5 years of high school--how to write on transcript?

[jhschool]

What would you do if your child was doing 5 years of high school with respect to the

transcript?

 

Would you

1. List all 5 years with GPA and credits counting (by subject or by grade)

2. List the last 4/5 years and call the year before those last 4 years"8th grade"? (although there was another 8th grade before that) and not count GPA or credits

3. List the 1st/5 year of high school

(call it the second 8th grade or the first 9th grade, as you wish) separately

from the others, and mark it Middle School? (GPA or credits not counting)

4. List the 1st/5 year of high school

(call it the second 8th grade or the first 9th grade, as you wish) separately

from the others, and mark it What? (GPA or credits not counting)

 

I'm OK not counting GPA or credit. I do want colleges to know DS took Algebra,

Geometry, etc. I just don't want them to think I'm pretending to have done

5 years' worth of work

in the last 4 years of high school.

 

Also, should I tell them anywhere that we are doing 5 years of high school? Will that

make DS look incompetent? Or make us look like we are trying to have an advantage

over other kids (since DS will be older than the others.)

 

Thank you for your input!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

It would be easier to give an answer if I knew what sort of courses you were doing each year. If you mean that your kid started doing high school level work early (ie, 7th or 8th grade) or that courses like Algebra were done in 8th grade or high school foreign language were done for 5 years then I'd suggest something like marking high school courses done in 8th grade, and perhaps including them in gpa. But if you mean that it took 5 years to get through what other students might do in 4 years, then a different answer might be in order.

[In The Great White North]

Some schools will not give you the option. At least one had a "fill in on the computer" form - they asked for the last three years only. I thought that was a bit odd, since I haven't seen a 10-12 high school in years!

 

If you have algebra II, trigonometry, and pre-calculus on the transcript, most colleges will assume that algebra and geometry happened in middle school, whether they appear on the transcript or not. Same for Spanish 1, if Spanish 2,3,& 4 are listed.

 

I would definitely not list all 5 years, as I would be afraid the last year would be considered a post-grad year, and possibly change freshman status.

 

I don't know what I'd do, if dc needed all 5 years to add up to enough courses for high school.

[G5052]

This may not work on the online forms, but I know of several who did subject-based transcripts. That way having five years of Latin and five years of math is recorded.

 

I ended up with the traditional 4-year one, and just started with the classes taken in 9th grade even if they were part of a sequence begun in 8th.

 

My kid that may graduate early is getting a 4-year transcript that starts in 8th, and then I'll adjust if they decide to do another year. It will still be a 4-year transcript. All of the local colleges want a 4-year transcript, not a subject-based one. So I gave up on that.

[jhschool]

Thank you for the responses so far.

Here is more information:

 

We have Algebra 1 covered in 8th grade (high school level course)

Language 1 covered in 8th grade (high school level)

Geometry in 9th grade (high school level)

Physics in 9th grade (high school level)

Language 2 in 9th grade (high school level)

 

We are going to re-start 9th grade next year for several reasons:

 

1. extracurriculars take up a huge amount of time

2. we haven't done any social science at all

3. music takes up a huge amount of time

4. it took an extra year to get used to real high school (this past year)

In the next 4 years, we plan to do:

Algebra 2, PreCalc, Calculus, Other Math Course

Biology, Calc-Based Physics, Chemistry, Other Science Course

English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4

Foreign Language 3, Foreign Language 4

World History, American History, Gov't (0.5), Econ (0.5), Other Social Science

Music 1, Music 2, Music 3, Music 4 (0.5 credit each)

PE1, PE2, PE3,PE4 (probably 1 credit for all)

Computer Science (1 credit)

 

So my question is, is it OK to put:

Algebra 1, Geometry, Physics, Language 1&2 - done in middle school

And then just start listing the plan I have above?

Should I put somewhere that we are doing 5 years of high school? Or is it not important?

Is it OK to label next year 9th grade even though it will be a 2nd 9th grade?

Or should I re-label the year he just did as a second 8th grade?

 

I don't want the schools to think he is incompetent for doing high school in 5 years.

He is doing very well now, because the stress is off. He can start fresh with a full load

of high school classes next year and it doesn't have to matter that we got behind on

Social Science or that we spend so much time on ec's/music.

So he is a great student, but would be behind if we moved on to 10th

grade next year. Also he is very busy. Hence we are having him start 9th grade next year.

 

But I still have the above questions about the transcript.

I hope I am not too confusing! (Confused, yes!)

:)

[AK_Mom4]

In that case, I would call this year eighth grade and start next year with ninth.

 

DS17's transcript in ninth grade starts with Algebra 2, English 9, World History, and some advanced German class. It is just assumed that he did the prerequisistes in jr. high (7th and 8th). It is not uncommon here.

[In The Great White North]

Algebra 2, PreCalc, Calculus, Other Math Course

Biology, Calc-Based Physics, Chemistry, Other Science Course

English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4

Foreign Language 3, Foreign Language 4

World History, American History, Gov't (0.5), Econ (0.5), Other Social Science

Music 1, Music 2, Music 3, Music 4 (0.5 credit each)

PE1, PE2, PE3,PE4 (probably 1 credit for all)

Computer Science (1 credit)

 

 

I would put this on the transcript. What he did before is irrelevant. These courses will not raise any eyebrows. If he were to start at a b&m high school next year, and take these courses, they wouldn't mention last year at all.

