who thought she was a tremendous catch for any college. I showed her that she was in the middle of the pack in her own high school, furthermore in the applicant pool. This sort of reality check is needed all around.

Related to this is the steady return to requiring test scores for admissions. Test optional policies, in many cases, truly are a secret code. They mean: send us your scores, unless you are low income, or have some other significant impediment to taking the tests. If you have such an impediment, it better be evident on the application, along with validation for your academic prowess, whether that be college courses and grades or IB or AP scores... For those of you still unsure, be aware that a higher percentage of the pool of students who apply with ACT or SAT scores is admitted than of the pool of students who do not include those scores.

 

8. Alternative Avenues to Admissions are Significantly Increasing

Perhaps this is happening in order to have these students not impact the enrollment yield and admissions rate percentages. We are noticing a significant increasing in alternative pathways to college, including summer start, spring start, guaranteed transfer, and first semester abroad programs. One of my colleagues commented about these, capturing the sentiments many of us detect underneath these acceptances, "start here as a second class citizen, so we don't have to count you in our admission rates, etc." (Karime Jankauskas)

 

9. An increase in Rejections and Wait List Placements

Following from several of the points above, we are all seeing an increase in rejections, particularly unexpected rejections, this year. Several commented that they have seen this, even with demonstrated interest. This trend is particularly difficult for families who have a limited college budget so have chosen schools where their student is overqualified. They are rejected because the colleges don't believe they will actually attend that college, that the applicant is using them as a super-safety school. This is also related to the flood of superstars in the applicant pool as well as various other factors mentioned above.

 

10. Students Ignoring Advice

This has always been something with which we have to contend. It goes with the territory of working with teens. However, we are noticing a significant increase in students ignoring advice, data, and facts from ourselves, trained, seasoned professionals, as well as from other informed adults in their lives. Instead, we are seeing an increase in students doing their own thing, applying to schools never discussed, etc.

 

 

College admissions has never been a straightforward process. One trend which has not changed is that students working with a college consultant fare better in admissions and in their college careers. They are better prepared, have more appropriate college lists, and more polished and authentic applications.

To discuss working with Katherine, kindly email her to inquire regarding her availability. In order to provide top quality personalized services, she limits her cohorts for each graduating class. Her email address is: KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com

Exploring Various Paths through High School

by Katherine O'Brien, ThD Candidate, Certified College Planning Specialist, Founder of Celtic College Consultants

  In addition to the fundamental choice of high school setting, between homeschooling, traditional public school, Catholic or other private school, or a classical high school, the academic program chosen will have an impact on college admissions. Success in a particular setting and program will depend on a number of factors as well. Here's a rundown of the options:

1.     Traditional, basic high school: a student can take high school courses, graduate, then move on to further studies as desired

 

2.     College Prep high school:  a student can include some AP classes and/or AP or CLEP exams into high school, thus demonstrating academic proficiency via the classes and tests, as well as, depending on the college's policies, possibly earning some college credits

 

3.     College Prep high school + college classes: a student can include AP classes and/or AP or CLEP exams as well as take college courses during high school, accumulating college credits which, like AP and CLEP scores, will be accepted by the degree granting college per their policies. This student completes high school and applies to college as a first year student. After acceptance, the registrar's office decides what credits (and test scores) to accept toward the fulfillment of their degree requirements. Some colleges have policies that force students with more than a certain number of (often 24) credits to apply as transfer students; most do not. These policies are described on the admissions pages of the colleges' websites.

 

4.     IB College Prep high school: a student in a public HS that offers it can opt to complete an IB (International Baccalaureate) program. This rigorous program provides excellent preparation for college with its intensive writing requirements and in depth interdisciplinary approach to learning.

 

5.     AA rather than HS diploma: a student can opt to not complete a HS diploma, rather shifting to community college during high school and completing an associates degree. At this point, colleges will consider the student as a transfer student. With 60 credits, consideration of the HS transcript is not typically part of the transfer application process (but can be).

 

Regarding SAT and ACT and CLT scores, most colleges do not require them for admission. For homeschooled students, especially, it is very helpful in the admissions process to have some sort of official test scores to validate the caliber of the high school coursework. These can be AP, CLEP, National Latin exam, National math exam, CLT, ACT, or SAT scores. There is a small, but growing, number of colleges reinstating ACT or SAT test score requirements for admissions; these are primarily very selective schools.

 

Making the choice to include college courses in a student's high school coursework depends on academic, maturity, temporal, and financial considerations, as well as the ramifications for college admissions. The family will need to make some adjustments as well, since the student will be affected both by peers encountered through their college coursework as well as by the personal growth required to handle college coursework. Of course, developing career and college goals as well as leadership traits are also important components of the college preparation process.

 

To discuss these options, as well as other college prep topics, with Katherine, please email her to schedule a private consultation with yourself and your teen. email KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com or text 858-705-0043.