People new to homeschool often want to know, are homeschool graduates successful compared to their peers? (Come celebrate our MPE class of 2025 at this year’s graduation ceremony on May 9!)
The answer is a resounding YES! Studies have consistently shown homeschool graduates to thrive in college, establish successful careers and households, and become active citizens in their communities.
Don’t just take our word for it!
Check out the following facts from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI):
Research facts on homeschooling show that the home-educated are doing well, typically above average, on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development. Research measures include peer interaction, self-concept, leadership skills, family cohesion, participation in community service, and self-esteem.
Contrary to popular stereotypes of isolated homeschoolers, these studies explode the myth that homeschooling leads to poor socialization.
Home-educated students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT tests that colleges consider for admissions. (Read more here.)
Many colleges and universities are now actively recruiting homeschool graduates since they know them to be exceptional students and scholars.
Further notes on how homeschool graduates fare
Additionally, an increasing number of outsiders acknowledge that homeschoolers succeed in life after homeschooling.
In this article by U.S. News & World Report, “Home-Schooled Teens Ripe for College,” the reporter says homeschoolers seem to be even “better socialized” than their public school counterparts.
For example, check out this sentence – newsflash! “Myths about unsocialized home-schoolers are false, and most are well prepped for college, experts say.”
Now that more homeschool graduates are entering the workplace, people are seeing firsthand how we’ve benefited from a home education. It’s prepared us well for life after school!
Harvard study on homeschool graduates
In 2021, a Harvard University study concluded that “home-schooled children generally develop into well-adjusted, responsible and socially engaged young adults.”
The study examined data from more than 12,000 children surveyed from 1999 to 2010.
“Parents want their kids to be well-educated and professionally successful, but they also want them to be healthy, happy and virtuous,” researchers wrote.
“By this broader measure of success, home schooling has advantages. Among the students we examined, home-schoolers were 33% more likely to volunteer, 31% more forgiving and 51% more likely to attend religious services in young adulthood than those who attended public school.”
Researchers also pointed out the correlation between attending religious services regularly and having substantially lower risks of alcohol and drug abuse, depression, and suicide. In this way, they concluded, homeschooling could have public health implications.
https://readlion.com/2021/12/21/harvard-study-finds-homeschoolers-become-healthy-happy-virtuous-adults/
We have updated this blog post, originally published in May 2015, for timeliness and detail.
Learn more about scholarships and financial aid for homeschoolers.
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