How do you translate college credit to hs transcript?

[praisefor3]

If DD is going to take a 5 credit hour course at a local college next semester, how many high school credits does that stand for on her transcript? Thank you!

[Kareni]

You'll almost certainly get a variety of answers from different responders.

 

One fairly common approach is to equate a semester long college course to a year long high school course (so 1 high school credit). Some consider a semester long college course to be equal to 1/2 high school credit (though this approach tends to be less common). Others consider the subject and then make a determination on a class by class basis.

 

You mentioned "semester," so I assume the college is on a semester basis. My daughter has been taking classes at the local community college which is based on a quarter system.

 

In 11th grade, my daughter took College Algebra (a 5 hour class) and then Trigonometry the following quarter (a 4 hour class). She took no math her final quarter. Since those two are the equivalent of Pre-Calculus (in fact both classes used the same text, Sullivan's Pre-Calculus), I considered them equal to a year long high school Pre-Calculus class and awarded her one high school credit for the two classes. My formula for subsequent community college classes has thus become: one 4 or 5 credit class on a quarter system is equivalent to 0.5 high school credits.

 

Both the University of Oregon and the University of Washington take a different approach to quarter long community college classes. They consider them equivalent to one full year at the high school level.

 

Here's a quote from the University of Washington site:

 

"In general, five quarter credits (or three semester credits) at the college level equals one year of high-school study."

 

Here's a quote from the University of Oregon site which shows an even more generous approach:

 

"A one-term transferable college course of at least three credits (quarter system) is equal to one year of high school work."

 

That seemed a little too generous for my taste thus my approach outlined above.

 

Regards,

Kareni

Edited December 29, 2008 by Kareni

[Ailaena]

I have heard of people having some complicated formula about how to translate college hours into high school hours, but I don't care enough to deal with that!

 

With some exceptions in the math/science area, I would list a one semester college course as a one semester high school course and give 1/2 credit (or however you work it). At this point, dd is still officially in middle school, but I have still done the same thing on the transcripts I have had to prepare for various reasons. The 5 credit physical science class received 1/2 credit, French 101, 102, 201 and soon 202 will each get 1/2 credit even though each semester is 5 credits and the equivalent of one year of high school, and the four credit Art in Ancient Egypt class will also receive 1/2 credit.

 

For two semester college science courses, these are equivalent to a full-year AP course, so would receive no more credit than a typical AP class. I have no interest in weighting grades because so many colleges just convert to unweighted grades anyways. My exceptions would be one semester pre-college courses like fundamental chemistry/biology/physics or anything below college algebra. These are usually equivalent to one year of high school, so could receive credit for one year of high school work. Of course, I say that, but just gave fundamental chemistry credit for one semester on the transcript!

 

I will have faith that a college is able to determine that these were college courses, and won't need any extra information from me other than which semester she took it and the grade she received. For us, there will be no need to convert. Of course, if you have to track hours, and thats why you were asking, sorry I didn't answer the question!

[Ellie]

One semester college course equals 1 high school credit (or whatever credit is commonly given in your state for a one-year high school course; in California, for example, it would be 10 credits), regardless of how many semester hours it is. If you try to do anything different, things will get weird on the high school transcript. You can indicate on the high school transcript that the course was taken at college, and include the college transcript if it becomes necessary.

[outtamyshell]

I am translating all semester courses at the community college and university as one highschool credit (regardless of credit hours). I think it's easiest to just do a straight translation. It also makes sense to me especially because our public schools use block scheduling and only offer courses for half the year.

 

I am treating college courses as honors courses on our highschool transcript. I don't think any colleges will count the honors, but I am using the same transcript format our public schools use. And it includes both a weighted and unweighted gpa.

 

I am requiring dd to take two credits of American History to cover the entire time frame. She'll end of up with 5 history credits when she graduates. I spoke with a college counselor who said someone in admissions might not like that she only took half a year of Am History when her counterparts took a full year. With two credits she'll cover the same period of time. I was also told that colleges will consider an AP course as the same level as a 200 level college course. So I won't worry about drawing equivalents between our highschool and college courses and AP courses.

 

My advice would be not to stress over your decisions. But be prepared to document how you determined credit for the courses when you submit those college applications.

[mcconnellboys]

Is this a class with a separate lab? Many college courses are now 3 hours of credit. Is that the case here, or is this perhaps a 4 hour science course with a one hour lab, etc.?

 

I would definitely count this as equal to a year of high school level work; I might count it as 2 high school credits, depending upon what it is and how much is involved with it.

 

For college classes taken in high school, I listed them as dual credit courses on my older son's transcript. I did not weight the grades, as a high school would for an AP course, because many colleges are beginning to strip away weighted averages, anyway. The grade he got is what I listed. However, if you are weighting other honors or AP courses on your transcript, you should maintain consistency and do it for these sort of courses, too. My son was transferring back to a traditional high school, so there was no reason for me to do this.

 

You will also typically submit a transcript from the school she attends which lists these courses, corroborating your transcript and allowing for transfer of credits, if she wishes to use those.