North Carolina Congressman Seeks Law to Prevent Colleges From Adding Extra Hurdles for Homeschooled Applicants

Rep. Mark Harris Introduces Homeschool Graduation Recognition Act

Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) has introduced the Homeschool Graduation Recognition Act, legislation intended to prevent colleges and universities from imposing additional documentation or testing requirements on students who graduated from accredited homeschool programs.

Harris told Fox News Digital that a combination of an outdated federal heading and unclear institutional policies has led some colleges to treat homeschooled applicants as if they are not high school graduates. "There are situations that, due to something in our U.S. code and some poorly worded statements, some of our homeschool young people find that when they've applied to college there are extra things that are placed on them, burdens that are placed on them, which we feel really is discriminatory," he said.

"We feel like that every student when they're homeschooled, just like any other student, if they meet the requirements of that college by taking — whether it's the SAT or the ACT — and submit their scores, fill out the application, write the necessary essays, there shouldn't be another layer added to them to take something to prove their education when indeed they've met those other requirements." — Rep. Mark Harris

Harris argues the issue stems partly from the Higher Education Act's organization. While the Act defines an institution of higher education as one that admits students with a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent, 20 U.S.C. 1091(d) contains a heading titled "Students Who Are Not High School Graduates." Harris says that heading has prompted some admissions offices to require extra proof—such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate—even when homeschooled applicants otherwise meet admissions criteria.

Example Cited: Molloy University

Harris cited Molloy University in New York, which, according to its admissions page, asks homeschooled applicants to either obtain a letter from local school district officials confirming their education is "substantially equivalent" to district standards or to take and pass the GED and receive a state-issued High School Equivalency Diploma. The school also requires official SAT or ACT scores for applicants within one year of high school graduation.

Harris said his bill would amend federal law to explicitly recognize homeschool graduates as high school graduates for the purposes of college admission, removing ambiguity that he says can lead to unequal treatment.

Universities Respond

Andrea Smiley, vice president of public relations at the University of Phoenix, told Fox News Digital that the university recognizes the strengths often found among homeschooled learners and that its admissions policy "establishes several ways applicants, including homeschooled students, can meet the high school completion requirement." She added the university is "actively exploring ways to refine our admission policies to best accommodate homeschool completers, while maintaining academic integrity and consistency across applicants."

Fox News Digital reached out to Molloy University for comment.

Implications and Next Steps

Supporters of the bill say it would protect homeschooled students from unnecessary, additional barriers in the admissions process. Critics may argue that colleges need flexibility to evaluate applicants consistently and protect academic standards. The legislation would need to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president before becoming law; for now it primarily serves to highlight and seek to clarify how federal law and institutional policies intersect when it comes to homeschooled applicants.

Bottom line: The Homeschool Graduation Recognition Act aims to clarify federal law so that legally homeschooled students are not treated as non-graduates and are not routinely required to obtain GEDs or other extra credentials when they meet standard admissions criteria such as SAT/ACT scores, transcripts or essays.