Homeschooled Students

You already know that you are the best architect of your education. So why stop now?

Application Deadlines

First Year Student Admission Plan	Deadline	Notification
Regular Decision (spring)	November 1	December 1
Early Decision I (fall)	November 15	December 15
Early Decision II (fall)	January 1	February 1
Early Action (fall)	December 1	February 15
Regular Decision (fall)	January 15	April 1
Early Entrance (fall)	January 15	April 1

Required Application Materials

We do a holistic read of your application, meaning we look at everything. To apply, submit the following materials through the Common Application:

• Common Application
• Supplemental essay responses *
• Current transcript or portfolio detailing academic work
• Letter of recommendation from academic supervisor (college counselor)
• 2 letters of recommendation from a teacher or mentor

A model portfolio or transcript includes the following information:

• A brief description of learning activity or course taken
• The dates and amount of time spent on the activity
• Texts read and work produced related to the learning activity (i.e. papers, projects, etc.)
• A grade or narrative assessment of work and growth in that area

Most activities used as part of your transcript should have a grade or narrative evaluation of your work and progress. For activities not evaluated by a teacher or supervisor, we require your self-assessment of the nature of your work and how it contributed to your intellectual growth.
  

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Federal regulations require students to possess a high school diploma, or its equivalent, to be eligible for federal financial aid. Hampshire College follows the same policy with regard to institutional aid eligibility. The equivalents to a high school diploma are:

• A state certificate or transcript received by the student after the student passed a state-authorized examination (GED test, HiSET, TASC, or other state-authorized examination) that the state recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma. 
• If state law requires a home-schooled student to obtain a secondary school completion credential for home school (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent), a copy of that credential.
• If state law does not require a home-schooled student to obtain a secondary school completion credential for home school (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent), we need a copy of a transcript or the equivalent, signed by the student’s parent or guardian, that lists the secondary school courses the student completed and includes a statement that the student successfully completed a secondary school education in a home school setting.

Optional Application Materials

Some optional application materials can be submitted through the Common Application. You will also have the opportunity, after applying, to submit additional optional materials such as photos, videos, PDFs, Word documents, and music files through your online application portal with Hampshire College.

• Video/media supplement. This could be music, dance, film, animation, monologue, etc. (provide link)
• Project sample: Submit an example of your independent or collaborative project work. This project can be creative, scientific, or otherwise showcase the type of work you've done in high school. Provide a link if necessary.
• Additional letters of recommendation, up to three.

We also highly recommend interviewing with a counselor.

*Supplemental Essay Questions

We like to geek out here at Hampshire, and our essay questions give you a chance to do the same. So here's a sneak peek at the questions you'll find on the Common App. We can't wait to read what you come up with.

The following questions get at some of our core values: inquiry, interdisciplinarity, and growth. Choose one prompt from the list below and respond (500 words max):

1. Hampshire’s motto is “to know is not enough.” People interpret this motto in different ways. What does it mean to you?
2. Think about two or more topics that interest you. Tell us about some issues or questions related to these topics.
3. Describe a time when you received feedback, academic or otherwise, that changed your thinking or behavior for the better.

After Submitting Your Application

Once we process your application, we will send an acknowledgment letter that includes a username and password for you to check the completeness of your admissions file online. Hampshire College has entered the 21st century and now releases decisions online. To make sure that you receive your decision, we recommend not opting out of email communications.

FAQ

Still have questions? Check out our FAQ page, or contact us at admissions@hampshire.edu.

Common App Support

Prospective Applicants can get Common App online support through the Applicant Solution Center. From the Help Center, click the "Contact Support" tab to contact our support team.

Counselors/Recommenders with Common App questions or suggestions can contact them through the Recommender Solution Center.