What About College?

Village Home College Matriculation

American University

California Polytechnic State University (Cal-Poly)

Cambridge College (England)

Clark Honors College, University of Oregon

Colorado School of Mines

Cornell University

Georgetown University

Georgia Tech University

Harvard University

Humboldt State University

Lewis and Clark College

Linfield College

London School of Economics (graduate school)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Montana State University

Northeastern University (Boston)

NYU – Tisch School of the Arts

Oregon Institute of Technology

Oregon State University

Oxford College

Pacific Lutheran University

Pacific University

Portland State University

Stanford University

Reed College

Royal Holloway, University of London

University of California, Berkeley

University of Colorado, Boulder

University of Oregon

University of Puget Sound

University of Redlands

University of Washington

Willamette University

Village Home learners successfully enter college in a variety of ways.

1. 1. Apply as homeschoolers. In this case, students apply as non-traditional students without an accredited diploma.
      Some continue homeschooling through high school, and apply to college as a non-traditional applicant without a diploma (universities give clear instructions on how to apply as a homeschooler — check the universities you are interested in early in high school). Most universities require two years of foreign language, an SAT or ACT, and one or two SAT or AP subject tests for homeschool applicants. In addition, universities want to see a “portfolio” of work samples, and a record of work completed.  Most universities also want to see classes taken, including Village Home classes, so that it is demonstrated that the applicant has experience learning in a classroom setting.

1. 1. Complete an Early College program, and apply as a freshman with a high school diploma. 
      Many VH learners attend publicly-funded dual-credit “early college” charter school programs and earn their high school diplomas while also earning college credit. Most VH learners start dual-credit programs when they are 16 (they are expected to place into Math 60 and Writing 121 at community college) to participate in most Early College Programs. Successful completion of Village Home’s math sequence from Pre-algebra through Algebra II prepares students to place at or above Math 60, and successful completion of Intermediate and High School Writing prepares students to place in Writing 121.  We recommend that learners transition to PCC while still remaining involved in their Village Home community.  There is time in a high school learner’s schedule at PCC to take a full-load at PCC while also being a part of classes and activities at Village Home.

1. Apply as a transfer student, with or without an Associate’s Degree.
   Some VH students take enough classes at community college to earn an associate’s degree (whether they earn the degree officially or not), and then apply to college as a transfer student.  Students applying as transfers generally do not have to submit an SAT or ACT test. Note, however, that there is less merit-based aid available to transfer students as compared with freshmen applicants.

More and more frequently, VH learners are opting to by-pass or delay college. Often, their passions lead them directly to a career path, or, they opt to take a “gap year” to explore the world and define their interests before plunging into the financial and academic commitment of college.

Choosing a path to a job or career is a very individual journey and process. Each person’s goal will vary, and every person’s path will be different.

A Sampling of Village Home Alumni Bios

Ben Dominguez

Ben was involved at Village for four years, in Choices, classes and Destination Imagination. An avid filmmaker, he wove film production into learning whenever possible, and even got to help film Class Dismissed. He volunteered at OMSI, studied digital music production, math and Spanish, and kept making his videos. Through Village he got involved with Revolution Parkour and became their official videographer.

Ben’s first professional album is released under the name Oregonmi. He’s been hired as Media Meister for LearnTech Labs in the Bay Area. He’s responsible for all media; video, photography and much of the company’s internet presence. Ben has worked several years as a TA with Digital Media Academy in filmmaking, special effects, electronic music production, and robotics.

Learning outside the classroom has allowed Ben to develop his ideal mix of mentors and experiences.  At Village, Ben felt great happiness and encouragement to be fully himself. He maintains a love of learning and insatiable curiosity that lead him daily to new explorations, deeper levels of understanding in all he pursues, and unbounded opportunity.

The Fitzgerald Girls

Tayt Fitzgerald attended Village Home for 7 years and especially loved martial arts, robotics, and art classes.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Portland State University at the age of 19, majoring in English.  She is attending Lewis and Clark Law school with an emphasis in animal and environmental law.

Younger sister Tesca also attended Village Home for 7 years and really liked robotics, foreign language, and martial arts. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Portland State University – alongside her sister – at the age of 16, and majored in computer science. She received a fully funded offer to attend Georgia Tech as a Ph.D. candidate to study artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics. Watch the link below to see the work Tesca Fitzgerald is doing:

The youngest Fitzgerald, Tylise, attended Village Home for 8 years.  Her passions were art, science, and robotics. After competing in robotics for 8 years as a robot designer, she started college is studying mechanical engineering.

Zach Meskell

Zach Meskell attended Village Home for 4 years, and participated in Mock Trial, Destination Imagination, and the Drama program, alongside numerous community and volunteer activities. He has since graduated from Pacific University, Summa Cum Laude, at the age of 18, and is now working in Boston as a paralegal to prepare for law school, while he also continues to perform in improvisational theater.  When possible, he reconnects with his friends & teammates from his VH days.

David Thomas

After leaving elementary school, David Thomas attended Village Home for 6 years through his middle and high school years. Village Home provided the whole family with a wonderful community, and interesting and varied classes taught by passionate teachers. David most enjoyed the experience and camaraderie of being on robotics and Destination Imagination teams throughout his time at Village Home. At 16 he began to transition from Village Home classes to taking classes at Portland Community College. He took all his core freshman courses at PCC and was able to transfer as a sophomore to Portland State University to study Computer Engineering. His passion is music–playing guitar, bass, keyboards, and any other instrument that strikes his fancy–and he plays in a band that performs shows around Portland.

Claren Walker

Claren Walker grew up at Village Home. Although her mom, the founder of Village Home, originally had great ideas for schooling her at home, she ended up getting all of her education at Village Home. Without any homework, and with all of the freedom she experienced in Village Home classes, she wondered if she was “learning everything”, but apparently she should not have worried. With the foundation she got in Village Home classes, Claren started augmenting her Village Home classes with Portland Community College classes when she was 16. Even though she had never been in an environment with grade accountability, she earned a 4.0 in her PCC college-level classes, as well as an excellent score on her SAT.  Claren remained active in the Village Home community as a member of  the Village Home state-championship Mock Trial team, a member of the Model United Nations group, and continued her involvement in the VH drama program while taking calsses at PCC.  At age 18, Claren entered the University of Oregon honors program on a full-ride, Presidential scholarship.

Ben Wood

Ben started attending Village Home at age 8 and completed his time there at age 18. During his time at Village Home he was a Student Representative on the Board of Directors, an Ambassador for the Model United Nations Team, and a Captain of the Mock Trial Team. Ben has stayed involved with the Village Home community; he has worked as an assistant coach for the Mock Trial team, which won the Oregon State Championship and competed at the national championship in Raleigh, NC. Ben also has been attending Portland Community College, where he hopes to finish all prerequisites before transferring to a 4 year university. Additionally, he has been working and saving his money for travel to Europe and possibly South America. Ben Wood enjoyed his time at Village Home tremendously as it gave him opportunities he wouldn’t have had in a traditional homeschool environment, and, more importantly, it allowed him to meet some of his closest friends whom he still sees today.