Preparing a High School Transcript

 

During the high school years, records become a very important job for the teacher-parent. This record keeping will include lists of textbooks and other resources you used, grades earned, achievement test scores, activities and organizations your child participated in, honors and awards, and credit hours given. This is really a simple step in education, yet it seems to overwhelm some. One should not allow fear to hinder their home education for their child. Here are some tips to help:

  1. All transcripts should include the student's name, your homeschool name (ex. Johnson Family Academy), and your graduation date.
  2. You should also include your student's academic history and summary. This would include a listing of courses taken, credits earned, and grade points for each course. For courses that continue from year to year, make sure you label it with the grade level (ex., English 10). Some courses, especially for those who do a more unit study approach, will need a narrative provided to explain in detail what all was done in each course and how much time was spent. This helps factor in the credit hour actually achieved. You will also need to include an explanation on how you are computing grade point averages (GPA). Colleges are one good example to model. They give number scores for each grade. (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). They then add all of their grade points and all of the credit hours and divide the grade point total by the credit hour total for the GPA.
  3. You will want to list additional student information such as achievements, interests, activities, special programs, personal checklists and inventories of such, and written notes by you, the teacher-parent. Think of it as you would a resume. You want to convince the college of interest that your student is the cream of the academic crop.
  4. Don't forget to include those test scores from high school standardized tests and college entrance exams, and to include the date of each test and the level.
  5. Additional school information will be needed. You will want to include you percentage rates for determining grades and your minimum passing score and any relevant information on your curriculum and educational choices.
  6. If any secondary schools were attended, list those and include their transcripts.
  7. Most transcripts ask for school officials. In most homeschool families, Dad is considered the principal and Mom the teacher. You can determine what you will office best fits your homeschool. Don't forget to tell them who to contact and your title as well if there are any questions.

 

Typical College Entrance Requirements

Grammar/ composition - 4 years

 

English/literature - 3 years, including 1 year of American literature

History - 3 years including World History, American History, and Civics

Math - 3 years including Algebra 1 and 2 and Geometry


Science - 2 years minimum including general and biology or chemistry

Computer - literacy

Foreign language - 2 years

Other - P.E., Art, typing, etc. - varies from state to state