Do you want to hit the road with your family? If you have school-aged children, you’re probably wondering about educational alternatives you can take with you wherever you go. And if your children are homeschooled while traveling, will they be prepared for college?
Below we discuss the legality of homeschooling your children while traveling, the effectiveness of this lifestyle, and how well traveling homeschoolers do in college.
Let’s begin!
What Are Traveling Homeschoolers?
Traveling homeschoolers, also known as “road-schoolers,” are families who take learning on the road. Usually, traveling in an RV, van, or some kind of home on wheels gives homeschooling a new, exciting twist.
By incorporating fun destinations with a curriculum, children can have hands-on, real-life experiences as they learn about history, biology, math, and more.
Is It Legal to Homeschool Your Children While Traveling?
Homeschooling laws are different in every state. Because of this, it’s essential to establish a place of residence and base your homeschooling off of the rules in that state. If you already own property and are familiar with the homeschooling laws in that specific state, you’re already halfway there.
However, if you’re currently searching for a home base, you have a unique opportunity! You can explore the different homeschooling laws throughout the country and choose the most friendly state to your child’s learning wants and needs.
Is Travel Schooling an Effective Way to Learn?
Like anything, the answer to this question will differ depending on who you ask. However, the overall consensus is: Yes!
You know that feeling when you start a new job? That you don’t feel like you truly understood how to do the job until you truly started working? Compare this to classroom (or online) learning versus hands-on learning.
When a child can see ancient Native American ruins in person while learning about Native American history, it allows them to apply the information to something in real life.
Unlike memorizing arbitrary definitions in preparation for a test, this type of real-life learning actually creates long-term neural pathways and improves brain plasticity. In short – these memorable experiences will stay with them for years to come. And because of that, the information will stick around as well.
Are Traveling Homeschoolers Adequately Prepared for College?
How prepared a child is for college is going to vary from family to family and from college to college. After all, all colleges have different requirements for admission, and some will be more homeschool-friendly than others.
Arguably, suppose your child has developed a love for learning as you’ve traveled through national parks, monuments, cities, and everything in between. In that case, they’re more likely to choose a college that aligns with their interests.
Furthermore, suppose they’re intrinsically motivated throughout their higher education. In that case, they’re more likely to do better in school and pick a major they love (rather than picking one just to pick one – as many of us can relate to).
Do Universities and Colleges Accept Traveling Homeschoolers?
While some colleges are more home-school friendly than others, most road schoolers will not have a problem finding a college that accepts their educational background and provides the opportunities they crave. Many ivy-league colleges actively recruit homeschoolers because of their diverse portfolio and their history of personalized learning.
Ultimately, children who are traveling homeschoolers are unique, and colleges like unique. They accept students with diversity in mind. If your child has a great application essay about living life on the road, they’re likely to stand out.
Nevertheless, it’s essential to look at requirements for admission before your teen gets excited about a particular college. You should be able to find the admission requirements right on their website – and be sure to check out this list of homeschool-friendly colleges.
How Well Do Traveling Homeschoolers Handle College?
How well a traveling homeschooler handles college will vary from child to child. Nevertheless, the research suggests that homeschoolers, in general, do very well in college, both academically and socially.
This is less likely because the child was “schooled at home” and more likely because of the vast array of experiences they were given. While they weren’t changing classrooms, waiting in homeroom, and zoning out in front of a boring lecture. This is especially true when it comes to road-schooled children. They’re more likely to see learning as fun and have unique experiences that will serve them for years to come.
Every Child Is Different
We all know that every child is different, and therefore each child will handle college differently. Nevertheless, this is precisely why road-schooling is so appealing. Traveling homeschoolers experience a rich educational life as they meet new people, experience new cultures, and directly apply their studies to real-life events. Rather than being taught the same general classroom curriculum as many of their peers, their education is personalized and made fun! Because of this, road schooling has proven to be a great educational path.
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