One of the most common arguments against homeschooling is that children who learn at home will not have opportunities to socialize with their peers. While it is true that they may not spend six hours of every day with same-age peers, many homeschooled children are from large families, are involved in extracurricular activities and lessons, and volunteer in the community. All of these situations encourage development of social and conflict-resolution skills, expect courteous and respectful behavior and expose children to diversity. Additionally, many homeschooling families belong to like-minded groups that meet regularly and participate in field trips.
Another argument against homeschooling is that students may not be exposed to the same rigorous curriculum standards at home as they would be at school, which would make it difficult to be accepted at postsecondary institutions. This may have been accurate in the past but today, even if parents do not have the required skill set, they have many options. Some may hire a tutor or belong to a cooperative where parents take turns teaching in their area of expertise. Others might purchase commercial online or DVD-based curricula. Colleges and universities are now recognizing that homeschooled children's education is as well-rounded as that of their peers. Most institutions now accept parents' transcripts, letters from community members, SAT scores and entrance exam scores as proof of achievement.
Some proponents of formal education are concerned that homeschooled students will not receive the breadth of curriculum that children receive in school. Homeschoolers might not study the same topics as peers' neighborhood schools. However, the flexibility provided by the homeschool lifestyle may allow students to develop expertise in other areas such as nature, travel and culture, or budgeting and home management. Students with special needs might benefit too. They may not receive services from school-based special education staff, but they can receive individualized education in the areas most relevant to their needs. Families are able to decide how broad or how channeled a child's curriculum should be.
A final argument that often crops is that homeschooled children are not prepared to deal with real-world situations. This argument simply does not stand, as most homeschooling families do not live in isolation. In fact, homeschooled children are often confident, adept at communicating their point of view and capable of making wise choices and responsible decisions. Responsible homeschooling families attempt to have open and honest communication, preparing children to deal with situations as they arise.