Unschoolery

Can (and Should) Unschoolers Go to College?

By Leo Babauta

The question of college is one of the top 3 questions people ask when they first hear about unschooling (including me):

Well, more on math soon, but today let's talk about college.

I'd actually like to answer two questions today: can they go to college, and should they go to college?

  1. How do they learn to socialize? (Here's how.)
  2. How do they learn math?
  3. Can they go to college?

Let's start with Can.

Can Unschoolers Go To College?

Yes! OK, next question.

What? You want more info on this question first? OK, brainy, let's dive in.

First of all, lots of homeschoolers of all kinds, and definitely plenty of unschoolers, have already gone to college. So yes, it's absolutely possible.

Colleges are increasingly aware of homeschoolers, and how awesome they often are, and many colleges actually seek out and welcome homeschoolers.

There's a great book that I highly recommend if you're seriously interested in this question: College Without High School: A Teenager's Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College. This book will answer all your questions.

But I'll answer what I know here:

  • The SAT: Pretty much everyone should take either the SAT or the ACT, as far as I know. It's not hard to find study programs for these. I recommend taking at least a few practice tests, on paper and online
  • Letters of recommendation and personal essay: Always a good idea. Parents can write letters of recommendation, but it would be much, much better coming from a mentor, someone the student worked with, a volunteer organization, a coach, etc.
  • Transcript: Unschoolers don't really have a transcript. You can compile a portfolio of things you've studied and worked on, but having tangible things to show is important. Incredible projects you've worked on, web apps you've created, a band you played with, websites you've written, are all good. Justin is taking online college courses. And you can take extra SAT subject tests to show proficiency in subjects. Other people go to community college to get a transcript. There are lots of ways to do it. Many methods have worked for many people.
  • Research: Do a bunch of research on the colleges you want to go to, and read accounts of homeschoolers that have gotten into those colleges. There are plenty online. You might consider visiting the colleges and talking to the admissions officers to get an idea of what might work best.

Justin is planning on applying for college at the end of this school year, so he's doing SAT prep, online college courses, and some personal projects (3D animation, writing and programming) to get ready. He might do more (volunteering, maybe a job) but that's a good start.

Should Unschoolers Go to College?

I find this a fascinating question, because it's so similar to the question of whether kids should go to school. If high school is unnecessary (as we believe as unschoolers), why shouldn't college be unnecessary too?

My belief is that college is not necessary for many people these days. That wasn't as true when I was a kid (30 years ago), but the world has changed drastically. Now many incredible jobs and businesses can be had without a college degree. In fact, I'd argue that real-world experience is far, far more important than a degree, and a degree is too expensive compared to the benefits for many people.

For example:

  • My business (blogging, writing books, creating online courses, etc.) doesn't require a degree at all. I have a degree and don't need it. The best things I learned all came from jobs and personal experiments.
  • Programmers can learn their skills online. Computer science degrees are nice, from what I understand, but not necessary.
  • You can learn 3D animation online. Or website design. Or UI design.
  • Starting your own business doesn't require an MBA. In fact, I know people with an MBA who say their degrees are almost worthless.
  • My cousin is a chef, and he said his culinary school degree isn't necessary, and in fact was incredibly expensive. He advises my daughter to not go to culinary school, but to get real-world experience instead.
  • Artists, photographers, writers, musicians, videographers, etc. don't need a degree.

Of course, if you want to be a doctor or lawyer or nurse, you do need a college degree. So it all depends on what you want to do.

And there are real benefits to college: you do learn a lot in college, and you take some time to figure out who you are and what you're interested in, and you make friends and develop a network that can last a lifetime.

However.

First of all, the real reason many kids go to college isn't because it's necessary, but because it's the safe thing to do. They are afraid to go into the real world, so college becomes an easy thing to do before they have to get a job. I think this is wrong, because you're just (kind of) wasting four years, and if you started with a job or creating your own thing or starting a business as an 18-year-old (or even a 16-year-old), you'll be much better off than if you'd waited four years. I also think it's wrong to spend $100K (or whatever the degrees cost these days) when you're just afraid of taking the road less traveled.

Second, while it's true that college provides some benefits like a network of friends and time to figure out who you are, I think there are ways to figure out how to do this without college. In college, this stuff is provided to you, handed on a platter, and you don't need to figure things out. But figuring things out for yourself is really valuable.

