A friend called me the other day in a full-blown panic. Let’s call her Sarah. Her daughter, a brilliant homeschooled senior, was staring at the Common App essay prompts with the same blank look my son gives me when I ask him to clean his room.
“She’s convinced she has nothing to write about,” Sarah lamented. “All the examples are about leading the debate team or winning the big soccer game. Her classroom was our kitchen table. What’s she supposed to say? ‘That one time I aced a history lesson in my pajamas’?”
I let her vent because I get it. On days when my tire goes flat, I spill my coffee, and I feel like I’m failing at everything, it’s easy to forget my own strengths. It’s the same for our kids. They’ve been on such a unique path that they don’t always recognize their own growth.
After she took a breath, I told her what I’ll tell you: “Her homeschool experience isn’t a disadvantage. It’s her superpower.”
Here’s the thing: The best college essays (the ones that stand out to admissions officers) aren’t about what a student did. They’re about who they are.
And homeschooling, my friends, gives students a front-row seat to some of the richest, most essay-worthy material out there. The challenge? Helping them recognize it.
So where are those “superpower” stories hiding?
They’re everywhere — you just have to know where to look.
What about that “weird” curriculum?
Maybe your student didn’t follow a standard curriculum. Maybe they learned about the Civil War by visiting battlefields or studied marine biology by spending a summer volunteering at the local aquarium. Bring it on! That’s not a liability; that’s an entire essay. The story isn’t “I had a non-traditional curriculum.” The story is, “I stood in the actual forest where a novel was set, which taught me that learning isn’t confined to a textbook.” That shows intellectual curiosity. That’s compelling.
Think about that deep dive they did.
You know what I’m talking about. That six-month period where they were obsessed with coding a video game, or learning everything about the Byzantine Empire, or perfecting a new bread recipe. That’s not a quirky hobby; that’s a self-directed research project. The story is about the process: the frustration of a coding bug at 1 a.m., the thrill of finally getting it right, and what it taught them about persistence when there’s no teacher handing out a deadline.
Don’t forget the “real world.”
Colleges want to know who your student is beyond the transcript. What makes them tick? What makes them curious? What have they struggled with, and how have they responded?
Homeschoolers have a beautiful opportunity here because so many of their experiences blur the line between “school” and “life.” That’s not a drawback; it’s a gift. We just need to help our students translate those experiences into insight.
Our students’ real-world experiences are just as valid as those in a classroom. Did they work a part-time job? Manage the personal budget? Take care of younger siblings? Those aren’t just chores; they’re lessons in responsibility, empathy, and time management. An essay about mediating a fight between two siblings can be a much better story about conflict resolution than one about a student council meeting.
So, you have the story. Now what?
Once you find the topic, the hard part is getting it on paper. Here’s how I help my students start the essay process, especially the ones who say, “I don’t know what to write about” while staring at a blinking cursor.
- Have them make a list of stories, not achievements.
Not “I was co-leader of my youth group,” but “The day I accidentally locked the church doors during youth night and had to climb through a window.” It’s not about the role, it’s about what happened, how they reacted, and what it says about them. - It’s Not a Book Report. Don’t just describe what you did. Reflect on what it meant. You built a robot. So what? The real story is how you felt when it failed, what you learned from your mistake, and how that changed the way you approach problems. You have to answer the question, “Why does this story matter?”
- Show Them Who You Are. You don’t need to say, “I am resilient.” Tell the story about how your co-op’s community garden was destroyed by a storm and you organized the group to rebuild it. Let the admissions officer conclude that you’re resilient.
- Use Your Real Voice. My son wanted to eat marshmallows for breakfast the other day…and I let him. It was a moment of questionable parenting. But then I realized: I’m a great mom because my kids know I love them, and sometimes we can bend the rules for fun. Your student should write with that same honesty. Their unique path has given them a unique voice. They shouldn’t try to sound like some generic, perfect applicant. They should sound like themselves.
Let’s look at an example.
The “Before” Version: “My self-designed curriculum in marine biology allowed me to explore my passion for the ocean. I read many books and watched documentaries, which made me want to pursue a career in conservation.”
The “After” Version (with a real voice): “My high school transcript doesn’t list ‘Marine Biology 101.’ My textbook was a tide chart and my classroom was the murky shoreline of the bay. I spent my junior year hunched over tide pools, identifying invertebrates until my back ached. One afternoon, I found a cluster of sea stars, limp and dissolving from wasting disease. I felt a surge of helpless anger. That feeling, more than any documentary, is what pushed me from just liking the ocean to knowing I had to spend my life learning how to defend it.”
I checked in with Sarah a week later. Her daughter had started writing about her experience raising chickens and starting a small business selling eggs in her neighborhood. She was writing about profit and loss, the unpredictability of life (and hens), and the pride of creating something herself.
She found her story.
Your student’s journey is the most compelling story they have. They just need to tell it.
Need help finding your student’s story? That’s what I’m here for.
As an independent college counselor, I work with families to guide students through a process to help them write compelling essays. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just need a second set of eyes (and a little encouragement), reach out. I’d love to help.
Corey Ellis, M.S.
Founder and Lead Counselor
Quest College Planning
405.492.6145
corey@quest4college.com
questcollegeplanning.com
Corey Ellis started Quest College Planning to provide personalized, expert guidance to students navigating the college search. With experience in admissions and student affairs and training from Rice University, she helps students find schools that fit their strengths and goals, so they feel confident, informed, and excited about their college journey.
