After one homeschool graduate applied to the Ohio Business College, admissions officials promptly denied her acceptance, demanding that she must first acquire a GED before they would consider her admittance.

Homeschool grad Ashlynne Perkins was distraught when she received the following notification from Ohio Business College’s admissions office, which informed her that her application was rejected because she did not have a GED.

“We are unable to accept Ashlynne’s application due to the fact that she did not graduate from an accredited high school,” the letter from the college read, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

The reply caught Perkins off guard, as she indicated that her previous communications with the Ohio Business College’s admissions personnel were friendly on both ends.

Perkins pursued her undergraduate studies at the college in order to strengthen her accounting skills in her quest for an undergradate business degree, and she her research told her that the Ohio Business College was the ideal choice.

“After researching her options, she liked what she saw in the Ohio Business College,” HSLDA reported. “She felt the school’s smaller class sizes would give her more opportunities to interact with her professors.”

Righting the wrong

Because the Ohio college gave Perkins demands that went above and beyond what they require from public high school graduates, she sought help from HSLDA attorneys so that she would receive just treatment.

“At first, I was very discouraged,” Perkins explained. “But my mother encouraged me to contact HSLDA and explain my situation.”

HSLDA Staff Attorney Michael Donnelly, the nonprofit organization’s contact attorney for Ohio, promptly explained to college officials that homeschools — such as Perkins’ that operated in compliance with Ohio state law — are considered to not only be recognized, but accredited, as well.

“Ashlynne has submitted the information required by law to demonstrate her high school education is valid,” Donnelly wrote in a letter he submitted to the college.

After digesting the information communicated by Donnelly in his letter, school officials quickly decided to welcome Perkins into its undergraduate business program.

“Within days, the Ohio Business College informed Perkins that it had received HSLDA’s letter and was accepting her application,” attorneys at the Christian legal group announced. “She plans to begin classes this fall.”

Once she received the good news, Perkins immediately contacted the homeschool organization to extend her gratitude for breaking the colleges barriers that had the effect of keeping homeschoolers out.

“I am very thankful for this opportunity, and I cannot wait to continue with the next steps — thanks to HSLDA!” Perkins communicated to the Purcellville, Virginia-based group.

The battle is over … the war continues

Donnelly contends that the problems Perkins faced were not uncommon for homeschoolers, but that tackling the problem head-on with professional legal assistance often rectifies the situation.

“There are many schools still that do not understand that Ohio law explicitly requires that homeschool programs be treated as the equivalent of any other recognized or accredited program,” the legal expert explained. “In this case, the college was simply uninformed and immediately corrected the situation. In other cases, the discussions can drag on for much longer.”

Despite the fact that the law often stands on the side of homeschoolers, Donnelly points out that they are still discriminated against, as admissions officers and other government officials frequently treat them differently because they do not have a common public or private school background.

“Even though homeschooling is becoming more prevalent, there are still many who are either uninformed or suspicious, which causes problems for homeschool graduates,” Donnelly warns. “So it’s a pleasure for me as a homeschool dad to be able to help solve these problems for our members’ children!”