Date
4-29-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Sarah Jeanne Panonne
Keywords
homeschooling student-athletes, college transition, academic integration, social integration, college, Tinto’s integration theory, homeschooled students, student-athlete transition, higher education transition, college adjustment, sense of belonging, nontraditional students, phenomenology, transcendental phenomenology
Disciplines
Education | Higher Education
Recommended Citation
Sandon, Michele Marie, "The Homeschooled Student Athlete and Their Transition to College: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8303.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8303
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover homeschooled student-athletes’ lived experiences as they transitioned to the rigors of academics, social settings, and athletic life at NCAA and NAIA institutions in the United States. This study was guided by Tinto’s integration theory, which offers insight into how college students experience academic and social integration. The central research question asked: What was the homeschooled student-athlete’s experience in transitioning to college? This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological design to examine those lived experiences. The data was collected from a purposeful sample of eleven homeschooled student-athletes through semi-structured interviews conducted on Teams, physical artifacts, and guided reflective journals. Data analysis followed a spiral process of coding, reflection, and synthesis to identify recurring patterns across participants. Findings showed that the transition to college was not simple. Participants did not describe the transition to college as straightforward. Instead, they talked about the strain of trying to meet academic deadlines while also managing daily practices and competition travel. Several noted that although they believed they were academically prepared, the structure of college felt far more rigid than what they had known, and advocating for themselves did not always come naturally at first. A few participants explained that they held back socially in the beginning, unsure of how they fit within campus life. The sports teams often became an important source of connection, but not right away. Belonging took time. Family support continued in the background of nearly every account. Academic, athletic, and social adjustment did not move in a straight line; they shifted and settled at different points along the way.
