Mississippi Homeschool Graduate Taken Off College Probation After Review

Local Homeschool News: Mississippi

A Mississippi homeschool graduate is off academic probation and working toward his college degree. Sawyer Hays scored so well on an academic assessment test that a nearby community college offered him a scholarship (HSLDA).

Then admissions officers saw that he had been homeschooled. His acceptance letter said he would stay on probation until he earned six credit hours with at least a 1.5 grade-point average. The college said homeschooled students do not have the same standardized GPA calculations as other graduates. That surprised the family. Sawyer had already taken one class at the college through dual enrollment and earned an A.

His parents, David and Marsha Hays, asked the Home School Legal Defense Association for help. HSLDA Senior Counsel Darren Jones noted that Sawyer’s ACT score ranked him above 80 percent of test-takers. He also pointed out that the family had homeschooled in compliance with state law, and he asked the college to re-evaluate.

A week later, the college wrote to Sawyer. It had re-examined his credentials, especially his ACT score and dual-enrollment grade, and removed him from probation. The college did not promise to change its overall policy. Still, the family hopes the outcome will help other homeschool graduates who apply there.

Sawyer is the fourth of eight children to graduate from the family’s homeschool. He is now taking 17 credit hours toward a computer programming degree. If your teen is heading to college, keep transcripts, test scores, and any dual-enrollment grades together. For more on homeschooling in the state, see our Mississippi Homeschool Laws page.

Sources:

• Dave Dentel, “Top Test Score, Good Grades, Still on Academic Probation,” HSLDA, October 26, 2026