There is no one way to home-school. For some, home schooling through a charter school legitimizes the decision and offers an instant support group of other families. Other parents hire private tutors or enroll their children in courses at community colleges. But many home-school families simply learn as they go along, with the Web as a resource and the kitchen sink as a chemistry lab. One year we were really hot for Egyptian history.
Many parents view college as a test of whether home schooling has been successful.
Academically, home-schooled children often perform well, although critics say the wealth and education level of their parents contributes to their success more than home schooling itself. Stanford University admitted four home-schooled students this fall out of 15 who applied, despite the daunting process of doing so without a high school transcript, diploma or recommendations from teachers. Los Altos parent Lucy Carter owns a computer consulting firm, which allows her husband, Gerald, to home-school their two boys. Though his sons are only 8 and 9, Gerald Carter says they have already discussed college.