So what could you do instead? How about:

  1. If your parents are willing to pay for college, what if they paid you the same amount (or less) to start your own business or create your own thing? This would be a better learning experience than partying for four years in college. Parents often pay for room and board, along with tuition. What if they paid for your room and board outside of college, and some money to start a business?
  2. Start a business. Even if you go to college, you should do this. Or at least start creating something you love. Write a screenplay. Start a Youtube comedy channel. Write a book or blog. Create some websites or programs. Start as soon as you can, and teach yourself what you need to know. These days, there's no excuse, because it's all online.
  3. Make friends. Making friends in college is really valuable, but you can make them online, and meet them in person, and work on things together. Find a cofounder. Do a project together. Travel and meet people.
  4. Do interesting things. Learn. Share it with people. Sell something. Find yourself in the process.
This entire thing could cost way less than college, be way more valuable, and make you more employable in less time than someone who comes out of college with a degree and little to no experience.
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I'm in the college-is-definitely-not-necessary camp. I've gone the unschooling route professionally several times in my life - went out and found mentors, workshops, books, etc., to learn to do something, and then got paid to do it. I'm currently involved in an experiment to see if having a residential learning community of self-directed learners is an effective substitute for college - or for just trying to do it on your own.

Home education can get us a long way - but I think even unschoolers (of which I was basically one - a student, that is) can acknowledge that drawing on experts in an area can expand our knowledge much more effectively and efficiently than trying to figure everything out for ourselves. Standing on the shoulders of giants, so to speak. University provides one excellent way of doing this. No it's not NECESSARY, but a good university education can help us to be rigorous, well-rounded thinkers who have been exposed to ideas and topics that we might well have not come across were we to have studied by ourselves without guidance.

I was unschooled for most of my education before college -- I'm currently taking some time off to work on my art but I would be a senior at Washington University in Saint Louis this year. Socialization was never a problem for me, but I didn't learn any math, ever, and that has been difficult here at school.

I am a former "eclectic homeschooler". It's complicated, but I was essentially unschooled until grade 10, the start of highschool here, and then chose to attend a brick-and-mortar school part-time for 2 years. Then for grade 12 I chose to take a few teacher-directed online courses for credit. However, I did NOT graduate from highschool...

With that background, you should also know that I just graduated from a BA in Environmental Studies with distinction, and have received a prestigious national scholarship to begin my Master's studies. So, I can back up Leo's statement that YES, unschoolers can go to University, even without a highschool diploma! (here in Canada, college is a 'lesser' path and usually only grants certificates and diplomas. University is the degree-granting path). I disagree with Leo about taking the SATs - you don't need to take a single standardized test to enter university, although perhaps that isn't true in the U.S. Of course, you can take your GED and get the equivalent of a highschool diploma if you decide that's important - especially if you want to go to trade schools, which usually won't take somebody with no highschool marks. However, other options include taking a few online university courses and using those as a way to enter a larger in-person institution; waiting until you're 21 and entering as a mature student (when highschool marks stop mattering anyway); or attending a small/liberal arts institution that can handle special cases one on one. In Canada, homeschoolers are still not particularly recognized or recruited by most universities, but a few are starting to pay attention: look for those!I didn't go because I thought I had to: I went because I WANTED to. I love learning, and I've loved university. I'm currently on the path towards becoming an environmental studies professor or otherwise academic or researcher. So for my career parth, university is necessary. I also found that beyond the "job training" aspect that university provided, it also helped me to broaden my mind and learn fascinating things that I wouldn't otherwise have gotten around to. This only worked because I was brought up to be curious and analytical and to love learning - imho, the most important goals of unschooling. There is a distinct benefit to gaining some expert instruction. I see my university education as an extension of my home education - chosen by me, directed by me,and completed with strong internal intrinsic motivation.
Is university "necessary"? No. Is it highly valuable for those who want to be there and are capable of handling the academic challenge? Absolutely.

I think you need to add engineering to the list of professions that going to college would most likely help. Hiring a self-taught engineer is fairly risky, in that unless you do a really extensive interview, it's hard to determine where the holes in someone's education/knowledge would be vs. checking a transcript. When my company was *much* smaller, I interviewed and hired someone who taught himself programming, and was able to mentor him enough that he became a good programmer and a good employee. It was a risk, but it did pay off. The only reason I interviewed him was because I knew his fiancé, knew they were expecting a baby, and that he really needed a job. Without that, had he just sent in a response to an ad for a software engineer, I wouldn't have bothered to interview him. Realistically, I have a limited amount of time and energy to interview prospective engineers. Someone that has no experience and no college degree will not get an interview without some strong personal connection. I meet people who profess to want to be software engineers, and have even taken a course or 2. But they simply don't have the depth or range of knowledge I need. Besides knowledge, someone who has obtained an engineering degree shows me that they can master a hard discipline, and learn a variety of subjects (in engineering) that are difficult, and require a long term commitment to study. A self taught person can't demonstrate that, at least not easily, nor quickly. It's hard enough to weed through resumes looking for a subset to interview. Of course there are many exceptions, but a majority of home schooled children were home schooled because the parents objected to some aspect of public school, normally related to religious beliefs. I really don't need to interview engineers that believe the earth is 6000 years old due to their parents religious beliefs.

