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Things my kids won’t learn in home school, but will figure out when they go off to college:

1. Your parents really are pretty good parents. You know all those times we were “mean” or “hypocritical?” When you tell your “bad parent” stories you will get no sympathy. That was nothing, nothing compared to the way some of your peers were reared.

2. You are actually not a nerd. You are a lot more confident and secure than you realize. “Home schooled” is not stamped on your forehead and you will fit in with the serious students quite well.

3. Pornography is really, really easy to get hold of.

4. So are drugs.

5. Most of your college peers have actually never heard the gospel. It’s not that they just haven’t accepted it. They don’t know it. Try asking them what the gospel is. Most have nothing but a very general idea.

6. You are capable of learning anything. Unless you have some sort of serious learning disability, nothing is too hard to learn.

7. Life, however, is hard. It is hard to live within your means and go without. Almost no one seems to understand that until they leave home. Money is tight. Wow, your parents weren’t cheap. They actually sacrificed a great deal to get you where you are, after all.

8. You can’t count on most people. It will probably break your heart. But remember, you family and your friends at home, for the most part, are steadfast.

9. Some professors have absolutely no idea what they are doing. Also, some are malicious jerks who should not be in any sort of teaching position. Some of their behavior will shock you.

10. It is a lot harder to pursue your spiritual life without your parents dragging you to church and etc. It will be a litmus test. Do you still pray, read your Bible, think about spiritual things, witness, and attend worship services? Or were you just doing these things because it was the normal course of events at home?

Here is some specific studying advice for homeschoolers leaving for college (I teach advanced homeschool classes, and these are the “biggies” - the things I’ve noticed homeschoolers do tend to have trouble with):

1. If something is “too hard” you won’t be allowed to jump to another project of your own choosing. Do the project, paper, etc AS THE PROFESSOR TELLS YOU TO. It’s amazing how when the students come in to me- they will say something like, “I didn’t understand/want to/or didn’t have the book to do what you asked, so I just made something totally different and isn’t it great.” That’s the way many parents conduct their homeschool - a little less structured. The problem is, when they get to college you have to do what the professor expects, not what would edify you. And yes, that’s not right. But it’s a sad way of the world.

2. Learn to give respect in a group setting. I’ve seen a lot of HS’s have problems with this; many are such individualists they’ve never learned to follow group rules, like lining up or sitting quietly in a group.

Parents tend not to enforce rules of silence in the home when they are teaching, so homeschoolers can be incredible chatterboxes and noisemakers; they tend to speak without raising hands and such. Things parents can be lenient with, like humming and tapping can’t be done in a class.

3. A small one, but a biggie for college: Learn to OUTLINE. It’s the biggest problem I’ve had with Homeschool kids; many have never learned how to outline on their own. It’s not a skill you need when learning in a class of one.

They get into my lectures and have no idea how to properly take notes. The first homework I assign my Highschool homeschoolers are notetaking exercises.

4. If you lose your assignment, you better find a way to get it. It’s not the teacher’s responsiblity to make sure you have it. Call a classmate. Mom’s not there to chase you down anymore and make sure you do your own assignment everyday. You need to be a self starter.

Outsiders love to claim homeschoolers aren’t “socialized”. What a laugh. The problem is the exact opposite - homeschoolers are SO social the usual static and unnatural environment of the classroom is something they often find inhibiting and uncomfortable. The three problems I have pointed out above are the biggest problems I see them have.