Flexible Homeschooling Enters the Mainstream

Perhaps the best endorsement of our family's decision to homeschool our son was his admission to five of the eight colleges to which he applied, with each offering a merit scholarship. While our tour through charters, homeschooling, and private schools—along with observation of others' experience with traditional public schools—had convinced us of the academic advantages of self-designed education, college applications were the final test of our approach. It passed with flying colors.

But homeschoolers are a diverse bunch, driven by different motivations, teaching by varied methods, and measuring success with...