All valid points, i agree with you and I'm an unschooler :) Only someone experienced in the profession would understand the importance of a degree in certain fields.

I did not come to this path easily, being public schooled myself. It did not help matters that i also wanted to be an English teacher and I'm a bit OCD about structure, organization, academics...etc but my children love to read and learn like me, thank God. They showed me this was the best path for them to secure their self-esteem, curiosity, imagination, motivation, values and future. All but one has tried public and charter schools. Two of my 3 children will likely attend college. My oldest already has taken a few semesters, currently working and on her own. I have encouraged my children to become whatever they want academically/career wise, as long as they are thoughtful, kind and see themselves as part of humanity. I will not deny i've suggested engineering to two of my kids :-P I believe also trades are a legitimate course.

Doctor's attend school for 12 years and work crazy hours, i wouldn't want that for my kids. However, there is more to a medical degree like the field of research. If any of my kids were passionate about getting a medical degree, i would support them.In the US, college is terribly expensive and many go into debt for years. They frequently cannot get a job with their degree. When they find employment, their checks are garnished.

The school system and health care system here is all about profit; it's an injustice to every citizen and every immigrant wanting a better life and education for their children.The reason i mention this is because of the above paragraphs, people would assume, oh i must have money to be so supportive of my kids attending college up to 12 years. No, they qualify for grants because we are low income. However, the middle class receives little to no help and many students who don't qualify for scholarships must work through college or take out loans with interest up to tens of thousands of dollars.Everyone thinks America is a land of opportunity when the fact is, European Countries and some Mid East nations are far beyond us in support of free/low cost college education. Some countries even pay students a stipend while they attend university. I tell you, they don't tell us Americans that in school!

Just so you know, not every religious person believes the world is 6000 years old. Not every religious person sees conflict between science (which is, at its best, a search for truth) and religion (which is, at its best, a search for truth).

Good points, though I do know people who taught themselves to program and started their own software companies and are excellent. So it's not always necessary to apply for a job to work in the field. I also know some people who got a lot of great experience contributing to open-source software projects, so much so that they got hired on the basis of their contributions. The world of programming is pretty wide open, and while not everyone is going to be great if they're self-taught, lots of people are capable of teaching themselves very well.

As for the topic of religious homeschooling, there's a rapidly growing number of families that are homeschooling/unschooling for non-religious beliefs -- they want to be more involved in their kids' education, they want to allow the kids to be more self-directed, they want to have more freedom in schedules and travel and learning topics, etc. So while traditionally most homeschoolers were religious homeschoolers, that's not necessarily the case anymore.

Highly recommended reading from back in the early 1970s, and both books still totally relevant today; Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich, and Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire. Must reads.

This is fantastic! Welcome to SETT, Leo! So happy to see you a part of the community!

OK, I have a bunch of questions that hopefully you'll address in upcoming posts:

The idea of unschooling is fantastic, but what if you don't have the resources (money for online classes, a great library, your own books, microscopes, etc.) to follow your children's interests? What materials do you have? How might this work in a small space or in different parts of the world for people who move a lot?

-I worry that unschooling and homeschooling in general allows parents too much influence imparting their worldview on their kids without exposing them to others' opinions like they get in school from a teacher or other kids. This is especially true of those who homeschool for religious reasons. My impression is that they are very sheltered and not exposed to much diversity.

-Unschooling basically requires one parent to be at home all day investing their lives to teaching their children. I'd love to hear about what this requires of the parent. What does your typical day look like if you are the one unschooling them while they are home? Or is it your wife, or do you share?

-As a parent who is much happier with structure and introverted, unschooling, although a fantastic idea for my children, might not be a good fit for me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how parents' personalities can shape what unschooling looks like.

-Do you have a portfolio or track what you've "done"?

