Homeschool students attend ASU, NAU on nearly full-tuition scholarships

Arizona State University is ranked as one of the top 100 universities in the world, and is seeking top quality students. Homeschoolers often fit this category with college admission tests scores averaging higher than the typical public school student.  However, there have been some discrepancies between the scholarships offered to outstanding homeschooled students and those available to their traditional school counterparts. 

In 1999, a law was passed in the state legislature designed to bring equity to the scholarship award process and make the merit awards available to homeschoolers.  Bethany’s Law (named for homeschool student, Bethany Lewis who wrote it) eliminated the discriminatory class rank from the qualifications for these awards since homeschoolers are often in a class by themselves. Instead, the provision was made to allow college entrance test scores to be the determining factor, stemming from the legislative mandate to “assure fair and equitable access [by all Arizona students] to scholarships . .  issued solely on the basis of academic merit”.

With a great deal of research under his belt, homeschool dad, Derek Davis, helped address the ongoing compliance issues at the university and the Arizona Board of Regents levels which were obstacles to homeschoolers getting full access to the Merit Awards.  His daughter, Mareike, was ready to start at ASU in 2009, and fully qualified for the President’s Award, the highest of the merit scholarships at the time.  However, she was only offered the Provost Award.  Davis met with his state senator, representatives from ASU, Arizona Families for Home Education, the State Department of Education and the Arizona Board of Regents.  As a result, Mareike did get the President’s Award of $9000 annually, renewable for four years.  

Another policy change that came after these meetings allowed homeshoolers to receive the Regents’ Scholarship or RHHE (The Regents' High Honors Endorsement) Scholarship, if they took the AIMS test and met other criteria.  The Regents’ full tuition waiver award had been in the offerings when Bethany’s Law was passed, but was redirected in 2005 to become an incentive for students to exceed on the state mandated AIMS test, thus excluding homeschoolers.

Severin Davis, who entered ASU this year, was originally offered the President’s Award.  However, he also qualified for the RHHE as a result of taking (and EXCEEDing) the AIMS.  [He participated in Band at Mountain Pointe High School and was required to take the AIMS as a result.]  Due to the recent tuition increases at ASU, the AIMS/RHHE scholarship value has overtaken the President’s Award value, so his scholarship was automatically upgraded to the AIMS/RHHE.

The number of homeschoolers receiving the university merit awards is unknown, even though legislation passed in 2010 (SB 1280) requires that the universities publish the criteria and report on the number of students who accept this funding from each educational sector.  At least one other homeschooler, Evan Willis of Scottsdale, is attending NAU on the President’s Award.

The application process was easy, and NAU is supportive of home educated students who were applying.  The only complication was that NAU thought I attended Covenant Christian School throughout high school due to my PSAT/SAT scores being from there when I applied, and because of that thought I wasn't truly home educated, but a quick email to clarify solved that easily.

Mareike Davis is interested in attending graduate school in Germany for a Masters in Informatik, which will hopefully result in a job at Amazon or some other company based in Germany.

Severin Davis is interested in possibly getting a Master's through ASU's 4+1 program and then getting a job at some computer hardware company.

Evan Willis is studying Biology.

If you know of other homeschoolers who have received any merit scholarships for Arizona universities, please contact this author so they can be included in the recognition.

Next:  Advice to homeschoolers desiring merit scholarships at Arizona universities

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