Homeschool Curricular Template 

Perhaps the most common concern shared by homeschooling families involves how to organize and present a transcript. If you are utilizing a packaged curriculum, you may have the option of a prepared record, one which looks very similar to those colleges receive from public and private high schools. Among the transcripts seen at Houghton are those generated by A Beka, Christian Liberty Satellite Academy, and Hewitt Research. 

Please note that Houghton does not endorse or prefer any packaged curriculum over another. In fact, most of our homeschooled applicants come from homes which utilize an eclectic approach, drawing curricular materials from a variety of sources. For these families we can, based on the experience of our admission committee, offer a template which you may find useful in preparing your records for college admission officers. Consider this record for a fictitious applicant from Michigan.

Grade 11 (non-graded)

English/American Literature 

Texts: 

• The Beginnings of American Literature (Property Books,1991) 
• Anthology of American Literature (University Press, 1992) 
• The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne 
• The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald 
• Selected Short Stories (University Press, 1988) 
• The Sound and the Fury, John Steinbeck 
• The Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper 

Enrichment Activities: 

Attended performances of Harvey, Carousel, and A Streetcar Named Desire; wrote classic book column for Central Michigan Home Schoolers quarterly newsletter 

Mathematics 

Texts: 

• Algebra 2 and Trigonometry (Academic Press, 1994) 

History 

Texts: 

• Development of American Government, 1750-1950 (College Books, 1991) 
• Michigan State History (Michigan Collegium Press, 1982) 

Enrichment activities: 

Two-week summer tour of Michigan historical sites, attended lectures "Footnote Characters in MI History" and "The Future of Michigan-Canadian Relations" at Mid Michigan College 

Physical Science 

Texts:

• Basic Physics (Science Academy Press, 1995) 
• God in the Physical World (Providence Books, 1992) 

Enrichment activities: 

Completed 10 physics experiments under supervision of a physicist who attends our church

German

Texts

• Intermediate German/German 3 (Modern Language Press, 1990) 
• German History and the Holocaust (Academy Press, 1996) 
• Modern Germany (Academy Press, 1994) 

Enrichment activities: 

Visited Holocaust Museum, Washington, D.C., established pen pal connection with teen in Bonn, Germany 

Bible/Religion 

Texts: 

• Preparing Christians for the Next Century (Spirit Books,1997) 
• Church History: 1900-1970 (Christian University Books, 1993) 

Enrichment activities: 

Attended two day-long seminars on youth leadership, Christ Community Church 

Miscellaneous activities, awards & involvements 

Music and Art 

• Sang Handel's Messiah with community chorus 
• Voice lessons with Mary Smith (Michigan Chorale) 
• Toured Detroit and Ann Arbor art museums 

Computer Skills 

• Familiar with Internet use and various software, including Claris Works,Quicken, WordPerfect, Quattro Pro and PageMaker 

Sports and Recreation 

• Played on homeschool basketball team in Central Michigan YMCA league, November-March, weekly 
• Rock climbing expeditions, Christian Climbers Club 

Speech 

• Recited "The Raven" and "Casey at the Bat" at Michigan homeschool convention 

Community Service 

• Volunteer (awarded medal for 60 hours) at Parkside Nursing Home 
• Letters to the editor, published (3) The Daily Standard 
• Assistant coach, Central Michigan t-ball 

Church 

• Member, First Community Church 
• Attend worship and youth services weekly 
• Counselor at church's summer children's camp 
• Participated in missions trip to Appalachia (work project) 

*This sample represents one year of a homeschool experience. 

**The volumes and publishers listed herein, other than the classics, are fictitious. 

Other notes on curricular templates: 

If you provide information like this for each year of high school level homeschooling, college admission officers will be able to give your application a thorough reading. Please note: if you participate in homeschooling irregularly during your high school years, be sure to have transcripts for those years in school sent to us from your high school. Some families assign grades for homeschool work; others do not. Houghton does not require that grades be assigned. With regard to the senior year, which is typically in progress at the time of application, you should prepare similar information, outlining texts and planned activities for the year. 

If you read for pleasure or enrichment, you may wish to send along a reading list describing volumes read, either by year or cumulatively through your junior year. Houghton has received some impressive reading lists from homeschooled applicants.