Transcript question

[Hunter's Moon]

I am trying to make up a transcript now but only have 9th and 10th grade grades so far.

 

Anyways, I was just wondering if I should use the grading scale my old school used, or not.

 

The trouble is, if I use the grading scale I want to use, my GPA's drop and then my high school transcript won't match up with my old schools when I ask them to send it.

 

The grading scale from my old school is kind of complicated though and I'm not sure how they got to my GPA on my report card. They go by A+, A, A-, etc but they also go by AP, Honors, or CP classes. I took Honors and PreAP courses my 9th and 10th grade year, and when figuring out my grades using the Honors scale, it comes out with a higher GPA than on the report card from the school.

 

I'm just confused and don't want to look like I'm lying about my GPA.

 

I was also considering using just letters (A, B, C) not A+, A, A-, etc. But, once again if I apply it to my 9th and 10th grade grades, the GPA comes out lower than on the high school's official transcript.

 

Should this be a problem with the colleges when I apply? I would love to have the higher GPA's but I would also like to apply the same grading scale and GPA scale to the whole transcript.

 

If that was confusing, here is an example: On the official high school report card, my 10th grade GPA was a 4.0893. If I apply the only letter grade (A, B, C) and not (A+, A, A-), my GPA goes to a 3.8-ish. If I try and figure out how to apply the grading scale my old school used, it goes up to a 4.12.

 

Please, any advice welcome.

[Hunter's Moon]

I'm thinking of taking all the Honors and PreAP names off of the transcript, and just putting the normal title. So, instead of Algebra II H* It'll just read Algebra II*. (The * means it was taken at the local high school). Then, I'll just calculate the GPA un-weighted, and if they ask why my high school transcript and my home school transcript don't match up, I'll explain.

 

Good idea?

[Teachin'Mine]

Stephanie from what I've read here, a lot of college admissions will re-calculate the GPA to whatever standards they use. But if you remove the honors designation, then an A would be calculated using 4.0 - with the honors it would be a 4.5.

 

Could you speak with someone in the office at your school and ask them to explain how the GPA was calculated? Then you could do the same. Hopefully someone who has already dealt with this can give you better advice. :tongue_smilie:

[Hunter's Moon]

Stephanie from what I've read here' date=' a lot of college admissions will re-calculate the GPA to whatever standards they use. But if you remove the honors designation, then an A would be calculated using 4.0 - with the honors it would be a 4.5.

 

Could you speak with someone in the office at your school and ask them to explain how the GPA was calculated? Then you could do the same. Hopefully someone who has already dealt with this can give you better advice. :tongue_smilie:[/quote']

 

The reason I don't want to follow their grading system for my whole transcript is because I don't feel comfortable calling a class Honors.

 

I was thinking if I had Honors classes in 9th and 10th and the GPA was weighted, but then didn't have any Honors classes in 11th and 12th and the GPA was un-weighted, it might be a bit weird.

 

Maybe I'll just have to do that though if they do re-calculate to their standards.

 

I know in the end the GPA I put on the transcript won't make much difference as long as I have SAT scores to match or go above it. I just want it to make sense and look decent, lol.

[Chris in VA]

Honestly? I'd make a transcript that has the same grades for 9/10 as are on your high school transcript, then put an asterix beside them and in the notes section, very briefly explain the scale. Keep all the honors designations, AP stuff, etc. Make it match whatever documentation you include from the former schools.

So, something like "Taken at XXX School. Grading Scale: (then list the scale). Honors and AP designated classes graded using--(then list the scale)"

Starting with your homeschool years, double asterix all classes, and put another note in the notes section that has the scale you currently want to use. So, something like "Homeschool Grading Scale: (then list the scale)" Combine the grades to calculate the GPA.

 

Don't worry about the scales being different. Make sure the homemade transcript matches the official school one you send (I'm not sure if you have one or two "other" schools--did you attend two brick and mortar schools, or just one?--).

 

I used the transcript from Covenant College--and then included the book list for our Great Books study.

 

ETA: Just read the Covenant College transcript help section (not entitled that, just where the registrar gives some suggestions). He says to convert everything to a 4 pt scale, even if it's from another institution (i.e., if you went b&m school for a year or so). He says to explain things in a letter. Could be a better, more clear way to do it.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Chris in VA

[Storm Bay]

I am trying to make up a transcript now but only have 9th and 10th grade grades so far.

 

Anyways, I was just wondering if I should use the grading scale my old school used, or not.

 

The trouble is, if I use the grading scale I want to use, my GPA's drop and then my high school transcript won't match up with my old schools when I ask them to send it.

 

The grading scale from my old school is kind of complicated though and I'm not sure how they got to my GPA on my report card. They go by A+, A, A-, etc but they also go by AP, Honors, or CP classes. I took Honors and PreAP courses my 9th and 10th grade year, and when figuring out my grades using the Honors scale, it comes out with a higher GPA than on the report card from the school.

 

I'm just confused and don't want to look like I'm lying about my GPA.

 

I was also considering using just letters (A, B, C) not A+, A, A-, etc. But, once again if I apply it to my 9th and 10th grade grades, the GPA comes out lower than on the high school's official transcript.

 

Should this be a problem with the colleges when I apply? I would love to have the higher GPA's but I would also like to apply the same grading scale and GPA scale to the whole transcript.

