The counselor recommendation for a homeschool student is written by the parent. The trick is writing as the homeschool's administrator, not as Mom or Dad. Specifics over superlatives.

The Common App accommodates homeschoolers, but the workflow has a few non-obvious wrinkles. The parent fills out the school report, uploads transcript and supporting docs as PDFs.

Unweighted caps at 4.0 and treats every course equally. Weighted adds bonus points for AP, Honors, and Dual Enrollment, capping at 5.0+. Both belong on the homeschool transcript.

Calculating a homeschool GPA is just arithmetic on a 4.0 scale. Multiply each grade by credits, sum, divide. Here's the formula and worked examples for both unweighted and weighted.

Most transcript problems aren't substantive. They're formatting. Missing GPA scale, inconsistent credits, no school profile. Easy to fix once you know what to watch for.

A homeschool transcript is one page. Same elements as any high school transcript, signed by you instead of a counselor. Here's exactly what each section needs and where families slip up.

The withdrawal letter is short, factual, and one-way. About 200 words. Don't apologize, don't explain, don't negotiate. Here's the template plus what NOT to add.

Withdrawing your child from public school is paperwork, not negotiation. A short letter, a notice of intent, and a records request. The whole sequence takes one afternoon.

Most state NOIs go to the local school district superintendent before the school year starts. The exceptions matter. Here's the timing and recipients you need to know.

A homeschool notice of intent is the shortest piece of legal paperwork most families ever write. Five required fields, one page, ten minutes of work. Here's the template plus the state-by-state quirks.

Some states recognize homeschooling as its own legal category; others classify it as private school enrollment. The distinction affects NOI requirements, attendance rules, evaluator letters, and what programs your family qualifies for.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states — but the rules vary dramatically. Here's how to read your state's regulatory posture (low / moderate / high regulation), what each tier actually requires, and where to find the specifics for where you live.