What Happens When Homeschool Kids Finally Enter the Real World?

Want to be alerted when new episodes drop? Join the newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/ This week on the podcast, I sat down with Jaycie to unpack what it was like growing up K–12 homeschooled in a deeply religious environment shaped by ACE curriculum, church culture, and isolation. From role-playing public school in her bedroom as a kid to struggling with depression and culture shock during college, Jaycie shares an honest look at how homeschooling shaped her relationships, faith, and transition into adulthood. In this episode, we covered: • ACE curriculum often prioritized religious ideology over deep academic learning • Homeschool isolation can make transitions into adulthood and college extremely difficult • Many homeschoolers develop strong self-teaching and research skills • Fear-based religious messaging can make social connection feel unsafe • College became both liberating and emotionally overwhelming • COVID gave many former evangelicals space to reevaluate faith and church culture • Public school and homeschooling both have tradeoffs, but involvement from parents matters most • Creative freedom and independent learning were meaningful positives from homeschooling Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club 00:35 Jaycie's Homeschool Rundown 01:36 ACE Curriculum Breakdown 03:09 Pros and Cons of ACE 09:45 Church as Social Life 11:02 Moving Missouri to Texas 13:59 Senior Year Depression 16:35 College Culture Shock 26:39 Gods Not Dead Mindset 30:23 Dropping Out and Marriage 32:50 Faith Shift During COVID 36:49 Homeschooling Reconsidered 40:22 Choosing Public School 44:33 Art Career and Reading 50:40 Cringey Co Op Puppets 53:04 Wrap Up and Goodbye If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story. Follow Ex-Homeschoolers Club on Instagram and TikTok for updates, and send us a message – we’d love to hear from you! Instagram:   / exhsclub   TikTok:   / exhsclub   Email me at [email protected]