Creating a Transcript for High School Applications

[kagmypts]

My daughter will be entering ninth grade next year, and we are applying to one of our local high schools.  Does anyone have any resources for creating a middle school transcript?  I have found several templates online for high school transcripts, but credit hours seem over the top for middle school coursework.  I would love any links or advice.  Thank you.

[OneStepAtATime]

Have you talked to them directly to see what they actually need?

 

As mentioned above if you have a list of the subjects she has covered and materials used plus grades I would think that would be sufficient for most middle schoolers.

[RootAnn]

I believe several people have done this over the years, hut I can't remember names right now. Try cross-posting to the Accelerated Learner Board.

 

In my opinion, you could use a similar format for the class list and grades. I wouldn't worry as much about hours. If you used high school texts, a page of resources used or high level books read might be a good addition, but only if they were at a significantly higher level than a normal middle school course,

[Melissa B]

My dd is applying to high school this year as well. I just used the standard high school transcript and gave her credit hours. All of the local middle schools do six classes (six credits) per year so I made sure she had at least six credits in each year of middle school. I figured it would be best if her transcript closely resembled the other middle school students for easy comparison.

Edited January 16, 2018 by Melissa B

[Lori D.]

A transcript is a list of courses completed, with grades earned and credit earned. Credits are probably not applicable for middle school, so it would be a list of classes or subjects your student completed in each grade of middle school, along with the grade earned.

A course description is a separate document that lists each course with a brief explanation of what was covered in the course and what major materials were used.

To save yourself a lot of frustration ;), I'd talk to the administration to find out what they want. They may also like to see any standardized test scores you have, in order to help them place your student into classes.

An aside:
If your student has taken any high school level courses in middle school that you want the high school to credit, or at least take into consideration when placing your student, you will definitely want detailed documentation of what was used, and possibly samples of your student's work, but also be prepared that the school may require your student to take the "exit exam" for that course in order for the school to place the student in the next level of course.

For example: if your student took Biology, Algebra 1 and Spanish 1 as an 8th grader, the student may need the extra documentation, or need to take the final exams for Biology, Algebra 1 and Spanish 1 in order to enroll in Chemistry, Geometry, and Spanish 2 upon entering high school as a freshman.

Every school has their own policies -- some accept courses from homeschool or other public schools without extra effort; some require the student to take the new school's final exam for each subject as prove of ability; and some schools flat out don't accept any courses/credits and students must come in as freshmen and take all freshmen-level classes, no matter what.

These were the only past threads I could find on this topic, after a quick search:
"Creating a middle school transcript"
"Creating a middle school transcript xp"

Edited September 28, 2018 by Lori D.

[MinivanMom]

Our local high school requests that homeschool transcripts list a fall & spring grade along with the final grade and the number of credits earned for each course. That's how most middle schools do their transcripts so it's considered a pretty standard format. Our high school also requests that the transcript be printed on homeschool "letterhead" and that the transcript be signed by the parent. It all seems a little silly to me, but I think school counselors are used to seeing course information in a standard format, and it makes their lives simpler if homeschoolers present themselves in that format as well. 

 

I would check with the high schools first to see if they have any particular requirements for what they want to see on the transcript, but you won't go wrong using a high school template. Our local high schools have a very particular list of what they want to see if you are requesting high school credit for any of your courses, so that's something to ask about if you are wanting credit for Algebra or foreign language.

[kagmypts]

Thank you so much for the suggestions.  The high school just told me to send in "what I have" and that they will let me know if they "want anything else."  I decided to include course title, numeric grade, and letter grade.  I am also creating an addendum that includes the textbooks used (and associated author/publisher) for each course.  They didn't seem to too interested in additional information.  

 

My daughter is taking Geometry this year so we will see how the school handles that.  They sort of brushed it off when we talked earlier in the application cycle.  Thank you again!

ETA - I used a Word template from HSLDA.

https://www.hslda.org/highschool/academics.asp#transcripts

Edited January 16, 2018 by kagmypts

[Lori D.]

On 1/16/2018 at 1:31 PM, kagmypts said:

Thank you so much for the suggestions.  The high school just told me to send in "what I have" and that they will let me know if they "want anything else."  I decided to include course title, numeric grade, and letter grade.  I am also creating an addendum that includes the textbooks used (and associated author/publisher) for each course.  They didn't seem to too interested in additional information.  

ETA - I used a Word template from HSLDA
https://www.hslda.org/highschool/academics.asp#transcripts

What you have put together sounds super! ? The more "traditional" and official your homeschool transcript looks -- and using a template is a great idea -- the less likely you are to run into problems from the school. ?
 

On 1/16/2018 at 1:31 PM, kagmypts said:

...My daughter is taking Geometry this year so we will see how the school handles that.  They sort of brushed it off when we talked earlier in the application cycle...