-I feel as though by unschooling you are limiting your children's opportunities to become a doctor, nurse, lawyer, etc., before they have a chance to know whether that is something they'd like to do. While I see a lot of benefits to unschooling, the reality of others' views and requirements and the need for money at the end of the day makes me doubt unschooling's application.

I love the blog and look forward to learning more! I have a 2 year old at this point and am very curious about alternatives to traditional schooling.

Hi! I'm a former home educated student who dropped out of highschool, and went on to graduate with distinction from a BA program and am funded by a national scholarship to do my Master's. I wanted to help address your questions/concerns as best as I can. Obviously I'm just one person with one person's experiences!

First, you say you're concerned about unschooling limiting opportunities to be a doctor or lawyer: I would argue that you don't need to worry! Almost every single job, whether it be pipefitter or lawyer, requires post-secondary education, which comes after unschooling ends. I shared a post explaining my path - and my other potential paths - into post-secondary. Once you do a single year of university, nobody cares about your highschool marks anymore. If a student is academically weak, they may need more support to transition into university - but then, that student isn't going to become a doctor or lawyer anyway.In regards to worldview: an understandable concern. I don't think being sheltered is a result of being unschooled, however. I know MANY homeschoolers/unschoolers who have been exposed to more diversity and ideas than their schooled peers due to opportunities to travel and the like. There are systems in place to ensure that students are getting a good education, whether in or out of school. Parents can shelter their children by sending them to various private schools as well! Public schools don't necessarily expose children to a wide swath of people - I have several friends who grew up in small, homogenous towns who received an education arguably less broad than my own in terms of exposure to worldview. Unschooling may give parents a lot of control over what worldview their children are taught; but isn't that a parents' job? In school, teachers (who sometimes have no more training than parents do in regards to understanding and communicating their worldview, as much of teacher-training is centered around fact-communication) are the ones communicating worldview. Since there is no "view from nowhere", I think that the concern about being sheltered is valid yet moderated by other factors.Re: resources. Unschooling is GREAT for people who move a lot! Moving itself is an education, particularly if it's to very different locations. Libraries are WONDERFUL resources and can provide all the books you could need, and usually offer programming for free as well. The internet is another great resource,and is chock-fulll of free worksheets, videos, and informational sites geared towards all ages. Also, the government (at leastin Canada) provides a small level of funding so that children can have access to similar resources as they would in school - it pays for things like school books, swimming lessons, school supplies,and the like. Particularly if you're not home educating using curriculum, it can be done very cheaply! Living in community helps. Often a local community league, YMCA, church, and the like will offer free classes ranging from gymnastics to celtic knot drawing. The local boys' and girls' club, Young Life, or Fusion ministry might offer activities for free or cheap as well (I know a lot of my examples are religious, but that's just my experience; I'm sure there are secular activities too). City halls also often offer free activities or free access days to leisure centers. Beyond that though, my experience is that the best part of unschooling is discovering that LIFE is learning! I leraned percentages and unit values at the grocery store; I learned budgeting by getting an allowance monthly to buy my own clothing; I learned about animals and plants by walking and playing in the river valley; I learned a second language and family history by talking with grandparents; I learned SO much from reading books; I learned theology and values and morals from going to church; I learned how to articulate my thoughts at dinner table discussions with my parents. There are learning opportunities in every moment - from identifying the leaf you find on your walk, to discussing issues of gender and race when you meet an unusual person on the street, to volunteering at various events.My Dad is an introvert, and he's the one who stayed home with me to teach me. I think a parents' personality, and how it interacts with that of their children, has a HUGE impact on how home education/unschooling is done! You don't have to have zero structure in order to home educate well - if you're concerned about completely destructuring, I would recommend you look into Classical homeschooling, Eclectic Homeschooling, the Waldorf Method, the Charlotte mason Method,and Thomas Jefferson/Leadership education. Lots of things to research for you - but it's good to know what a range of methods are out there! You have to do what you and your family are comfortable with, or it won't work and you'll all just get grumpy with each other. It's also important to remember that home educaiton isn't for everybody. I would recommend giving it a try first though, before you decide it isn't for you - if you have the resources to do so, that is! The great thing about unschooling and home education is that it aids in having a slower pace of life, in simplicity. You might have a bunch of activities outside the house, but usually kids have those ON TOP OF school, making for a very busy family life! In my opinion, home education is actually better for introverted parents, because it allows for a more relaxed and spread-out interaction with your children (ideally), as well as reducing stress and difficult transition times during the day and the year.Good luck with your learning and seeking!

