A school profile is a short paper that helps colleges learn about a student’s school. It explains what the school is like.
For traditional schools, this document compiles facts about the school, such as course difficulty, grading policies, and community characteristics. This helps colleges make fair decisions about students.
Finding a school profile for a traditional school is easy. Just Google it. You’ll find samples from different schools or Common App, the largest college application portal.
How about the school profile for homeschool? Is it the same as the one for a traditional school
The answer is: “Not really.”
They share common goals and elements like the grading scale.
But it’s impossible to make homeschool school profiles look exactly like those from traditional schools because homeschools don’t have 1,000 students enrolled.
Then what is a school profile for homeschool?
It’s a document that tells your homeschool story to colleges during the application process.
Colleges don’t just want your grades—they want to understand your homeschool narrative, the journey that shaped your learning experience.
University of Pennsylvania
We would be interested to know why you and your family opted to pursue homeschooling rather than a more traditional public or private school education-UPenn - Homeschool Applicants
Finding examples of this critical document online is tough.
However this document is a MUST if you're applying through the Common App, the biggest college application platform.
In this post, I’ll break down what to include and how to write it.
The School Profile is the best opportunity to advocate for your homeschool.
We all know that “homeschool is not an accredited school entity.”
"Oh! Your mom gave you an A+ at the kitchen table? That’s cheating!"
These stereotypes exist, but the reality of homeschooling is far different. We follow rules.
Some homeschoolers even enroll in full-time accredited programs, believing the accountability gives them an advantage in college admissions.
But then they lose their chance to advocate for their homeschool journey in the school profile.
Colleges are curious why you chose homeschool, even though it's a rather hard choice to make.
Brown University
we would be interested to know why you and your family opted to pursue home-schooling rather than a more traditional public or private school education. - Brown Admission, Homeschool Applicant
Hamilton College
A short narrative, written by the person other than yourself who has been most responsible for your academic life, describing the nature of your secondary-level education - Hamilton Admission, Home Schooled Applicants
Vanderbilt University
Homeschool students should use the appropriate sections of their chosen application platform to explain curricular, social, or philosophical circumstances concerning their academic preparedness. It is often helpful to the Admissions Committee to understand the reasoning behind the homeschool choice. - Vanderbilt, Homeschool Applicants
Explain your reasons clearly. Did you want more flexibility? Were you seeking a personalized education? Did you pursue unique learning opportunities that traditional schools don’t offer? These reasons help colleges understand your choice and see your commitment.
The School Profile lets you control the narrative.
You also can explain the grading scale and how your homeschool measures success.
This helps colleges understand how you earned your grades and what they mean.
The School Profile is more than just a document. It’s your chance to show colleges why homeschooling was the best choice for your children and how it shaped them into who they are today.
Include your student's name, your homeschool name (if you have one), and how colleges can contact you. It’s just the basic info to keep things professional.
Briefly explain when and why you chose to homeschool, focusing on the high school years, as colleges are most interested in that period. Even if you have a long history of homeschooling, colleges are most interested in how homeschooling shaped the student’s high school experience.
Example:
Homeschool History
We began homeschooling in 2020 in response to COVID-19 restrictions. Over time, we came to value the flexibility it offers, allowing Margaret to pursue her interests and explore subjects beyond the traditional high school curriculum.
Educational Approach and Philosophy
Describe your teaching style, such as Classical, Unit Studies, Project-Based Learning, or Interest-Led Learning. This helps colleges understand the structure, flexibility, and goals of your homeschool. Focus on how your approach influenced the student’s learning and development during high school.
Example:
Educational Approach and Philosophy
Our approach combines interest-led learning with academic structure, supporting both personal growth and academic rigor. Margaret thrives in social environments, so we made use of dual enrollment opportunities to expand her academic experience. She also completed several lab-based science courses at our local community college, as this provided access to facilities not available at home. These courses supported her interest in animal biology and health.
Beyond academics, we view real-world engagement as a vital part of learning. We've seen that when Margaret pursues what genuinely interests her, learning becomes more meaningful and builds lasting confidence.
Legitimacy
Mention the legal requirements you follow for homeschooling in your state. It shows that you're playing by the rules.
Examples:
California: California, registering as a private school with an annual affidavit submitted to the California Department of Education.
Texas: homeschooling under the private school exemption by teaching the required subjects: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.
Curriculum
Admissions officers want to understand how homeschoolers accessed extracurricular or academic resources and the rigor of your curriculum. Here are key points to include:
Science Labs: Describe where and how lab work was completed. This could be through virtual labs, co-op classes, dual enrollment at a community college, or home-based experiments.
Foreign Language: Explain how foreign languages were studied. This could include online courses, private tutors, immersion experiences, or self-study with structured programs.
Course Offerings and Limitations: Highlight what courses were available and any constraints faced. Examples:
• Limited access to in-person classes due to frequent travel or sports commitments, making asynchronous courses necessary.
• No access to AP exams or dual enrollment programs due to living abroad.
