Do you include Course Descriptions with your transcript?

[homewithtrinity]

I was curious what others have discovered when applying to colleges. Do they want Course Descriptions? Did you include it just in case?

[Cynde]

A couple of the colleges ds applied to required course descriptions for homeschoolers. Since I had to write them up anyways, we just sent them to all the school ds applied to. I figured it couldn't hurt and could only give them a better picture of what ds had studied.

[Gwen in VA]

We sent course descriptions -- all 8 pages!

 

Course descriptions convey the level and difficulty of the work your students have done in high school. Why would you not want to send them along with your other materials when applying to college?

 

I figure that the college has NO idea of what "English 9" means unless we tell them. Does it mean working through one textbook or does it mean extensive work with not only grammar but also literature, literary analysis, essays, analogies.......

 

Even the more specific course title "US history" gives no idea of how challenging the course was. What textbook was used? What other books or resources were used? Did it require reading primary sources? Did it have an extensive writing component? Any major research papers? A course with extensive primary source readings, a difficult textbook, extensive writing, and major research papers will be a MUCH more solid course than one that just uses a fairly simple textbook.

 

 

Since our kids did a LOT of hard work in high school, we wanted the colleges to be aware of all the work our kids did.

 

There are two circumstances where I think sending in course descriptions is pretty much required:

 

1) Merit scholarships. If you are interested in your child receiving merit aid, you want your child to come across to the admissions folks as very well qualified. Course descriptions help convey to the admssions folks what kind of work your child is capable of.

 

2) Selective schools. Stanford says on its page about homeschoolers that that "you should provide a detailed description of your curriculum when you apply." Selective schools already have many many applicants; our job as homeschoolers applying to selective schools is to convince them that our student has the background to not only succeed at that school but also to contribute to the community. Course descriptions provide the admissions people with more information, which is helpful for them in making decisions.

[homewithtrinity]

So is there somewhere online to find course outlines? Or can I just use what websites say about the programs we used?

[Janet in WA]

Some colleges asked for them, some didn't. I sent course descriptions to every college. They were a separate document (not part of the transcript), and the colleges that didn't ask for them could consider them or not -- up to them.

[LaJuana]

...after having four children apply to and be accepted to fourteen different colleges with homeschool transcripts. On the transcript I indicate that a complete set of course descriptions is available on request, but none of the colleges have ever asked for them, even the ones that say on their website that they require course descriptions from homeschooled students. All four of my children have been awarded generous merit scholarships for academics, too, including full tuition scholarships.

 

IMHO colleges give most weight to the SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation from teachers other than parents, and personal essays and interviews when evaluating homeschooled students. At least that's the only reason I can think why my course descriptions have never been requested when I was willing to make them available. The schools my children applied to were all excellent private Christian liberal arts colleges. I suspect that had one of them applied to the USAFA or one of the California state colleges, I would have had to send course descriptions, but I wonder if the overworked admissions staff at most schools just don't really have time to read through all those impressive course descriptions I was willing to send. :001_smile:

[Gwen in VA]

I have NO idea whether or not our course descriptions were ever read by anyone!

 

When dd1 and ds2 were talking to admissions folks about what kind of documentation the admissions office would like to see, they ALL (Ivy league to state schools to LAC's) basically said, "As much as you care to send us!" Even UVA, which is a huge school that stresses on its admissions forms how they don't want to see any extra documentation, reacted positively when we asked if they wanted to see reading lists. The counselor said that UVA rquired course descriptions of homeschoolers.

 

I guess whether or not to send in course descriptions depends on the college.

 

I will always send the course descriptions in the application package -- I figure that we don't have anything to lose by sending them in (the worst that can happen is that they don't get read) and everything to win by sending them in -- namely impressing the admissions folks!

 

But like all things in homeschooling, different strokes for different folks! :)

[Chris in VA]

I will include a book list, and have course descriptions ready to go. I have a book that gives great tips on describing homeschool courses in the kind of language that will be "impressively accurate!" I think it's called Homeschooling High School.

I use the Covenant College transcript example from their site, and I won't include course descriptions unless asked.

[Susan in IL]

I did since at that time the colleges didn't have specifics of what they wanted from homeschoolers. Most have updated their websites and a couple do say they want course descriptions. I have no idea if it helped or not or if they were even read.

[Janet in WA]

 

...after having four children apply to and be accepted to fourteen different colleges with homeschool transcripts. On the transcript I indicate that a complete set of course descriptions is available on request, but none of the colleges have ever asked for them, even the ones that say on their website that they require course descriptions from homeschooled students.

If you had course descriptions prepared, and some of the colleges stated on their websites that they required them, what was your reason for not sending them to those colleges?

[LaJuana]

...are really philosophical. I believe that homeschooled students should be treated identically in admissions policies to students in public schools or private schools. The courses taught in traditional high schools can vary widely (as can the grading standards), but to my knowledge, public and private high schools are not required to send course descriptions with their transcripts (the CA state university system may have created an exception). I want my children to be considered not as "special cases" but just the same as any other students who are applying for admission or scholarships.

 

I remember a state school saying that in order for my Natl. Merit Finalist and NM-scholarship-winning child to apply to that school, she would have to pass the GED. That is the kind of entrenched arrogance that I oppose. I don't have any philosophical objection if a school requires x number of SAT II exams for all their applicants (and some do), but I do object on philosophical grounds if a school requires x number of SAT II exams from homeschooled students and none from others (and some do).

