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Military academies.  The easy part about getting in is being a homeschooler.  The hard part about getting in is everything else.

The military academy candidates for admission must receive a nomination, usually from a congressman.  When was the last time you spoke to your representative?   Sally and I were speaking about her son’s application to a military academy, and she has confirmed their admission requirements again.

The things you have suggested are right on for what we are trying to do.  We are finding that having a high school sport is pretty important as well as physical fitness.  Grades and awesome test scores are also important.  And finally, leadership is utmost.  There has to be proof of the student’s leadership, like team captain, community service, teaching others, etc.  The umpiring that my boys did is really good.

Another thing we are finding is that with the economy as it is, the number of military ROTC and academy applicants is doubling and tripling….very competitive.  But as you said, it is great to be homeschooled as long as you have the above characteristics.  AND get the paperwork in EARLY!!!  Oh, and you were right on with your advice on Foreign Language.  They want to see Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, or Persian.  We went for Arabic.

~ Sally in Washington

The military academies like “proof” of sports like they like proof of leadership.  One recruiter told me that physical fitness proof doesn’t mean JUST high school sports.  It can mean running timed races, biking on the Seattle to Portland race, joining a running club or biking club.  A 5K is an excellent example of proving physical fitness.  Any measurable physical fitness, really.  Just like your leadership is measurable because they were umpires.

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All the military academies accept homeschoolers, and homeschoolers are on completely equal footing with every other applicant.  The academic preparation for a military academy is actually the easy part.  It’s the extracurricular, leadership and physical fitness aspects of preparation that are much more difficult to achieve!  It’s completely possible if you have the right kind of child.  I have a local homeschool friend and her son was recently admitted to an academy – REAL homeschoolers REALLY do get in.

They will ask you to give a “list of courses with materials used.”  That means they want very detailed course descriptions.  If you want an example, that is why I published my book, the “Setting the Records Straight.”   Consider it a template for creating your own very impressive records.

Military academies also want to see a reading list.  “Setting the Records Straight” also includes our homeschool reading list, so you can see what that looks like and how it fits within the whole package of course descriptions.  The reading list includes ALL the books that the student reads.  Books for school, books for pleasure, Christian books, classics, fluff pieces.  It’s actually important to have a good mix of classics AND current literature.  I have heard some colleges complain that homeschoolers only read the classics and don’t seem to have enough popular literature.  This can make them look a bit artificial.  The reading list is just a LIST, not a bibliography.  It just needs to have the title and author of each book.

It can help your chances of success if you meet with the Military Academies early in high school.  Visit their booth at a college fair, and ask detailed information about preparation and what they require.  You’ll be amazed, because homeschooling will be the very least of your worries, and the easiest part of the process!

I don’t know if this will apply to your situation at ALL, but Baylor University has an ROTC Scholarship for Christian College, and they love homeschoolers.  When you join ROTC, you can study aviation, medicine, science, engineering, law, space, business, etc.  They offer huge scholarships, including a full scholarship, but others as well.  Students also get $900 per year for books, and a $300-500 per MONTH stipend – which means you can spend it any way you like.

I’ve never visited Baylor, and I’m not a member of the military.  I do get a lot of questions about whether homeschoolers are accepted in ROTC and Military Academies (they are!)  And I get a lot of questions about ways to afford college (there are many!)  I hope this information helps someone.  For more, see this website.

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Each college is unique. They each have different expectations and requirements. Make sure you ask them what they want! The good news is that means there is a college out there that will be a perfect fit – you just have to look hard enough to find it!

I asked California State University Chico what they wanted from a high school student. They said that they wanted one full year of fine arts in one subject (like all music, for example, instead of 1/2 credit theater and 1/2 credit music.) Webb University is unique because they provide a full tuition scholarship for every student entering their engineering school. Naropa University in Colorado has no math requirements for admission. Many of the “Colleges that Change Lives” described themselves to me as “liberal tree-hugging vegetarian” schools. West Point gave very specific suggestions for Seattle homeschoolers, “Consider joining the Sammamish Rowing Association, or the Eastside Lacrosse Club, because we need students active in those sports.”

Check out a college fair, and see what college is the perfect fit for your student!

The HomeScholar provides a free monthly e-newsletter, daily blog support, low cost videos and private consultations — everything you need to successfully homeschool through high school.

All the military academies accept homeschoolers! Military academies look for students with three strengths: academics, athletics, and leadership. Their admission criteria are stringent, but they tend to value all three strengths equally. When I was at a recent College Fair, all branches of the military seemed equally enthusiastic about homeschoolers, and even gave me some specific advice on activities in our area that they like to see in their candidates. If your child is interested in going to an elite military academy, I recommend you contact them early in high school, so that you can prepare for their rigorous application procedure. If your student is interested in the military in general, this article can help explain the ROTC program:

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