This is exactly what I did, all the transcripts prior to graduation date had "Expected Graduation Date" on the top right and after everything was completed I changed that to just "Graduation Date". I also titled the document as Final Transcript not just Transcript.

So here was my take on using Great Courses for high school. I realize that they are dull to many kids, just a professor at a podium and a few graphics, they are not as engaging as a documentary. However, I thought they were not only a way to gain knowledge and a perspective beyond the textbook but also a chance for my kids to gain some note taking skills and adjust to the lecture format they would have in college. (As a sidenote-DE was not an option for either of these kids and both elected a college prep track when starting high school.)

Statistics could be useful. I think both of my kids who went on to be history/government majors would have appreciated that knowledge over calculus.

Spielvogel was our choice for Western Civilization too. We followed an AP European History syllabus (there are plenty of examples out there to use if you don't want to write your own). I supplemented with Great Courses lectures and we did British/European literature and art history alongside this course. One kid did a history of the Medieval World using the SWB book and WTMA, the other did an Early European history course of our devising before this course. Not that I think either of those were essential as a full year predecessor, just what we did.

One thought-you mention she is taking a DE course in your signature line. Be sure that any DE courses are wrapped up with grades appearing on their transcript before the date you list as her graduation date. That would look odd if your transcript gave a graduation date that preceded the date on the DE transcript. Otherwise I don't think anyone will actually care. Congratulations to the graduate and her teacher!

I had left US history and government until senior year for my oldest. She completed both as AP courses. For my middle kid I had just planned to do the same since it worked well the first time but he wanted to participate in Boys State. Fortunately he follows current events and is a bit of a history buff so it turned out ok, but that is when I learned that for some external scholarships, leadership events, etc. there is an expectation that students will have had US history and gov during sophomore or junior year. I would place economics where it fits best for you. If you intend to do AP level government you might want it as a full year course. If I were doing one semester of government and one semester of economics alongside US history I would do government first semester and econ second. I think studying government parallel to the history of the Constitution and formation/early years of the Supreme Court is logical and they support each other, while studying economics against the backdrop of industrialization, the Great Depression, and 20th/21st century is more relevant. Academically and in terms of successful college applications it really doesn't matter which year in high school this material is covered, due to the expectations mentioned above my last kid will be taking these courses in junior year. I tend to structure it as a full US based humanities package-government, history, and literature but that is just a personal preference. (We cover Europe, World, and the Ancient World during courses in the other years for those topics.)

When my oldest two took that class they used American Stories by Brands. Neither complained about the text and it seems to fulfill their AP needs.

Is he transferring college to college or community college to college/university? As I understand the community college situation here in VA, only certain classes can transfer to the state schools (VA is a state with an transfer agreement between community colleges and state schools) as not all courses are deemed to be at the college/university level. College to college is not automatically a 1:1 transfer of credit. I would feel free to challenge any decisions and would come prepared to discuss what courses at the new school you think are the equivalent to what you are asking transfer credit for. They might not accept those courses as elective because the do not meet the definition of elective at the new institution (ie courses at a specific level, outside you major, inside the major but not required, or...) First, try to learn what exactly their objection is and then proceed from there. While it may be too late or may not have changed your son's mind about transferring, it is important to note that students should be having serious conversations with the gaining college about what courses will transfer for credit and not make any assumptions; whether you are dealing with DE credits from high school, switching from community college, or changing four year institutions.

Just my take on this... 1) Yes, include course descriptions for every course, even DE. If I felt there course description was too short then I might add either a couple sentences of my own or a couple from any description given by the instructor on the syllabus. I would also add the title and author of the main text(s) used. Be sure to give both the course title and the code. The way I did mine was to give the course title followed by the provider if any in parentheses, then a paragraph description that ended with "Course Instructor: Instructor Name, relevant quals if they used them." Then I listed major texts used. 2) I would use course titles on the transcript (put the codes in the course description). The people looking will have no idea what they mean, and in some cases the code could be confusing. They may not take the time to look these up when going over a transcript. 3) Social studies is fine for economics. Accounting would be better under a business heading. If you have a couple stray courses you could just have a catch all heading for them. Or, you do not need to list course by topic, you could list them by academic year. (I listed mine in the same order for each year, ie English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Foreign Language, etc. with the subjects that weren't followed all four years coming last.) 4) I chose to follow local area high school's convention with inclusion of 8th grade work. For us that meant just math and foreign language courses. It is up to you. But be sure that you do not need the Algebra 1 credit to fulfill a requirement of the school you are applying to, ie they want four years of math and the transcript only shows 3 years because Algebra 1 is missing. 5) I put all planned/enrolled senior class on the transcript and in course descriptions. I listed the credit value but did not include the credits in the totals on the transcript. I also either left the grade blank or marked it as IP (in progress). Be sure you include an "expected" graduation date, this will change to graduation date once that happens. Remember you will have 3 versions of the transcript you send. First, the one that goes out with applications in the fall, second, one with mid year grades that goes out at the end of the first semester to those schools that request this, and third, a final transcript with the end GPA, graduation dates, etc. that will go to the school your student chooses to attend. You may also need the DE school to send the same transcripts. I chose whenever possible to make my transcript and course descriptions a single PDF that the school would have in one place so they could find all the information together.