Ug. You may need to politely but firmly start applying pressure to find out what the school's policy re: accepting credits or placing your student appropriately.

DD may need to take their test, but you might also ask if they would accept an SAT Subject math test score: SAT Subject test: level 1 Math -- tests Algebra and Geometry skills. (Here is the schedule of SAT Subject tests -- looks like the level 1 Math is offered on May 5 and June 2 -- and here is the test location search engine.)

Another option to look in to if they refuse to place DD into the next math level is to ask about the policy of having DD take Math at her own level through the school's virtual course provider, or through dual enrollment, or other option that they will accept.

Or, if your DD is NOT really "into" math, repeating Geometry next year might allow her more time and energy for transitioning to the new school and new way of schooling for high school, and for getting involved in extracurriculars. Also, if you know in advance that school will not allow DD to have the Geometry credit and will require her to repeat it with them, that could take some of the pressure off of you and DD for this spring semester, and not have to push to finish the Geometry, which could free up time for other things you want to complete or have time for before DD heads to the high school.

Just some random thoughts! BEST of luck! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Lori D.

[Arcadia]

The high school just told me to send in "what I have" and that they will let me know if they "want anything else." 

 

Mine only wants standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, AP) if I have them. They didn’t want a transcript for my 8th grader. Did your high school schedule an interview with the high school guidance counselor for your child? My local public school 8th graders make their 9th grade course selections sometime in April so that there is time for course approvals and the high schools to plan class sizes and teacher allocations. The 9th grade courses here have prerequisites for the honors classes, science placement and math placement.

 

 

DD may need to take their test, but you might also ask if they would accept an SAT Subject math test score: SAT Subject test: level 1 Math -- tests Algebra and Geometry skills.

My district can’t correlate SAT math subject test (regardless of math 1 or math 2) to math placement. A local community college on the other hand would waive the math placement test using sat math section scores or sat math subject test scores but it is the only local community college that would do that, all the other community colleges require taking the math placement test.

[daijobu]

I've used My Homeschool Transcripts for years and I love it.  I used it for both my kids in applying to high schools and competitive summer camps and other programs.  I also use it for general record-keeping.  Every time another test score or award comes in, I record it in MHT.  I use it to keep track of extracurriculars too.  I like that I paid one price and can use it with both daughters as long as I need.  Good luck.

 

 

[kagmypts]

What you have put together sounds super! :) The more "traditional" and official your homeschool transcript looks -- and using a template is a great idea -- the less likely you are to run into problems from the school. ;)

 

 

 

Ug. You may need to politely but firmly start applying pressure to find out what the school's policy re: accepting credits or placing your student appropriately.

 

DD may need to take their test, but you might also ask if they would accept an SAT Subject math test score: SAT Subject test: level 1 Math -- tests Algebra and Geometry skills. (Here is the schedule of SAT Subject tests -- looks like the level 1 Math is offered on May 5 and June 2 -- and here is the test location search engine.)

 

Another option to look in to if they refuse to place DD into the next math level is to ask about the policy of having DD take Math at her own level through the school's virtual course provider, or through dual enrollment, or other option that they will accept.

 

Or, if your DD is NOT really "into" math, repeating Geometry next year might allow her more time and energy for transitioning to the new school and new way of schooling for high school, and for getting involved in extracurriculars. Also, if you know in advance that school will not allow DD to have the Geometry credit and will require her to repeat it with them, that could take some of the pressure off of you and DD for this spring semester, and not have to push to finish the Geometry, which could free up time for other things you want to complete or have time for before DD heads to the high school.

 

Just some random thoughts! BEST of luck! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

Thank you for your informative post.  With respect to the part I put in bold, this is a highly competitive, private high school to which we are applying.  I don't want to start "arguing" about class placement before my daughter is actually accepted.  I do know that she will not be taking Geometry again next year.  If that is what the high school feels is necessary, we will just continue homeschooling.  Flexibility is a wonderful thing.

 

Thank you again for your post and advice.

[Lori D.]

On 1/20/2018 at 8:56 PM, kagmypts said:

Thank you for your informative post.  With respect to the part I put in bold, this is a highly competitive, private high school to which we are applying.  I don't want to start "arguing" about class placement before my daughter is actually accepted.  I do know that she will not be taking Geometry again next year.  If that is what the high school feels is necessary, we will just continue homeschooling.  Flexibility is a wonderful thing.

Thank you again for your post and advice.

If not granting credit for Geometry and allowing DD to come in at her higher level of math is the only thing they won't flex about, you might ask if they will allow her to dual enroll or take an online class for just her math. Some schools are pretty willing to allow outsourcing of a single class for an advanced student, esp. since the school gets bragging rights that "some of our students are advanced enough to be taking college courses." ?

Do some research in advance to see what the online options are, or local dual enrollment options are, so you can help make it easy for the school to say "yes". ?

Good luck! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Lori D.