Guest Post by: Nadia Jones
Your homeschooled child may only be in the 9th grade right now, but before you know it he or she will be heading to college. Of course, your child has to first get accepted to the college of his or her choice. Having stellar grades is one way to improve his or her chances of acceptance, but it isn't enough. In fact, aside from test scores, admission officers are always looking for applicants that can prove that they are three-dimensional. This means that not only are they sociable and can get along with others, but also that he or she has a strong presence in his or her community and most importantly has dedication—traits that will help your child succeed in college.
To fulfill this requirement, public school children typically join a school-related club or organization their freshmen year and stay involved throughout all four years of high school. Home schooled children don’t really have this easy accessibility to clubs, but that doesn’t mean that there aren't additional ways that your child can become "involved" and areas that most admission officers look for. That said, below are some common activities that can get your child on admission officer's radar as well as provide some good sources for letters of recommendation.
Register for Marathons/ Walks
All year long various organizations look for participants to run a race or complete a walk for public awareness of a particular cause or medical condition. Some charge for participation, others ask for donations. Whatever the case, participating in a city-wide marathon or walk is a great way to prove that your child cares about his or her community. It's even better if your child participants in a race or walk that he or she is really passionate about—your child may be able to incorporate his or her yearly participation in his or her admission's essay.
Do Volunteer Work
Having enough volunteer hours is crucial to any admission officer. While giving a hand to the homeless shelter is always a great way to achieve this, there are other ways to fulfill volunteer work. For example, your child can join organizations like Habitat for Humanity or he or she can join an organization that is dedicated to planting trees at a local park. Your child can even volunteer his or her time to the local library, hospital, retirement home or even a local event—like a concert or festival. Search the internet to find other opportunities.
Join a Club Sport/ League
Your child may not have the opportunity to join a public school athletic team, but that doesn't mean that he or she can't be part of an athletic group. There are tons of club sports that your child can join ranging from baseball, tennis, swimming, soccer and volleyball that coincide with you child's age range. This will give your child the opportunity to mingle with some children of his or her age and work on their team-building skills.
Join an Organization
Joining karate, gymnastics, dance or even prestigious organizations like the Eagle Scouts can really improve your child's chances of college acceptance—especially if your child has been a part of the organization for many years.
Participate in Contests
Admission officers like to see applicants that participate in contests. While it's more impressive if your child "ranks" in the contest, if your child just shows that he or she has a competitive spirit by participating in contests, this can assure admission officers that your child has the drive and ambition to become something. So whether it’s a local talent contest, beauty pageant, or scrabble competition, your child should definitely compete in something.
Get a Job
Lastly, getting a job is a great way for your child to build his or her work ethic and prove to admission officers that he or she values independence. Whether it's a job at the local fast food restaurant or your child makes him or her income dog sitting, this is a great way to build up a resume and build up a pool of letter of recommendation writers.
Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.
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