Homeschooled? Prepare to excel here.
Christendom College encourages and welcomes applications from homeschooled students. In fact, each year, approximately 60% of the incoming students come from a homeschool background, and over the years, many of our top academic achievers have been home educated students.
Christendom College recognizes that your experience as a homeschooled student will be somewhat different from students coming from traditional schools. The Admissions Committee will evaluate your academic record and non-academic interests and commitments within the context of your particular homeschool curriculum and experience.
Feel free to go beyond the questions on our application forms if they don’t cover everything you think is important for us to know. For example, maybe provide a complete list of books that you have read during high school, or provide some writing samples (essays or papers you wrote for homeschool subjects) to better show your academic abilities to the Admissions Committee, if you wish.
As you explore Christendom, be sure to use all resoucres available to you, including reaching out to our Homeschool Liaison, Mrs. Clare Tapsak. Clare has been a member of Christendom Admissions Office since summer 2018, but in summer 2021 she focused her attention on serving homeschooling families. As a graduate both of Mother of Divine Grace homeschool program and Christendom College, she is familiar with the steps needed to jump from homeschool to college.
Besides Clare Tapsak, many people who will be working with you during the application process have had much experience with homeschooling, either as homeschool educators themselves, or graduates of high school homeschooling programs.
- Sam Phillips, Christendom’s Director of Admissions, is a graduate of the Kolbe Academy homeschooling program and has hosted many college-related webinars for homeschooling families.
- Tom McFadden, Christendom’s VP for Enrollment, is the father of 11 homeschooled children – using Seton Home Study and a variety of other sources to educate his children. He has talked with thousands of homeschooling families over the years, helping them understand the benefits of a Christendom education and the differences between Christendom and other good Catholic colleges (as found in the Newman Guide).
Why choose Christendom?
Homeschooled students are drawn to Christendom for a number of reasons:
- Christendom’s rigorous academic education, with a focus on the great works of Western civilization, taught in the classical Scholastic method, and from a Catholic worldview
- Christendom’s high standards of excellence in culture, including a Christ-centered living environment with rules and regulations governing how students live
- Christendom’s emphasis on reading and writing throughout the entire curriculum
- Christendom’s ability to help all of its students become leaders in society and for the Church through the many extra-curricular offerings on campus
- Christendom’s own generous financial aid program, funded by donors, not taxpayers, enables families to afford the investment in a Catholic liberal arts education
Christendom College is endorsed by many Catholic luminaries, speakers, bishops, cardinals, and popes. Check it out.
The Cardinal Newman Society, in its Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, says the following:
“The two words that best describe Christendom College are Catholic and traditional, in the very best sense of both words. The College was founded in 1977 by the late historian, Warren Carroll, to counter harmful trends in American higher education and return to an emphasis on serious study and student development. Today Christendom sets a standard for fidelity and traditional education against which other Catholic liberal arts colleges are measured.”
Making that leap from high school to college can be daunting. It can be even more so for homeschooled students! Please contact me with any homeschool-related questions you may have.
Mrs. Clare Tapsak
Homeschool Outreach Liaison
540-551-9232
clare.tapsak@christendom.edu
General Tips
Tips for homeschooled students interested in attending Christendom College:
Below are some tips addressing aspects of the application process that may be somewhat different for homeschooled students. Before you begin preparing your application, we encourage you to review these tips.
References
It’s most helpful if your academic and personal letters of recommendation come from adults who can comment on your intellectual curiosity, academic preparation and promise, and extracurricular involvement. Some homeschooled applicants ask a parent to complete the Academic Letter of Recommendation (which is fine), and they ask others who have known them in an academic context to complete additional Academic Letters of Recommendation. If you have taken any high school or college courses, or had a teacher other than a parent in a particular subject, we encourage you to ask those professors or teachers to write your teacher references.
Academic Preparation and Transcripts
In general, we look for students who have challenged themselves with rigorous study in a range of academic areas during their high school years, but the exact course of study varies among our successful applicants. Many homeschooled students have used a variety of established programs, such as Seton Home Study, Mother of Divine Grace, or Kolbe Academy, while others have created their own curriculum, which is totally acceptable.
Please provide us with detailed information about the academic program you have pursued. You can do this best through the use of Christendom’s Homeschool Transcript form, or feel free to use your own version. It is also important to include an outline of your high school curriculum and many homeschooled students also send us a reading list of what they have completed during their high school years. If you have taken any courses at a school or college, please be sure to have official transcripts sent to Christendom’s Admissions Office.
Standardized Tests
All applicants, including homeschooled students, are expected to take the SAT, the ACT (without Writing), or the CLT.
Christendom is proud to offer the new Classic Learning Test (CLT) as an alternative to the SAT or ACT. To discover more about the CLT, please visit their website at cltexam.com.
