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How important is it to put the dates of classes on a transcript? The way we homeschool, the dates are going to look crazy. For example, right now we're doing 10th grade history, 11th grade science and English, 11th grade math (algebra II) but only partly completed 10th grade math (geometry) which we will go back and finish after algabra II is done. Algebra I took us 2 1/2 years to get through (we started in 8th grade), but it looks like ancient history will only take about 6 months. As soon as we finish one course, we go right into the next course in that content area. So when we finish ancient history next month, we will start American history the next day.

 

We homeschool year round. We don't take scheduled breaks, though we do take procrastination breaks. I believe in letting my son learn at his own pace, which is much faster in some subjects than others.

 

In short, if I put dates on the transcript, it will look really weird. I'd rather just put grade levels. What do you think?

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No dates here -- in fact, not even listing by GRADE, but rather by SUBJECT, in order to make the transcript more coherent. (For example: we split up our science, doing about 2/3 of Biology in 9th, and the other 1/3 plus 1/5 credit of Anatomy in 10th).

 

Our transcript looks more like this:

 

ENGLISH

English 9 = 1 credit

English 10 = 1 credit

English 11 = 1 credit

English 12 = 1 credit

TOTAL = 4 credits

 

MATH

Consumer Math = 1 credit

Algebra 1 = 1 credit

Geometry = 1 credit

Algebra 2 = 1 credit

TOTAL = 4 credits

 

SCIENCE

Biology = 1 credit

Anatomy = .5 credit

Chemistry = 1 credit

Physics = 1 credit

TOTAL = 3.5 credits

 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Spanish 101* = 1 credit

Spanish 102* = 1 credit

TOTAL = 2 credits

 

* = dual credit, name of local community college

 

 

And so on.

 

I've never heard of anyone on this board having trouble with any college by having listed by subject rather than by grade. Just make sure to note any credits with the specific name of the organization through which your student may have done any outsourced coursework (see my transcript example above), and be sure to get a copy of the transcript from that organization to submit along with your transcript.

 

I think of it in terms of "what will be the easiest for the college administrator who has to look this over" -- they are not going to care what dates these credits were accomplished, or in what grade -- they are paid to count up the credits and see how the credits on your transcript match up with what is required for college admission. I think that grouping the credits by TYPE of credit and listing the TOTAL amount of credits for each subject area would greatly speed up the administrator's job! ;)

 

BEST of luck in wearing your "administrator hat" as you prepare transcripts! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited by Lori D.
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:lurk5: ...end of junior year here and SO annoyed with myself that I didn't just do this as we went along. I really MEANT to!! :glare:

 

But my plan is to list by subject area, and include separate page for course descriptions. Ugh! Just dreading it. And I have to do it for two high schoolers. Maybe I'll remember my lesson when my next batch enters high school?

 

If anyone reading this has a 9th or 10th grader -- jot something down NOW! Even a little bit will be a blessing to you down the road!

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How important is it to put the dates of classes on a transcript? ...

 

In short, if I put dates on the transcript, it will look really weird. I'd rather just put grade levels. What do you think?

 

As with so many things, the answer is "it depends."

 

While you don't need to put the grade level on the transcript, you may encounter college applications such as the Common Application which requires the applicant to list the classes taken during senior year and the three preceding calendar years.

 

One solution to your dilemma might be to list the class on the transcript in the grade in which the bulk of the class took place.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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:lurk5: ...end of junior year here and SO annoyed with myself that I didn't just do this as we went along. I really MEANT to!! :glare:

 

But my plan is to list by subject area, and include separate page for course descriptions. Ugh! Just dreading it. And I have to do it for two high schoolers. Maybe I'll remember my lesson when my next batch enters high school?

 

If anyone reading this has a 9th or 10th grader -- jot something down NOW! Even a little bit will be a blessing to you down the road!

Thank you for the warning. I will be tackling the Big T this summer for everything completed during 9th.

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How important is it to put the dates of classes on a transcript? The way we homeschool, the dates are going to look crazy. For example, right now we're doing 10th grade history, 11th grade science and English, 11th grade math (algebra II) but only partly completed 10th grade math (geometry) which we will go back and finish after algabra II is done. Algebra I took us 2 1/2 years to get through (we started in 8th grade), but it looks like ancient history will only take about 6 months. As soon as we finish one course, we go right into the next course in that content area. So when we finish ancient history next month, we will start American history the next day.

 

We homeschool year round. We don't take scheduled breaks, though we do take procrastination breaks. I believe in letting my son learn at his own pace, which is much faster in some subjects than others.

 

In short, if I put dates on the transcript, it will look really weird. I'd rather just put grade levels. What do you think?

 

This is my transcript:

 

http://shadesofwhite.typepad.com/shades_of_white/2007/07/high-school-tra.html

 

I group the classes by topic and not by year.

