According to a study of Canadian Home-Educated Adults, socialization of homeschoolers is a non-issue. This is a follow-up of a study done in 1994 that only had positive things to say about homeschooling. 15 years later they re-surveyed as many of these same people as possible and it showed that adult homeschoolers were pretty content with their lives.
In short, the study revealed the following:
*Out of 226 the respondents to the second survey, only three people had not completed nor were working on their eduction. These three people were gainfully employed.
*Homeschooled adults were more likely than the general population to have college and degrees including graduate degrees.
Besides the obvious educational gains, the real question is how formerly homeschooled adults cope in the real world. Here is what the survey discovered.
*Only 1% of former homeschoolers were unemployed unlike the general population.
*Most former homeschoolers were self employed.
*Former homeschoolers were far more likely to be involved in a civic organization than traditional students.
*Former homeschoolers were far more likely to participate in group activities at least once a week.
*Former homeschoolers were far more likely to vote in elections.
*Former homeschoolers were far more likely to attend church on a regular basis.
*Former homeschoolers have a higher income than public school students.
*Former homeschoolers were more likely to attend shows, performances, and exhibits than public school students.
*While both former homeschoolers and public school students had the same percentage of people who were never married, homeschooled people tended to stay married and were less likely to live together before marriage.
*The vast majority of the respondents felt they were more prepared for life than traditional students.
*Only a small number of respondents were unhappy that they had been homeschooled.
The point of this is not to say that homeschoolers are better than anyone else… it is to show that they do better than “normal”. The survey showed that people who were homeschooled had no problem navigating through life in the real world. They were social people who were successful in business, concerned about politics and in general content with their lives. So can we stop talking about socialization now?
~If you liked this you should also read my blogs at the home blog, the parents blog, and the frugal blog. You can read my recent posts here.
Where are these unsocialized homeschoolers?
When my kids look back on their homeschool experience
Why Exactly Are We So Concerned About Socialization Anyways?