In addition to the SAT, ACT, or CLT, some prepare for and take Advanced Placement (AP) tests in subjects they have studied at an advanced level. Christendom takes up to 9 credits of AP credit. More about this may be found here.
Seton
Seton Home Study and Christendom College – Born of the Same Family
Christendom College was founded by renowned historian Dr. Warren H. Carroll, while Seton Home Study School was founded by his wife, Mrs. Anne W. Carroll. The focus of each institution is to remain academically rigorous, while at the same time, to be loyal and faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
WHY CHRISTENDOM IS A PERFECT FIT FOR SETON GRADS
Pope St. John Paul II: “Christendom College is doing a great work for the Church.”
Pope Benedict XVI: Christendom College is a “fine Catholic institution of higher learning.”
- Emphasis on reading and writing.
- Christo-centric, historical matrix – giving perspective to all academic areas
- Focus on St. Thomas in philosophy and theology classes
- Faithful to the Magisterium – all professors make oath of fidelity to Magisterium
- Daily Mass, rosary, adoration, and confession available
- Family-friendly student life policies
- Single-sex residence halls
- Formation of well-rounded students, ready to take on positions of leadership
- Broad liberal arts education, enabling students to succeed in grad school and work place
- Many opportunites to broaden horizons through extra-curriculars and study abroad
- The entire college atmosphere and culture aids students in their pursuit of their vocation to holiness, as well as to their vocation to marriage or the religious life.
“I think the work that Christendom College is doing is tremendous. It is training the leaders of the future. It is giving them a strong education in theology, and philosophy, and political science that is rarely available elsewhere. Christendom College is the best Catholic college in America. I sent all seven of my sons there and, to this day, they are all still Catholic.” – Dr. Mary Kay Clark, Director, Seton Home Study School
Christendom’s Director of Student Support Services, Maribeth Martin, graduated from Seton Home Study School in May of 2010 and then graduated from Christendom College as the class salutatorian in May of 2014. She works individually with incoming students with diagnosed disabilities or impairments so that they may have equal access to the education and formation available to our students. Maribeth is always happy to speak with prospective students and their families about her experiences transitioning between Seton and Christendom, and the benefits of both educations. Her email is maribeth.kelly@christendom.edu.
“The education I received from Seton Home Study School was an excellent preparation for the rigorous academic program at Christendom College. The Seton Program taught me how to organize my thoughts and write well; moreover, it gave me a strong foundation for a liberal arts education. I attribute my academic success here to the education, study habits, and formation that I received with Seton.” – Maribeth Martin (READ her STORY here)
“As a graduate of Seton Home Study School, I have loved every minute of settling into my new home of Christendom College. I am so grateful for Seton’s classical education, which originally gave Christendom’s unparalleled liberal arts education such an appeal to me during my college search. The ideals that Christendom holds are the same as those fostered in me as a Seton student; since I have been a student at Christendom, I have found wonderful friends, newfound ambition, academic confidence, numerous opportunities, and a deeper understanding of dependence upon my Catholic Faith. My transition to Christendom has been smooth, and the professors, faculty, and students have challenged me to build upon the strong foundation and good habits acquired through Seton. At Christendom College, I have found the fulfillment of my strong education with Seton Home Study School and I look forward to continuing to use the gifts which Seton has given me and which Christendom College will uphold and foster.” – Mary Katherine Mooney ’19 (READ her STORY here)
Mother of Divine Grace
Mother of Divine Grace School
WHY CHRISTENDOM IS A PERFECT FIT FOR MODG GRADS
Pope St. John Paul II: “Christendom College is doing a great work for the Church.”
Pope Benedict XVI: Christendom College is a “fine Catholic institution of higher learning.”
- Emphasis on reading and writing – mainly original texts, very few textbooks
- Latin and Greek classes available
- Classroom disussions in addition to lectures from professors with PhDs in subject matter
- Christo-centric, historical matrix – giving perspective to all academic areas
- Focus on St. Thomas in philosophy and theology classes
- Faithful to the Magisterium – all professors make oath of fidelity to Magisterium
- Daily Mass, rosary, adoration, and confession available
- Family-friendly student life policies
- Single-sex residence halls
- Formation of well-rounded students, ready to take on positions of leadership
- Broad liberal arts education, enabling students to succeed in grad school and work place
- Many opportunites to broaden horizons through extra-curriculars and study abroad
- The entire college atmosphere and culture aids students in their pursuit of their vocation to holiness, as well as to their vocation to marriage or the religious life.