We are a Mac family but one kid wanted to go PC and Samsung phone for college. He did the research and ended up with a HP. He seems pretty pleased with it but he's a humanities student so... Do check with the college on what their requirements are and what any departmental requirements are. Getting four years at college was about as much as our daughter's computer could handle before it became bogged down, she's looking at a replacement for grad school. Look at the weight and portability if the computer will be carried to class and the library regularly. You might also check what sort of computers can be service on or near campus. Many colleges have a deal with one or more computer companies for purchase and service agreements, to include loaner units when yours is in for repair.

I hope she has a wonderful experience where ever she lands! Congratulations to you and her!

There has been more news of the future plans for members of the Class of 2020: two will be attending Veterinary school (one at Virginia Tech and the other at Ohio State), one attending law school at Ohio State, one going into the Nursing school at Duke, and one working at Boeing, and one serving the Navy as a nuclear engineer. I think these are some pretty solid outcomes that speak well for the education Sweet Briar provides.

FWIW-my daughter's soon to be alma mater just announced that they will be on campus in the fall. It sounds like they have thought this through, have plans for testing on campus, and ways to keep the community safer. I think it will all depend on the individual school and location.

So, I haven't been on the boards much recently so I missed this conversation. My apologies. My daughter is a member of the first class that was recruited following the near closure. Yes, SBC is a small, tight community but that offers many positives for students. You will know your professors personally and have lots of opportunity to interact in small class rooms, pursue research, and attend a variety of national and international academic conferences. The students participate regularly in internships around the world and take part in semesters abroad programs. SBC is one of two women's colleges with an accredited engineering program. They are doing some very forward thinking work in the areas of environmental science and sustainability as educational programs. My daughter is attending graduate school in the fall at Georgetown in the School of Foreign service, she has classmates who will be attending American, James Madison, and Catholic Univ., to name a few. Some classmates have secured employment at the Columbus Zoo, NASA, and one will be working as an engineer for the first digital nuclear power plant. They have a stellar placement record for veterinary school in particular. During my daughter's time there I have seen nothing to indicate that the school is in immediate financial danger. They have a robust merit scholarship program, treat homeschoolers quite fairly in the admissions process, and have significantly lowered tuition to keep in close to that of an in-state school. It is my understanding that during their recovery phase they have not had to tap into their endowment. The facts behind there near closure remain murky and I believe will remain undisclosed due to court order or other legal agreement. I do not believe that SBC's near closure was, in truth, related to their financial condition but rather to far more unsavory activities by administration and board members who no longer serve the school. For those curious about statistics, for the Class of 2023 the mean GPA is 3.5 and the mean SAT is 1120. I would urge anyone curious to engage with the college and see what they have to offer. While a small, rural campus may not suit every student it is worth a look for the one on one interactions with faculty, the sense of community, and the support offered which I think set it apart from many other schools. As for this statement...I cannot even begin to express how unkind this is. The young women I have met at SBC are engaged in academics, many are also NCAA Div.III athletes, and participate in or lead a variety of student activities. While I realize I may be a bit more sensitive to this remark due to my daughter being a student there, in reality that statement is nothing but mockery and bullying over a name. In case you are curious, the college is named for the property that it sits on, which, in turn, was named for the roses that grew wild in the area. I don't think it is helpful to conclude an otherwise reasonable discussion of test scores and statistics with such mean spirited-ness.

I think this will ultimately be a college by college choice unless either a state or federal government mandates students remain at home. I cannot imagine a situation in which a college will lower its tuition if they use an online classroom in the fall. Obviously they could not charge room and board to a student not utilizing those services. I would go so far as to expect a hefty technology fee for that semester. Ultimately they still need to maintain the campus, pay employees, pay their faculty, and so on. Their basic agreement is to provide an opportunity to earn credit. If they provide that opportunity and you complete the required work successfully and receive the credit towards graduation then you have received what you paid for; the delivery system is not a guarantee as can be seen by the variety of ways professors conduct their courses. Some students are very challenged to have connectivity or access to computers. International students may not have the same services we have here in the US and a wide variety of locations in the US lack reliable internet or even internet at all. However, students are resourceful. One of my son's classmates has made the news recently for attending class in a tent because that was the only location at home where he could remain quarantined and get internet via his cell phone. However, such determination will not solve all internet issues. Colleges will probably be very understanding of students taking a leave of absence until on campus instruction resumes. But that could come at a cost for many schools as some students may enter the workforce and decide not to return to college. I know my son's college has announced they are working a triple plan-start on time and on campus being their working model but are busy now creating plans B & C for a delayed start on campus or a early departure from campus. As a military school this is a particular challenge since much of the instruction is done outside the classroom with regard to leadership skills, military training, and physical training. We have yet to hear from my daughter's grad school on how they expect to proceed, although for her grad school it may be slightly easier since a larger number of students are located in urban/suburban areas near the school, already working from home, and more likely to have the necessary equipment and they have a topic that lends itself to discussion, research, and papers rather than labs and in person experiences. In other words, I think it will really depend on the school.

