If you are a homeschooled high school student, you may be confused about how to navigate the world of standardized testing. This article will help you understand the role these tests may play in your education, why you may want to take them, and how to prepare if you do.

A homeschooler studying for the SAT on his bed

SAT, ACT, and Homeschool Graduation Requirements

Each state sets its own requirements for home-school education, and many require an ACT or SAT for homeschoolers in high-school as part of the state graduation requirements. Make sure you know the rules and requirements for graduation in your state and follow them accordingly.

If you are required to complete the SAT or ACT to graduate, you can also use that score to apply to colleges and universities, so keep reading to learn more about that process.

SAT, ACT, and College Applications

Even if you aren’t required to take the SAT or ACT to graduate as a homeschooler, you may want to consider taking one or both exams for college admissions. Though many schools have test-optional policies in place, meaning that you do not have to submit a test score, recent academic research has been causing some prominent schools to once again require them. Make sure to do your research into the required application materials at each school to which you plan to apply.

Beyond that, though, there are several reasons that a homeschool student should consider sending test scores as part of an application to any college that accepts them.

4 Reasons Homeschoolers Should Take the SAT or ACT

  1. Your education plan has been unique to you. Your at-home teacher determines your course of study, creates the lessons, and analyzes your progress. This can be difficult to convey on a college application.
  2. Students at traditional high schools, on the other hand, follow more uniform education plans. Their applications to colleges are accompanied by a high school profile to help admissions counselors learn about the academic rigor and grading system at the high school level.
  3. Since homeschool students can’t use school profiles or typical GPAs to compare themselves academically to their peers, standardized test scores from the ACT or SAT can fill that gap.
  4. 4. Aside from its usefulness in college admissions, a good score on the SAT or ACT may also help a student win scholarships.

Apart from the cost of taking the SAT or ACT, there aren’t really any disadvantages, so here’s how to get ready for the test.

Preparing to take the SAT or ACT

Plan ahead.

Most students set aside 4 to 12 weeks to prepare for the SAT or ACT, depending on their starting scores, goal scores, and availability. Ensure that you have enough time to get ready for the exam, leaving some extra time in case you encounter any content on the test that you haven’t learned yet.

Take a practice test.

The best way to determine how to prepare for a test is to take a practice one. Not only will this give you an idea of how you are currently scoring on the test, but also it gives you a good sense of:

- how you need to pace yourself
- where you have gaps in knowledge or strategy
- how you should proceed to get ready for the test.

If you aren’t sure which test to prep for , taking a practice ACT and SAT test can clarify that decision for you.

Set your prep plan.

- If your starting score is close to your goal score and you just want to brush up on a few key points, studying with a prep book on your own is a great option.
- If you have weaknesses in only a few areas and want more direct help addressing them, a private tutor is the way to go.
- If you need help with a wide variety of topics, consider signing up for a test prep course.

Register for and take the test.

Homeschooled students and traditional students alike register for the SAT or ACT the same way—by creating an online account with ACT or with College Board for the SAT . When prompted for the school code, homeschoolers enter the universal code 970000.

The end result is the same, regardless of your educational background. Put your prep into practice and conquer that ACT or SAT for homeschoolers.