Homeschooling Effects on College Students and Perceptions

There are many preconceived notions about those who are homeschooled and how it hinders their social development. Because they are believed to be mainly in contact with their parents rather than their peers, it is thought that homeschooled children become dependent on their parents and do not adapt well to the real world and becoming independent people who can take care of themselves. This study will focus on how being homeschooled affects the socialization of children after they begin college. We will measure the number of friendships as well as the quality of those relationships for those who were homeschooled compared to those who received traditional schooling. We will also measure their dependence on and relationships with their parents, and whether they believe their education was a beneficial overall experience. The methodology used in this study will consist of an online Qualtrics survey given to 100-200 students, regardless of whether they were homeschooled. This will give us a control group and a way to find out what preconceived notions some have toward homeschooling. A question on the survey will ask the participants if they were homeschooled and, if so, will invite them to continue in the study by participating in a focus group interview. The homeschooled focus group will ideally consist of 5-7 students; they will be asked discussion questions, with their responses recorded