Homeschooled students often find themselves particularly well-suited to take advantage of our high degree of challenge through individualized coursework.

Each year, homeschooled students annually compose the largest "school group" among our 400 first-year students, usually numbering about seven to ten in each class.

We recognize the important contributions made by homeschoolers both inside and outside the classroom, and we make a deliberate effort to accommodate the special circumstances of homeschoolers during the admissions process.  

How Lawrence reviews applications

These are the considerations, along with recommendations, we make when reviewing applications from home schooled applicants.

Academic Background

If you are completing your high school education under the umbrella of a diploma-granting organization, please submit evidence of the coursework completed and your level of performance. 

If you are not connected with any such institution, you may submit your GED or HSED as evidence of completing a commonly-accepted body of secondary coursework. 

In the absence of either transcript information, GED, or HSED, we will need to evaluate your level of preparation for college-level work. Please present us with a portfolio of the work you consider most indicative of your academic achievements. This may contain records such as: 

  • grades from community college or other post-secondary level courses that you may have taken 

  • scores from AP tests 

  • recommendations from qualified tutors or teachers 

  • examples of independent research 

  • evidence of completed units in science, mathematics or other academic subjects, or descriptions of books and other curricular materials used and mastered in preparation for college-level courses. 

Standardized Tests

We encourage homeschooled students to submit their standardized test results with their applications for admission. 

Although Lawrence University does not require applicants to submit standardized test results in their admission review, we have found such test results to be helpful in ascertaining our homeschooled applicants' academic preparedness. 

Letters of Recommendation 

Letters of recommendation are particularly important for homeschooled applicants. Your recommenders should be qualified to evaluate you not only as a student but as an individual and member of the community. They should be able to describe specific activities in which you participated together and to evaluate your performance through the eyes of experience and objective judgment.  

Interviewing 

The interview is one of the most effective ways for us to determine if you'd make a good Lawrentian. And by "us" we mean the admissions office and you. Interviews are a two-way street; a friendly one-on-one conversation.  

While interviewing is not a requirement, it is recommended and a chance for you to tell us more about the important information that may not fit in the application. You are welcome to contact your admissions counselor to setup a time to interview.