Does homeschooling work for gifted kids? Can a homeschooled student get into his or her first-choice college? How well does homeschooling prepare gifted students for college or business?

Over the winter break, my college-aged sons and I talked about these very topics. Both boys homeschooled all four years of high school. Their homeschooling consisted of online classes, independent study, project-based learning, homeschool group classes and many community college classes taken as dual-enrolled high school students.Their unique experiences allowed them to stand out in the college admissions process, and both were accepted to their selective, first-choice schools in early admission. Once in college, both quickly found their social "tribes." They also found that college life was a lot like homeschooling in terms of student independence. Their transition to college was much smoother than that of some of their brick-and-mortar peers. According to one son: "Some of these kids were still figuring out that they had to go to class" at the end of first semester, freshman year at a highly selective, East Coast university. Both of my sons are cultivating long-lasting, intellectual friendships with their professors, and are actively planning for life after college. They are both deeply grateful for their homeschool years.

On Tuesday, Jan. 9, a panel of college-aged, homeschool graduates will discuss how homeschooling boosted them into college or business and share their tips and advice to younger students. I hope you will join us as these accomplished, articulate young adults share their thoughts and experiences on homeschooling the high school years.