I'm an accountant, and I have a lot of tradespeople among my client base, as well as some 'professionals' (would you want an unprofessional pipe-fitter?). It's my experience that *most* of the tradespeople earn more than *most* of the 'professionals', myself included.

So my question is, why the bias against the trades? It's also worth picking up a copy of Crawford's 'Shop Class is Soul Craft' (US Title). Food for thought....

Hi David,

I actually wasn't trying to be biased against trades; sorry if I came across that way! When it comes to income-earning potential, I completely agree that trades are usually the way to go. I was, however, brought up on the idea that a plumber who knows Shakespeare is a better plumber - obviously not because it teaches him or her more about pipes, but because it broadens their mind. Now, one doesn't need university to get a good liberal arts education, but often it's a good facilitator.It's also possible to get into trades after being unschooled, using several of the routes described in my post and inthe article.Does that clear things up a bit?

Hi there.....I'm not sure that a knowledge of Shakespeare would make a better plumber, but it would certainly make a better *person*! in the UK all universities accept mature (over 25) students with or without the academic requirements they have for 18-year-olds, provided the applicant can demonstrate they are up to the demands of the course. I've been the beneficiary of this system myself.

If I could legislate one thing (and clearly this isn't possible), it would be that students should only be allowed to study subjects which 'make their hearts sing', because honestly, just don't believe that all those kids (and others) signing up right now for international Law with Marketing are doing it for any reason other than societal or consumerist pressure, period.

I'm a huge proponent of young people (and all people) starting businesses, because ultimately self-employment or Company Directorship is the means whereby we escape wage-slavery. So Lawyer or Plumber isn't necessary the issue. Your comments are great and raise an important and fundamental point....what is the point of education? Is it to get a decent job (trade, profession or otherwise)? or is there more to it?

Hi David. Of course there is a great deal more to education than simply gaining skills to procure employment. While that might be one component of a good education, I would argue that we should all be exposed to and discover much more. Unschooling is perfect for that, since it allows great freedom to explore the world. Shakespeare was certainly part of our home school! By reading, watching (videos and live productions), making costumes for, and acting out some of his plays, not only did my daughters become Shakespeare lovers, but I enjoyed and learned far more than I ever had in school! I can't say I enjoyed (or understood) Shakespeare in school, but by exploring his works without the worry of class assignments, testing, and all the rigmarole that school required (so that the teacher could give me a grade), I came to enjoy and understand much more.

When every subject is studied for a grade, or units/credits, or to check it off some list of "required courses," it is all too easy to fall into a mindset that places all knowledge on a "to do" list. It's just another chore to complete! So many kids in school seem to feel that way, taking their required classes just so they can eventually graduate and "start life." So your important point about wage-slavery applies to mind-slavery as well. Unschooling leads to self-direction and self-education, which are as valuable as self-employment.

I couldn't agree more - in fact you've gone where i was too cautious to go and expanded my 'issue' with schooling. Over here our Government 'helpfully' publishes league table of schools based solely on exam results and almost continuous testing of pupils (this is all new since i faced the issues in the 1980s). The result is that all schools now concentrate solely on exam results and test scores, to the exclusion of all else. Many schools will even 'forget' to enter pupils for exams in which they are unlikely to score highly, because a non-entry doesn't count in the scores (which are on a percentage basis), whereas a poor score does! of course, all schools will deny this, but any fairly intelligent parent who has had an academically less able pupil (as have I) knows it to be the case. From my survey of the landscape, some pupils do well in school, some do not. For the latter, home schooling/unschooling is definitely not the 'second choice' of way forward, and I would personally encourage anyone thinking about unschooling to have the courage of their convictions.

We've got similar "mature student" regulations in Canadian universities, where when you're 21 you can enter without a highschool diploma.

I do think that while we need to be encouraged to study those things that ignite our passions, there needs to be at least some level of mentorship so that we have a basic grasp of the world...I really think everybody needs to be able to read and write; to think critically; to make an argument; to understand and be able to articulate their worldview. Hopefully all forms of education contain the possibility of shaping us towards that!But yes, I think the biggest question at stake here is what the purpose of education is. The answer to that question will answer many other questions like how to do education well.

You're right, of course, Writergirl. Obviously reading, writing, comprehension, critical thinking, analysis, communication, etc. are necessary for self-education to continue. It's just that traditional school is certainly not the only place to gain the skills and knowledge that everyone needs; for some, it may not be the best place.

Start writing your reply here...

Great great questions! I really appreciate these. I'll definitely do my best to address them, but to be honest I don't have all the answers. :)

I do encourage you to look more into this, and I'll be providing a post with some great resources for learning more.

