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Some useful links: Stanford has a good article on the subject The College Board has a section for homeschoolers, as well as info on the SAT and its cousins The GED The ACT A useful discussion board

Obviously, every application has to be tailored to the particular college -- thus the rest of this site. But there are some general guidelines to keep in mind. The first and most important rule is to call the colleges you are interested in. Usually you will need to speak with the director of admissions; the lowlier staff often do not have much knowledge of or experience with homeschoolers (tho' it's always worth a try), nor do they have the ability to make up a "policy" on the spot, tailored to the inquiring mind -- directors do. Also, policies change. Transcripts A perennially sticky issue; there is no consensus, and there cannot be as long as homeschoolers remain the diverse group they are. Clearly "school-at-home" types have it easiest in this area; they can actually submit a transcript. Looser types have various options: portfolios are popular. A simple write-up is also possible; this option has the advantage of showcasing one's writing ability -- in fact it is the most demanding and revealing method. Tests The GED, long a requirement for homeschoolers wishing to receive federal aid, is required no more (read all about it). And a good thing too. The test is unutterably simple-minded. --The test is still an admissions requirement for some colleges, however. But as I said, it's a breeze and nothing at all to worry about. The PSAT/NMSQT is never an admissions requirement; it simply serves as practice for the real thing. Sufficiently high scores also qualify one for various honours: Commended Student, Semi-Finalist (colleges like this one), and Finalist (carrying additional criteria but also a cash prize). Details are on the College Board's site. The SAT is the usual college entrance test. Various prep books and courses are out there; The Princeton Review is, in my opinion, by far the best (average score improvement is around 200 points, I believe). But whatever you use, the SAT is eminently the kind of test you can prepare for -- as is the ACT, most common in the midwest. There are also SAT II Subject Tests -- they are what the name implies. CLose kin are the AP tests -- these may be taken without having taken the corresponding courses. These tests are all considerably more expensive than the standard SAT/ACT, however.