Sorry-responded to the wrong thread...

I have two nieces who are JMU grads, for one of them it was her first choice school. They both loved it and have profited from the education. I learned that there is not enough housing to have students live on campus all four years. Also, their parents observed that JMU is sinking lots of money into campus improvements, building projects, renovations, better food and living spaces, new classrooms, increased student services, etc. This is different from many campuses that are downsizing, cutting programs, slow to renovate, etc. Do look at some of the Virginia private schools if they appeal to your students. I think a few have attempted to bring their prices more in line with state tuition levels. Also, from what I hear from my college kids (both in VA schools), UVA isn't a pressure cooker-it's a party school, at least that is their reputation. If you are considering what is a pressure cooker at a large university, I think you have to dig deeper into the individual departments. A place can be challenging and competitive in one department but not in another.

I had 6 columns across the back: course titles (in order they appeared on the front), letter grade for that class, number of credits awarded for that class, the course grade unweighted (ie 4.0), course grade weighted (ie 5.0), reason for weighting the grade (honors, AP, college level course). At the bottom I gave the total credits possible, the total points weighted and unweighted (ie add up the columns), at the very bottom were the total credits earned and each GPA based on the credits. For a mid-year transcript some courses were designated "IP or In Progress" and not included in the GPA or in the credits used to calculate GPA. I hope that makes sense and I hope it helps!

FWIW--My transcripts had a two or three letter code that I included as a superscript after the course title to indicate any outside course provider. At the bottom of the transcript I had a key that explained the codes (ie WTM for Well-Trained Mind Academy). I also added a + or * to indicate a weighted course or AP course with exam. I went into much more detail in the course descriptions. I viewed the transcript like a first resume, it should have all the relevant information on one single page. Student name, the phrase "official transcript", contact information, student date of birth, unweighted GPA, weighted GPA, credits earned, credits expected, expected graduation date (be sure to change once they have graduated for the final transcript), class names, grades (I listed as letter grades), credits per class, significant test scores and academic honors. I also included a grading scale, ie A=4.0 or 97-100 B-= 2.7 or 80-82. On the back side of the transcript was a detailed breakdown of credits, weighted and unweighted grades, and how I calculated both GPAs.

My college kids both had three years of a foreign language with no validating test. They also didn't have the option of studying this language at college (it's not commonly taught). However, they both benefited from the course work personally and academically. They also appear to have been given full "credit" by admissions departments for having studied the language. They also both had 4 years of Latin, culminating with the AP exam. They both chose to take a third language in college to fulfill their foreign language requirements. For admissions purposes I don't think it will matter, write solid course descriptions of what your student(s) studied each year, texts used, books read in the original language, etc. If they desire higher level placement then the college they ultimately attend should be offering placement exams over the summer or during orientation.

If you take the college course route be sure that they are taking courses that will actually transfer to the future school of choice. Aside from a few community college/state university agreements around the country, there is no guarantee that the gaining school will accept the credits. Even in the case of those agreements, the transferability only applies to some courses not all courses offered.

It took me a while to dig up... (Its been a few years since I had a kid in Latin 3.) It was the tag line on the course evaluation/course description they were given at the end of the semester (for 3b). "Latin 3 may be counted as an Honors Course of study, and ample preparation for AP Latin (year 4)" I do not recall this appearing prior to Latin 3. Hope that helps. I weighted courses designated honors by the curriculum provider/instructor, AP courses that had received College Board approval (either my own or an outside provider's), and the few courses that were designated as college level by the course provider. I would have weighted a DE class as well but my kids didn't use dual enrollment.

If you choose not to include a weighted GPA beside to mark it as unweighted. Do not assume that an admissions committee will know that automatically. FWIW I included both. For weighted courses I chose to use those indicated by the curriculum provider as honors, college level, or AP courses. In the case of Lukeion, I believe that beginning with Latin 3 they were considered honors courses.

I highly recommend course descriptions. Validating exams aside, you might be shocked at what homeschoolers routinely submit (or fail to submit) as part of the application process. We had more than one admissions office thank us for the detailed course descriptions we provided. It gave them a basis for judging our student's work and defending why they were good candidates for admissions and scholarships. To be brutal, I think the view of an admissions office is that they often have more great applicants than they can accept. If you give them a reason not to choose your student then they will take it, that could include lack of documentation or evidence of challenging work. Therefore, I would give them every reason to say yes. I also recommend including course descriptions over stating they are available on request. Admissions officers are very busy and don't want to have to find time to contact you to ask for more paperwork. Do homeschooled kids get into college with out all this paperwork, yes. Does it potentially give a kid a boost or level the playing field when they are in a competitive environment such as selective schools or scholarships? I am a firm believer that it does.

I wasn't trying to discourage you, I'd just be sure that the affected students had their study habits and expectations in the right place. This is not an unachievable goal.