How Homeschooling Left Me Unprepared for College and Adulthood

Ex-Homeschoolers Club

  • Sep 11, 2026
  • 1:01:08
  • Full Episode

*Jodie is currently looking for people to participate in her documentary, including homeschool alumni, educators, people with experience in law or politics, and anyone with relevant experience to share.*

Reach out to her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodie_justice/

Jodie was homeschooled from preschool through high school in a very Christian, Independent Baptist environment. Her mom gave her a lot of freedom to explore subjects she was interested in, but often relied on textbooks and self-teaching instead of actually teaching the material. Over time, Jodie fell behind academically (especially in math) and entered college realizing just how many educational gaps she had to overcome.

In this episode, Jodie shares what it was like discovering that college was even an option, catching up academically as an adult, and realizing how homeschooling had affected her. We also talk about religious deconstruction, coming out as gay, family reactions, and the supportive role her wife has played. Jodie also shares her plans for a documentary exploring homeschooling, its lack of regulation, and the stories of people affected by it.

*In this episode, we talk about...* • Growing up in a strict Christian homeschool environment • The challenges of self-teaching and falling behind academically • Entering college and discovering just how much catching up was necessary • Religious deconstruction and coming out as gay • Why Jodie believes homeschooling requires community, accountability, and support • Her upcoming documentary about the realities of homeschooling

*Connect with Jodie*

Jodie is currently looking for people to participate in her documentary, including homeschool alumni, educators, people with experience in law or politics, and anyone with relevant experience to share.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodie_justice/

*Support Ex-Homeschoolers Club*

Have a story or thoughts you'd like to share? Email me at [email protected]

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub • Email me at [email protected] • Listen on Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/exhsclub/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub • Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/ • Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

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*Chapters* 00:00 Meet Jodi and the Show 00:31 Newsletter and Episode Setup 01:08 Jodi Homeschool Background 01:41 Curriculum Chaos and Sale Bins 03:50 Co-ops and the Church Bubble 05:34 Religion in the Mix 08:05 I Got To Pick My Electives But No One Was Teaching Me 11:05 Self-Teaching Lead To Me Falling Behind 16:46 Finding Motivation For College And Catching Up 22:17 Discoverying My Career Direction 24:39 The Making Of A Homeschool Documentary` 26:24 Unregulated Homeschooling Reality 29:10 Realizing How Homeschool Harmed Me 30:20 Finding Ex-Homeschool Support 31:16 How Educated By Tara Westover Radicalized Me 34:06 Grieving The Past And Rebuilding For The Future 36:59 Partner Support System 41:18 What Did Coming Out Look Like For You? 49:29 Family Reactions To Coming Out 52:42 Where Do You Stand With Homeschooling Today? 56:40 Documentary Call For Help 59:41 Final Thanks And Wrap Up

Brief Summary

Jodi shares her homeschooling experiences and discusses her documentary on the unregulated nature of homeschooling.

Key points

  • Introducing Jodi. Jacob welcomes Jodi to share her homeschool story and upcoming documentary.
  • Curriculum Chaos. Jodi recalls the mismatched curriculums her mom used for homeschooling.
  • Learning Challenges. Jodi discusses the difficulties of learning sign language from outdated materials.
  • The Rise of YouTube Learning. Jacob comments on how YouTube has changed the landscape of education.
  • The Struggles of Transitioning to College. A student grapples with the challenges of adapting to college life after homeschooling.
  • The Burden of Student Loans. Navigating the financial realities of college, one student reflects on their debt.

Tension

45/ 100Some tension

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