What is a “typical homeschooler”?

Getting out of the house Homeschooled students adjust to learning with 40K classmates
The State News Published: April 19, 2009
By Jacob Carpenter

In each of the past five years, fewer than 30 homeschooled students have applied to MSU. Each of those years, no more than 10 have enrolled, a surprisingly low number considering an average of about 1,500 students are homeschooled in Michigan each year, according to the state’s Department of Education.

The reasons for MSU’s low homeschool population are numerous, ranging from the school’s size to its public perception.

I don’t feel a need to do a study on this, but someone is likely earning a paycheck while contemplating one more reason for a governmental study of homeschoolers.

“It kind of makes sense with the families I know back home,” said Holcomb, an elementary education junior who would have attended Southfield High School in suburban Detroit.

“A lot of the reason why some of those kids are going to community college is because perhaps some of those families are reluctant to send their kids off to a more secular institution.”

It’s a common theme that likely prevents more homeschooled students from applying to MSU. The vast campus, 40,000-plus students, active dorm life and secular background are a stark contrast from the individualized, tranquil educational experience of homeschooled students.

With no knowledge of Michigan State University’s crime rate, but in reference to general social issues surrounding college life; could it also be the dorm rapes that go unreported by universities to keep their ‘good publicity’ or the weekend assaults by drunken bullies while students are walking back to the dorms or student apartments?  Other homeschooling families shared their concerns in the article.

Seems logical to expect a decent learning environment when spending thousands and thousands of dollars for college life.  Perhaps it  comes back to that socialization issue?

This article did compare community college savings as compared to university costs.  University tuition has grown as high as some of the new campus buildings being erected.  (I might sound like a slightly bitter parent wondering why my soon to graduate daughter had very limited access to a library under construction, while paying higher library fees in tuition for that 4 year honor.)

Hard to say what homeschooling family reasons are regarding their other options, but those concerns listed above are certainly credible from parental observations.

From the State News article:

Because of the stereotypes about homeschoolers that Fisher has encountered — that they are smart, not socially oriented and are even bad dressers, Fisher said — she typically is mum on her educational background.

“A lot of times when people find out that I was homeschooled, they’re surprised because they don’t see me as a ‘typical homeschooler,’” she said.

Even though my older kids attended public high school, they seem to brag a bit about being homeschooled now.  They have also heard that they don’t seem like a “typical homeschooler”.  (Which has often meant that their friends hadn’t met a homeschooler in person before.)  Again, from the article:

Holcomb also uses his homeschool experience to his advantage.

In his personal statement for admission, Holcomb wrote about how his homeschooling would add diversity to the university. He also has brought up homeschooling for discussion in his education classes at MSU.

“I feel like it’s something I’ve had all my life,” Holcomb said of his homeschooling background. “Yeah, I’m a little weird, but I’m over it. It gives me perspective and it gives me a new look on things.”

Well said and very refreshing, Mr. Holcomb.

Ht to TAFFIE‘s Susan Frederick who contributed this Michigan article link on the Home Education Magazine Networking list.

Comments at the bottom are always interesting in these on-line articles.

Tags: Add new tag, Michele Czupinski, Michigan homeschool, Michigan homeschooling, Michigan State University

This entry was posted on April 23, 2009 at 10:26 am and is filed under Articles About Homeschooling, Higher Education, News-Commentary, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.