“Christendom College is one of the liberal arts colleges that Mother of Divine Grace School consistently recommends to students. It is a challenging school, with high standards, a joyful Catholic identity, and excellent student life. The teachers have proven to be very caring and willing to work with students. Mother of Divine Grace School has sent numerous students to Christendom over the years, and they report that they are well prepared for the education, and think it is an excellent follow up to the formation they have already received with us. Students thinking about a good liberal arts education should consider Christendom College.” – Mrs. Laura Berquist, Director, Mother of Divine Grace School
“Three of the best foundations that Mother of Divine Grace has provided for me are a love of learning, the ability to discuss and present ideas well, and an appreciation for a liberal arts education. Having been endowed with these gifts, Christendom has naturally fit in as the next step in the journey of my life. In high school, my favorite part of class was debating and discussing ideas and concepts with my teachers and classmates. At Christendom, it continues to be one of the highlights of my day, as I dissertate topics such as the importance of Genesis to the early Hebrews and flaws in Galileo’s model of the Solar system. When choosing a college, I was not sure what career field I desired to go into. What I did know, however, was that I did not want to focus my studies on a single topic and find that I disliked it. It would be like going to a buffet, and filling my plate with just chicken, only to sit down and discover that what I really wanted was the beef. At Christendom, I can get a taste of everything on the buffet, and from there develop that for which I have a hunger. I can cultivate all aspects of my life. I have sprung off the MODG platform into Christendom and it has been the best decision I have ever made.” Tom Anderson ’19
Kolbe
WHY CHRISTENDOM IS A PERFECT FIT FOR KOLBE GRADS
Pope St. John Paul II: “Christendom College is doing a great work for the Church.”
Pope Benedict XVI: Christendom College is a “fine Catholic institution of higher learning.”
- Emphasis on reading and writing – mainly original texts, very few textbooks
- Latin and Greek classes available
- Classroom disussions in addition to lectures from professors with PhDs in subject matter
- Christo-centric, historical matrix – giving perspective to all academic areas
- Focus on St. Thomas in philosophy and theology classes
- Faithful to the Magisterium – all professors make oath of fidelity to Magisterium
- Daily Mass, rosary, adoration, and confession available
- Family-friendly student life policies
- Single-sex residence halls
- Formation of well-rounded students, ready to take on positions of leadership
- Broad liberal arts education, enabling students to succeed in grad school and work place
- Many opportunites to broaden horizons through extra-curriculars and study abroad
- The entire college atmosphere and culture aids students in their pursuit of their vocation to holiness, as well as to their vocation to marriage or the religious life.
Mr. Sam Phillips graduated from Kolbe Academy in 2004 before going to Christendom and earning his BA in History in 2008. After having spent 6 years working at a private, Catholic school, Mr. Phillips returned to his alma mater to become the Director of Admissions. As Admissions Director, he communicates with prospective students, and once they have applied for admission, he serves as the primary admissions counselor – walking each applicant through the process to ensure the best chances of acceptance. He can be reached at sam.phillips@christendom.edu.
“The solid classical education I received from Kolbe Academy, with its strong emphasis on studying the greatest works of Western Civilization in their original sources, prepared me well and gave me the confidence to tackle the demanding liberal arts curriculum at Christendom College.” – Sam Phillips
“Kolbe Academy gave me confident familiarity with important classical texts, many of which I am studying in even greater depth and richness at Christendom College. Even outside of classes at Christendom, the knowledge of these texts is reinforced by stimulating conversations with professors or peers; for instance, I’ve particularly enjoyed mealtime discussions with my philosophy professor, in which we’ve explored topics ranging from the different aspects of the disembodied soul to the proper nature of the family-to-state relationship. For the student who is dedicated to the pursuit of truth and wisdom, the transition from Kolbe to Christendom will be natural and immensely rewarding.” – Jacki Durant ’19 – National Merit Scholarship Finalist
“Revisiting the great Classical works of Western Civilization through the Core Curriculum at Christendom College has complemented and fulfilled the rigorous high school education I received with Kolbe Academy. The many opportunities offered here to grow in virtue and become a better Catholic have deepened my love for my family, my friends, and the Faith. The lessons I have learned, the memories I have made, and the ways I have grown have proved invaluable, and I eagerly look forward to continued growth as I complete my education here at Christendom.” – Anna LLobet ’22
“The curriculum that Christendom has to offer is one that is complimentary to the education I received from Kolbe Academy. The study of the great works of Western Civilization especially through a Catholic lens, which forms the foundation Christendom’s academic program, especially offer a continuation of the foundation of learning that characterizes Kolbe Academy. What interested me in Christendom and what has continued to make me grow has been the many spiritual resources on campus, the availability of professors both inside and outside the classroom, and the excellent friendships I have made throughout my time at Christendom.” – Jacob Altmanshofer ’21
Helpful Articles for Families
Tom McFadden’s helpful articles on college-related topics, posted on setonmagazine.com:
- 6 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your College Visit.
- College Decision: You Eternal Destiny May Be Riding On It.
- It’s a Wonderful Life – George Bailey and Catholic Colleges.
- College Prep 101: The 5 Tools to Prepare for College Success.
- The 5 Essential Keys to Your Perfect College Search.
- 5 Ways a Family Can Foster a Religious Vocation.