For students coming from a homeschool background, one of the biggest questions about college is simple: Will I fit in? For Trevecca freshman Caroline Lee, the answer has been a clear yes, even after spending most of her school years learning at home.
“I went to private school from first to fifth grade, but other than that I was homeschooled — in kindergarten and then from sixth grade on,” Lee said. “I loved being homeschooled. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.”
Growing up on her family’s small farm near Cookeville, Lee described a home life filled with “lots of outside time, animals and fun” alongside a sense of structure that helped her build strong habits early, including time management and discipline.
“I came into college with the mindset that I don’t procrastinate, which was huge for me,” she said. “I’ve seen that really pay off academically.”
Lee has maintained a 4.0 GPA so far, but the transition to Trevecca wasn’t only about coursework. It was also about learning how to build a new “home” away from home.
“My family is very home-oriented, so my first semester it was tough for me to try and build a home away from them,” she said.
This semester, she’s made a different choice: to intentionally stay on campus more and invest in relationships and the Trevecca community.
“There is an awesome community here at Trevecca,” Lee said. “It's not as hard to get plugged in as I thought it was going to be.”
One of Lee’s biggest surprises was how many students she met who shared a similar homeschool background.
“I have met so many more homeschool students here than I thought I would,” she laughed. “It’s definitely not as scary of a jump. But, at the same time, it takes hard work and discipline, just like anything else.”
She also found that Trevecca’s Christian community felt deeper than she expected.
“A lot of the people I interact with here on campus have a personal relationship with Jesus and it's so cool,” Lee said. “I really wasn't expecting that. I was expecting it to be surface-level, and it's not.”
Another source of support for Lee has been her relationships with faculty.
“I really look up to the professors, like Dr. Tim Gaines,” she said. “His biblical knowledge blows my mind.”
Lee has also found professors to be approachable beyond the classroom. “They’ve been super fun to talk to outside of class,” she said. “They're just super happy to talk to us about whatever and answer all our questions.”
For homeschool students considering Trevecca, Lee has a simple message.
“You can come to Trevecca and meet and really know people. There are other homeschoolers here. There is a real community, and it’s not as scary as you think.”