Admission
Home School Students
Bethel welcomes students who have received a home school education. Currently more than eight percent of our undergraduate students are home school graduates and they come from around the world. There are many other students who were also home schooled at some point for elementary, middle school or high school and there are a number of faculty and staff who currently home school. Our home school students have found a good ‘fit’ at Bethel, and as a whole, have found an easy transition to Bethel and thrive on our campus. Also, Bethel is a Tier 1 college with HSLDA.
College Courses for High School Students
The best preparation for college is to make the most of your home school options for coursework. If you live close to Bethel, you should consider participating in our REACH program in your junior or senior year to get a head start on your college coursework.
College Search Assistance for Home School Families
Many home school families have limited access to college guidance professionals to assist with their college search. Sometimes your local high school guidance office or library can be used as a resource or you can hire someone to provide this service.
The Bethel staff of admission professionals are also available to help prepare you for your college selection process. We certainly have a bias toward Bethel, but we also want you to discover God’s will in your life and help you find a college to attend.
Bethel’s Plan for Success program is a basic guide to help you better understand this process. The admission staff would be glad to meet with you individually or make a presentation to a home school group or church. Whether you are considering a Christian college, public, other private, in-state or out-of-state, this program will give you the tools to make an informed decision. Call the admission office, 800.422.4101, to schedule a presentation for your group.
Applying to Bethel
As is the case with all applicants to Bethel College, home school students are considered on an individual basis to determine an appropriate admission decision. A student may be evaluated for admission on the basis of six semesters of high school coursework. There are no special requirements for home school applicants. You simply follow the application process indicated on the application for admission. We only ask that you indicate the curriculum you used for each course on your transcript.
Transcripts
As part of the process, documentation must be provided to verify completion of your high school curriculum before students enroll. This will be an academic record of high school level courses completed, individual course grades and cumulative grade point average signed by the primary educator (typically a parent). You can use our home school transcript template (PDF | Excel) as an example. If any coursework was completed online or in a school, transcripts for those courses should also be submitted. A GED is not required but would be accepted.
Test Scores
The SAT or ACT should be taken in the junior year or in the fall of the senior year of high school. Earlier testing will allow you the opportunity to become more comfortable with the tests. When you register for the test, be sure to request that your scores be sent to Bethel College.
Students should be 17 years old by the date of enrollment but younger students will still be considered. Because of external regulations, policies or requirements, additional entry criteria may be considered in certain divisions or majors.
