Students who have been home-schooled are welcome to apply to Gettysburg College using the Common Application. Although we use the same criteria to evaluate home-schooled applicants as we do for those students applying from accredited high school programs, we do understand that home-school academic backgrounds are distinctive. In order for us to get the best picture of your college preparation, we also ask that you submit the following with your application:
- A transcript from a reputable home-school correspondence program, or a detailed roster (including subject areas studied, texts used, and time spent on each discipline) of academic coursework at the secondary level. Classes taken during the senior year at a local two- or four-year college or university are highly valued and transcripts should be included with the application.
- A short narrative, written by the person other than yourself who has been most responsible for your academic life, describing the nature of your secondary-level education. This document should not be a recommendation, but rather a description of your instruction in recent years.
- In addition to the admissions essay, a graded paper in an academic area of your choosing is required.
- A letter of reference from a tutor, evaluator, or teacher who is not a family member.
- SAT and/or ACT scores are recommended.
Home-schooled applicants must participate in an admissions interview.