AP Courses: If AP courses were taken, mention whether they were officially approved by the College Board and how they were completed (e.g., through an online provider, self-study, or a homeschool co-op).
Education Provider and Parent Credentials
List all education providers involved in your homeschool program, whether accredited or not. If applicable, include parent credentials that add credibility to the educational experience.
List the community colleges and homeschool co-ops your student attends.
Example
• XYZ Community College, City, State
• STEM Enrichment Academy
Online Provider
List significant online providers
Example:
• Acellus Academy (accredited by WASC),
• Blue Tent Online
• Online G3 ( accredited by WASC),
• Art of Problem Solving
• Athena’s Advanced Academy ( accredited by Cognia)
Tutors & Mentors
If the student had subject-specific tutors or mentors, mention them briefly.
Example:
Spanish
Carlos Rodriguez, M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, University of Madrid. Mr. Rodriguez is a native Spanish speaker and has 10 years of experience tutoring students in advanced Spanish language and culture.
Mathematics
David Chen, Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Chen has been tutoring high school and college students in calculus and linear algebra for over 12 years.
Parent Credentials
Highlight any formal education or professional experience parents have that supports the homeschool curriculum.
Example:
• Jane Doe, B.A. in English, California State University, Sacramento
• John Doe has 15 years of experience as a software engineer and has taught computer science courses at the high school level.
Grading Scale
Explain the grading scale used in your homeschool, including how grades are calculated and what they mean. For example, if you use a standard 4.0 scale, specify the grade ranges.
Example:
A (90-100) = 4.0
B (80-89) = 3.0
C (70-79) = 2.0
D (60-69) = 1.0
F (0-59) = 0.0
Also, use this section to clarify anything the grading scale doesn’t cover—like how grades were evaluated, how different grading systems were handled, or any special cases.
You might include:
How grades were determined:
Explain the methods used—were students assessed through tests, essays, projects, discussions, or mastery-based learning?
Converting different grading systems:
Some courses may use percentages (like 85%) while others use letter grades (like B+).Explain how you unified these into your transcript's system.
Example: A college course with 88% was converted to a B+ on the 4.0 GPA scale.
Pass/Fail or non-graded courses:
Mention if any courses were marked as Pass/Fail or excluded from GPA.
Example: PE was marked as Pass/Fail and not calculated into GPA.
Mastery-based grading:
If you used a mastery approach—where students progressed only after showing full understanding—briefly describe how that worked.
Graduation Requirements
This section explains what your student needs to graduate. List the total number of credits and how they’re split among subjects like English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Electives. For example:
• 4 credits in English
• 4 credits in Math
• 3 credits in Science
• 3 credits in Social Studies
• 2 credits in a Foreign Language
• 1 credit in Physical Education
• 1 credit in Fine Arts or another elective
Say if you follow state rules or set your own. If your student did advanced courses, dual enrollment, or special electives, mention them. This helps colleges see what is needed to graduate from your homeschool.
Dos and Don'ts in the School Profile
Dos:
• Keep focus on high school age: Colleges care most about high school coursework and achievements.
• Keep it 1–2 pages: Be concise while covering key details.
• Maintain a positive tone: Focus on strengths like self-paced learning, interdisciplinary projects, or unique academic experiences.
• Be objective: Stick to facts and present information professionally.
• Use bullet points: Organize information clearly to make it easy for admissions officers to scan and understand.
• Balancing Pride with Objectivity: "Completed 12 college credits with a 3.8 GPA" rather than "Exceled in advanced coursework"
Don’ts:
• Avoid negativity: Keep the focus on what worked well in the homeschool experience.
• Don’t criticize traditional schools: Stay focused on the benefits of homeschooling without putting down other educational paths.
• Don’t overload with information: School profiles should be clear and easy to read, within 1–2 pages. Avoid including every activity or detail.
How to Make School Profile at freedu.us
Creating a school profile on freedu.us is quick and easy:
From the Homeroom screen, select School Profile in the student panel.
Enter your school profile information.
After entering the information, you can preview or download your school profile.
That’s it! You’ve created a clean, professional-looking school profile. Well done!
The Common App is where students apply to tons of colleges—but it’s not exactly designed with homeschoolers in mind. Uploading the school profile can be confusing, and many parents (a.k.a. counselors) get lost along the way.
Once you're logged into the counselor account, navigate to the "Profile" section in the menu.
In the Profile, click on School Profile
Upload your school profile document there
That’s it!
Mia Watanabe
Founder of Free Homeschool Transcript Maker.
Started homeschooling after my son came home from school in tears every day. Homeschooled for 10 years, learning as I went.
Built a free homeschool transcript service when I couldn’t find one.
Now helping over 100 families at https://freedu.us/
Founder of Free Homeschool Transcript Maker.
Started homeschooling after my son came home from school in tears every day. Homeschooled for 10 years, learning as I went.
Built a free homeschool transcript service when I couldn’t find one.
Now helping over 100 families at https://freedu.us/