 

Jean

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This is my transcript:

 

 

 

Love the example, Jean! Thanks so much for sharing. It is so helpful to see examples of real homeschool students. Honestly, the thought of making it landscape orientation never occurred to me. I've looked at a handful of samples, but never saw one that way. Although, come to think of it, my own hs transcript from ps was in landscape format. Was that a purposeful decision?

 

Did you have a 2nd sheet that included activities or anything? Course descriptions? Booklists?

 

Looks like this was from a few years ago. Would you do everything the same if you had to do it again for another child?

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Love the example, Jean! Thanks so much for sharing. It is so helpful to see examples of real homeschool students. Honestly, the thought of making it landscape orientation never occurred to me. I've looked at a handful of samples, but never saw one that way. Although, come to think of it, my own hs transcript from ps was in landscape format. Was that a purposeful decision?

 

Did you have a 2nd sheet that included activities or anything? Course descriptions? Booklists?

 

Looks like this was from a few years ago. Would you do everything the same if you had to do it again for another child?

 

I looked at a dozen or so transcripts before making my own. I liked the landscape orientation. The only school my daughter and son applied to that required more than the transcript was Hillsdale. Everyone else only asked for the transcript and the ACT or SAT scores. I did make one for Hillsdale for my dd, but I never needed one for my son. My youngest child will graduate next year, and he might be looking at other schools, so we will see. :)

 

I've already filled out my youngest son's transcript with the grades that he has gotten so far. I use it as proof of his good-student standing for his car insurance. So, yes, unless a school requests something different, I will use this for him as well.

 

Jean

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Jean, I noticed that you named your home school. Is that something the colleges requested, or had you already named your school? Just wondering if having a name for a home school ever confused them.

 

I know many homeschoolers who name their school and have it on their transcript. I don't think the colleges care one way or the other--I'm sure they have seen it all. :)

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No dates on Dd's and nobody squawked. We listed hers by year and then I chose either the beginning year or the ending year (for those things started in the middle) that looked the most "normal". So, Geometry begun in 8th grade but ended in 9th grade, went in 9th grade. Biology was finished in 9th grade and chemistry was 3/4th completed in 9th, but instead of showing biology and chemistry in 9th, I showed chemistry in 10th with her science elective of astronomy.

 

State schools never, ever asked for course descriptions though I provided them anyway plus her Great Books reading list. But, a couple of private schools did ask and one also wanted a curriculum list. I kind of blew the brains into scattered pieces when they saw the curriculum list because it's pretty rare for us to teach a class from only one source!

 

Faith

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Thanks for sharing!

I have one question: why did you list "credit attempted" separately?

Do colleges specifically ask for that? In case an attempted credit is not achieved, would I want them to know?

 

Thanks

 

I put that in only because I know that classes students drop (other than at the beginning of the year/semester) show up on the transcript of many schools. Also, I know many homeschoolers who start their children in classes and then pull them out because they are too hard or they don't have time for them or they have lost interest--I wanted to show that we do not do that.

 

This would not need to be on the transcript. I don't know of anyone specifically asking for this. I have had folks at a couple of universities comment about my transcript--they have liked it. Whether that is part of what they like or not, I can't say.

 

Jean

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How important is it to put the dates of classes on a transcript? The way we homeschool, the dates are going to look crazy. For example, right now we're doing 10th grade history, 11th grade science and English, 11th grade math (algebra II) but only partly completed 10th grade math (geometry) which we will go back and finish after algabra II is done. Algebra I took us 2 1/2 years to get through (we started in 8th grade), but it looks like ancient history will only take about 6 months. As soon as we finish one course, we go right into the next course in that content area. So when we finish ancient history next month, we will start American history the next day.

 

We homeschool year round. We don't take scheduled breaks, though we do take procrastination breaks. I believe in letting my son learn at his own pace, which is much faster in some subjects than others.

 

In short, if I put dates on the transcript, it will look really weird. I'd rather just put grade levels. What do you think?

 

I agree with the above opinions about doing a "subject" based transcript! I think that would fit your needs much better!

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:lurk5: ...end of junior year here and SO annoyed with myself that I didn't just do this as we went along. I really MEANT to!! :glare:

 

But my plan is to list by subject area, and include separate page for course descriptions. Ugh! Just dreading it. And I have to do it for two high schoolers. Maybe I'll remember my lesson when my next batch enters high school?

 

If anyone reading this has a 9th or 10th grader -- jot something down NOW! Even a little bit will be a blessing to you down the road!

 

Are these course descriptions necessary? Have colleges requested this info from homeschoolers, or are we just providing it in case they have questions about the course content?

 

As you can tell from my post, I wasn't planning on providing more than the usual transcript - probably by grade, but maybe by subject. I'd hate to be hitting application time only to find out then that I need detailed course descriptions. :tongue_smilie:

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A number of the colleges to which my daughter applied did require course descriptions along with a transcript. She applied to ten colleges in all; these included our state university's honor college, some more and less selective colleges, plus an Ivy league college.

 

I'd be happy to share her transcript and course descriptions if you send me a personal message with your email address.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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