Thank you!

Hi Leo. I love John Holt too! I first read "How Children Fail" when I was working on my teaching credential in the early 80s, and decided I didn't want to send my own future kids to school. This totally changed my life's direction.

I unschooled my kids from birth through age 16, and then both went to the local community college. Because they were 16, they didn't need to take the high school leaving exam that California high schools require. They didn't need a transcript, a diploma, SATs, or anything else to sign up for classes. They each had to take an online placement test, and tested into English 1A and college algebra. They started out taking only one class at a time, since the classroom experience was new to them, and then in their second semester became full time students. I wanted them to get at least an Associate's degree just so they would have some formal piece of paper declaring their knowledge and intelligence. They chose their own educational/career paths.

My older daughter earned an Associate's degree in early childhood education, transferred to a state university (they didn't care about high school and SATs since she had the Associate's degree), and finished a Bachelor's degree in English. She's now working on her Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). All degrees were earned with highest honors. In the meantime she's also written a novel and met and married her husband. She's now 24.

My younger daughter, who is 20, has earned two Associate's degrees, one in Mathematics and one in Health Sciences. She's currently working toward her Bachelor's degree in nursing, having transferred to a state university. All degrees were earned with highest honors. She earns extra money as a calculus tutor, and writes RP with online friends from around the world.

My girls learned to read by being read to and became dedicated bookworms! They wouldn't have had time to read and learn all they did if they had been in school. Four years of high school would have been a complete waste of time, and would have kept them from pursuing the many hobbies they had, including lots of different forms of art, music, writing, making up their own language ala Tolkien, knitting hats and scarves to sell, etc. Thank God we learned to live a simple life on my husband's salary only, which has been a bonus to the unschooling lifestyle.

Your readers might be interested in information from the HomeSchool Association of California (www.hsc.org), a non-profit, non-political, non-religious, respecting-the-diversity-of-homeschoolers group that we belonged to from the early 1990s to 2006. Their annual convention is so inspirational! They have an unschooling symposium coming up in October.

Sorry this is so long, but I was so excited to see you sharing info about unschooling! Keep up your good work. I really appreciate what you do on Zen Habits -- you've helped and inspired me to change in so many ways. I know it is your goal to make people's lives better, and you are accomplishing that. Best wishes to you and your family.

Leo, nice blog! We're unschooling too, and since my husband and I are both freelance writers, our schedule is wonderfully open. I look forward to learning more about how you're making it work!

~Linda @ The Renegade Writer

I am an unschooler who went to Stanford and then got a master's and now am self-employed teaching writing to homeschoolers, and I can say that everything stupid about high school was less stupid about college, and even less stupid about grad school, and being a self-motivated learner is more and more rewarded the farther in you get. I think self-motivation is the key to all of it, but that college is really worthwhile if you're excited and ready to be there.

I also watch my boyfriend, who was a public high schooler who burned out of school his freshman year of college, spent a decade as a bike mechanic and now wants a family wage job, struggle with feeling confident or hirable without a college degree. He doesn't need college for skills, but he might for confidence, and that's a valid reason to go too.

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Unschoolers Learn the Same Way Adults Learn

By Leo Babauta

Whenever I have a question about unschooling -- motivation, how kids learn, how to learn math, etc. ... I ask myself one simple question:

How would I learn this or deal with this, as an adult?

Because the simple truth about unschooling is that it's no different from how adults live and learn, in the real world.

Let's take some examples, of school vs. adults vs. unschooling:

Second Semester Senior, Baby!

On Imported Blog

The second semester. It's what every single high school senior awaits. It's one of the most well-known phenomenons of high school students all over the States. Students, teachers, and parents all take for granted that the second semester of senior year is supposed to the most stress-free time of students' lives.

The whole logic is that colleges only have grades, extracurricular activities, and whatnot for three and a half years of high school. That last half, the second semester of senior year, is completely irrelevant to college admissions. Sure universities can withdraw their offer if you experienced a horrid second semester, but it's almost unheard of.

As a current second semester senior, I am surrounded by this mentality. People complain about getting work because "it doesn't matter" anymore. I've admittedly most likely thought the same thing at least once. But the more I think about this whole concept of the "second semester senior," the more I hate it.

In short, it is implying that the only purpose of high school is to get into college. Every thing you do in high school, whether it be grades or sports or whatever, is to gain admission into a college. In the end, that is all that matters. College is viewed as an end goal to high school students, not a place along a journey.

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