 

If that was confusing, here is an example: On the official high school report card, my 10th grade GPA was a 4.0893. If I apply the only letter grade (A, B, C) and not (A+, A, A-), my GPA goes to a 3.8-ish. If I try and figure out how to apply the grading scale my old school used, it goes up to a 4.12.

 

Please, any advice welcome.

 

I'm thinking of taking all the Honors and PreAP names off of the transcript, and just putting the normal title. So, instead of Algebra II H* It'll just read Algebra II*. (The * means it was taken at the local high school). Then, I'll just calculate the GPA un-weighted, and if they ask why my high school transcript and my home school transcript don't match up, I'll explain.

 

Good idea?

 

I'd stick with what they have and agree that you should have a note of explanation. After seeing the differences in the honours & academic ps my dd has just started, I think there can be some merit in that system. The workload & level if difficulty in the honours courses is significantly harder here. I can't speak for your former school, of couse.

 

Also, have you considered going into music therapy? I see that you're doing advanced piano and that you want to go into OT. Or does that include music therapy as an option? Is there pediatric music therapy?

[Hunter's Moon]

I'd stick with what they have and agree that you should have a note of explanation. After seeing the differences in the honours & academic ps my dd has just started, I think there can be some merit in that system. The workload & level if difficulty in the honours courses is significantly harder here. I can't speak for your former school, of couse.

 

Also, have you considered going into music therapy? I see that you're doing advanced piano and that you want to go into OT. Or does that include music therapy as an option? Is there pediatric music therapy?

 

Thanks. Fitting the scale into the notes section will be hard, but I'll figure that out when the time comes. Maybe I'll just do as Chris in VA said and make an explanation page.

 

I like playing the piano and studying music for fun, but I really don't think I would want to do it everyday for 50+ years. It is relaxing for me, and I wouldn't want to turn it into a job and make it stressful and come to hate it. That may sound weird, but that's how I saw it.

 

Also, I don't know how stable a Music Therapy job is. I would think Occupational Therapy would be a lot more stable. I also live in an area with Shriner's hospital and I'd love to work there.

[Hunter's Moon]

Alright, I think I've figured it out.

 

How's this?

 

http://www.scribd.com/full/41911890?access_key=key-q8rqd2ooyc0yy4oqt2g

 

Still a few technical things to work out, but I like it. I think it is detailed enough but also simple.

[Storm Bay]

Thanks. Fitting the scale into the notes section will be hard, but I'll figure that out when the time comes. Maybe I'll just do as Chris in VA said and make an explanation page.

 

I like playing the piano and studying music for fun, but I really don't think I would want to do it everyday for 50+ years. It is relaxing for me, and I wouldn't want to turn it into a job and make it stressful and come to hate it. That may sound weird, but that's how I saw it.

 

Also, I don't know how stable a Music Therapy job is. I would think Occupational Therapy would be a lot more stable. I also live in an area with Shriner's hospital and I'd love to work there.

 

I'm with you on not working at the piano every day for the rest of my life, which is why I'm not a concert pianist. In hindsight it was a wise choice because I don't sleep well in other beds and have developed a number of food allgergies, etc, to common foods, so the travelling wouldn't have worked well.

 

OT is a good choice. My sil is an OT and has been able to find work wherever they've moved, part or full time as she's wanted it. My db has moved a number of times while getting his degrees, doing a postdoc & then in teaching positions. During this time they've had babies, etc. ie, it's worked well for them. Now I'll take a look at your transcript.

 

ETA this transcript looks better, even though it's on two pages.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Karin

[Alyce]

It is basically the scale we used for unweighted grades. If the class was honors it didn't get any special grade (which, from my research on here, considered normal) If the course is an AP course or a CC course whatever grade you got would be increased by one point so if you got an A normal transcript would count as 4 points (on a 4 point scale) but if AP or CC you would add a point so it was worth 5 points. If you use this scale you would calculate by number grade not letter grade and get your GPA that way.

 

http://flightline.highline.edu/rfowers/Grading%20Scale.htm

[Hunter's Moon]

I'm with you on not working at the piano every day for the rest of my life, which is why I'm not a concert pianist. In hindsight it was a wise choice because I don't sleep well in other beds and have developed a number of food allgergies, etc, to common foods, so the travelling wouldn't have worked well.

 

OT is a good choice. My sil is an OT and has been able to find work wherever they've moved, part or full time as she's wanted it. My db has moved a number of times while getting his degrees, doing a postdoc & then in teaching positions. During this time they've had babies, etc. ie, it's worked well for them. Now I'll take a look at your transcript.

 

ETA this transcript looks better, even though it's on two pages.

 

Yeah, another reason I chose OT was flexibility and reliability. As long as there are those with special needs or developmental delays, there will be a need for OTs. It isn't a good way to look at it, but it is what it is.

 

I also want to homeschool when I have a family, so next to nursing, probably one of the most flexible options.

 

As for the transcript, thanks. I didn't want to make it two pages, but had no choice. All colleges I'm applying to specify they want a detailed transcript for home-schooled students.

 

Thanks!

[Alyce]

I know everyone thinks a degree in medicine is the way to go but you really need to look at the market in our area. There are more and more people choosing medicines but more and more companies cutting back on the number of employees they hire. A good friend of mine was a supervisor of an OT department. She quite for ethical reasons. It took her over a year to find an OT position. There just weren't anywhere to be found. She found out that OT was the first thing being cut in this area.

[Teachin'Mine]

I would also suggest listing only final grades. It makes it much easier to read than listing them by quarter or semester. But I like this one much better than the other transcript. :)