 

I believe so much in what we homeschooling families have committed ourselves to doing; I have devoted my life to teaching my children and tutoring homeschooled students in my community. As we homeschoolers continue to uphold high standards for education and diligently to teach our children and/or coordinate their instruction with other tutors, as our children become active and contributing members of their college communities and then their adult communities, I think homeschooling will continue to gain respect among college admissions personnel, and that it will come to be viewed in the society at large as a competitive alternative to traditional education rather than as a "special case."

 

At the same time, I don't want to cause offense in the admissions offices. Those folks are just trying to do their job well, and I respect that. Most of them have been so gracious and helpful to us. That is why I offer to send the extra information. But first I want to give those folks the opportunity to examine all the documentation that any other school would send them. I think that information speaks for itself. If not, I'm confident the course descriptions would. But, so far none of the colleges have asked for them, and my children have been blessed with generous merit scholarships from every school to which they applied.

 

I'm really not militant, just a sort of reluctant radical. :001_smile: I want so much for people to realize that education is not something that must be left to the professionals or the credentialed. Any human being can take his education in his own hands and soar!

[Janet in WA]

Makes sense. Thanks for taking time for such a thoughtful answer.

[DollyM]

LaJuana said it so much better than I have time to. ;)

 

My reasons are the same as hers for not including the course descriptions I had written. I sent colleges the transcript that included the note, "course descriptions, reading lists and philosophy of education available upon request." DD applied to and was accepted with scholarhsips at 5 LACs. None of them "requested" any of my descriptions or reading lists. She took a binder that included a copy of all these documents but when she asked the dean if he wanted to see it he said, "no I have your essay" and then they went on to discuss that.

 

I would never have indicated "provided upon request" if I didn't HAVE them just in case ... but, like LaJuana I was pleased that DD was considered and accepted on the same merits as other non-homeschooled kids. She will have to prove her merit later in her courses, but her SATs and "Mommy-Transcript" was enough to get her in the door(s). I like that.

[Gwen in VA]

It's funny -- I have the opposite point of view from LaJuana. I figure that anything that clarifies my child's background will be helpful in the college admissions process.

 

You see, I believe that kids from small out-of-the-way high schools, like homeschoolers, are at a disadvantage in the college application process, and I want to do anything that I can to overcome that hurdle.

 

Admissions counselors visit high schools, talk with guidance counselors, and get to know the "scoop" on individual high schools and their programs. As one admissions counselor at Duke put it, "You are sweating over that 'B' you received in English your junior year. What you don't know is that we know your high school so well that we know that that teacher has not given an 'A' for the past nine years."

 

That is one reason why a brilliant student from some out-of-the-way high school in, say, Nebraska, might have problems getting accepted to a liberal arts college in Maine -- the admissions counselors don't know a thing about the high school. They could accept the student and take a risk, but except if the student REALLY stands out, why should they make the gamble when there are plenty of students from more well-known schools?

 

This knowledge of high schools can work both ways -- if John was accepted from little-known high school B and does not do well at the college, the college would be less likely to accept another student from high school B.

 

I submit all the information I can to the colleges to overcome the obstacle of the college knowing NOTHING about my program of studies except what we tell them. This is one area where homeschoolers have the advantage over students from little-known high schools -- we can share lots of paperwork, but the colleges, to be fair, won't accept lots of paperwork from the smaller schools.

 

Just a different point-of-view!

[Janet in WA]

And thank you for your thoughts, too.

[Guest Katia]

Yes, I sent them to all the colleges dd applied to ( 2 state U's, 2 private LAC and 1 music conservatory).

 

Two of the colleges dd applied to actually required them as part of the admissions process for homeschooled applicants, only these colleges called them an "Academic Portfolio". They required: title of course, date course was taken, text(s) used with either author, publisher or both if available, and a course description.

 

When I typed it all out, I had 17 pages. :tongue_smilie:

 

After all that work, I just decided to sent it along with all the other college applications as well as her "Major Literature Works Read" list that was required by the same two colleges.

 

I'm really, really glad I sent them to the other colleges. One that didn't require them actually told me that they would have admitted her with just her transcript, but with the Academic Portfolio in their hands they were able to evaluate and compare her courses to those offered in the State of Indiana and upped her a level above their state high school Honors Diploma and therefore admitted her to their Honors College. Wow! Just because I sent it in.

 

I'll see if I can find a copy that I didn't send, lol, and type out a few of the courses for you in another post.

[classicallyrelaxedmomof3]

Would those of you that did course descriptions mind sharing them?

 

I know ours will be different (from different resources and such). But it helps me to get lots of examples.

Cathy

[Chris in VA]

Let me edit that--or at least add to it--

 

We did encounter one school that asked for course descriptions and wants the transcript (from h'schooled kids) to be notarized. So, I think I will go ahead and have our friend notarize all our transcripts and include course descriptions along with our reading list.

[classicallyrelaxedmomof3]

:bigear:

Would those of you that did course descriptions mind sharing them?

 

I know ours will be different (from different resources and such). But it helps me to get lots of examples.

Cathy

[Laura K (NC)]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20932&highlight=descriptions

[Reya]

...are really philosophical. I believe that homeschooled students should be treated identically in admissions policies to students in public schools or private schools. The courses taught in traditional high schools can vary widely (as can the grading standards), but to my knowledge, public and private high schools are not required to send course descriptions with their transcripts (the CA state university system may have created an exception). I want my children to be considered not as "special cases" but just the same as any other students who are applying for admission or scholarships.

 

Just as an FYI, there are a number of schools with unusual approaches that send course descriptions with all transcripts!

 

Also, most of the really elite schools will be known to the admissions officers, as well as the local and semi-local ones. I see adding a course description list as a great way of showing how special the program is, just like some institutional schools do.