[rdj2027]

I am in the same boat. I will consider next year the second 8th grade and then start high school after that continuing the sequences where applicable (i.e Latin 2)

[Musicmom]

Thank you for the responses so far.

Here is more information:

 

We have Algebra 1 covered in 8th grade (high school level course)

Language 1 covered in 8th grade (high school level)

Geometry in 9th grade (high school level)

Physics in 9th grade (high school level)

Language 2 in 9th grade (high school level)

 

We are going to re-start 9th grade next year for several reasons:

 

1. extracurriculars take up a huge amount of time

2. we haven't done any social science at all

3. music takes up a huge amount of time

4. it took an extra year to get used to real high school (this past year)

In the next 4 years, we plan to do:

Algebra 2, PreCalc, Calculus, Other Math Course

Biology, Calc-Based Physics, Chemistry, Other Science Course

English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4

Foreign Language 3, Foreign Language 4

World History, American History, Gov't (0.5), Econ (0.5), Other Social Science

Music 1, Music 2, Music 3, Music 4 (0.5 credit each)

PE1, PE2, PE3,PE4 (probably 1 credit for all)

Computer Science (1 credit)

 

So my question is, is it OK to put:

Algebra 1, Geometry, Physics, Language 1&2 - done in middle school

And then just start listing the plan I have above?

Should I put somewhere that we are doing 5 years of high school? Or is it not important?

Is it OK to label next year 9th grade even though it will be a 2nd 9th grade?

Or should I re-label the year he just did as a second 8th grade?

 

I don't want the schools to think he is incompetent for doing high school in 5 years.

He is doing very well now, because the stress is off. He can start fresh with a full load

of high school classes next year and it doesn't have to matter that we got behind on

Social Science or that we spend so much time on ec's/music.

So he is a great student, but would be behind if we moved on to 10th

grade next year. Also he is very busy. Hence we are having him start 9th grade next year.

 

But I still have the above questions about the transcript.

I hope I am not too confusing! (Confused, yes!)

:)

 

OK, this will be no problem. Looks to me like you have 4 years planned for all the main subjects (and 2 foreign language, which is fine), so the next 4 years will look great for high school as Gr 9-12. I would not say anywhere that you are doing 5 years of high school. There's no need for that (and it would be strange). We had a limbo year like this too (sort of two 8th grades or two 9th grades, however you want to look at it), because my dc were a year ahead academically all through the earlier grades, but yet I really didn't want to graduate them from high school a year early (for maturity reasons) and didn't want to do the gap year thing.

 

What I would suggest (and this is what I did) is to list the Alg 1, Geo, Physics, Lang 1 & 2 from last year and the year before in a section on your transcript called "High School Courses Taken Prior to Grade 9*". I actually had this first (in a box) right above the boxes for each of the high school years, Grades 9-12. You may want to list the year (and "grade" :)) during which each was taken, for clarity (I did.) List the credits for the ones you wish to give credit for (I would suggest only for the ones done last year--your virtual Gr 8--and not for the year before, which would be Gr 7. You can put n/a for the credit on those.) I would also list the grade for each, but not include those grades in the high school GPA. Then have a footnote (denoted by the * in the title) explaining how you're handling the credit/grades for those courses. Mine read: "Credit not given prior to 8th grade; Grades prior to 9th grade not included in cumulative HS GPA."

 

It doesn't matter at all what happened with Social Science or English during those years... just like for us. I couldn't be sure my courses before "official 9th" in those areas were truly high school level anyway, so that was another reason I did it this way. FWIW, the courses I had in this section were: Alg 1 (7th grade, but one college really wanted to see it listed!), Alg 2, Biology with Lab, and Latin 1 (which were all 8th.)

 

And then yes, just proceed as normal with 9th grade next year, following the plan you have listed :)

 

I hope that makes sense!

[Ellie]

Thank you for the responses so far.

Here is more information:

 

We have Algebra 1 covered in 8th grade (high school level course)

Language 1 covered in 8th grade (high school level)

Geometry in 9th grade (high school level)

Physics in 9th grade (high school level)

Language 2 in 9th grade (high school level)

 

We are going to re-start 9th grade next year for several reasons:

 

1. extracurriculars take up a huge amount of time

2. we haven't done any social science at all

3. music takes up a huge amount of time

4. it took an extra year to get used to real high school (this past year)

In the next 4 years, we plan to do:

Algebra 2, PreCalc, Calculus, Other Math Course

Biology, Calc-Based Physics, Chemistry, Other Science Course

English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4

Foreign Language 3, Foreign Language 4

World History, American History, Gov't (0.5), Econ (0.5), Other Social Science

Music 1, Music 2, Music 3, Music 4 (0.5 credit each)

PE1, PE2, PE3,PE4 (probably 1 credit for all)

Computer Science (1 credit)

 

So my question is, is it OK to put:

Algebra 1, Geometry, Physics, Language 1&2 - done in middle school

And then just start listing the plan I have above?

Should I put somewhere that we are doing 5 years of high school? Or is it not important?

Is it OK to label next year 9th grade even though it will be a 2nd 9th grade?

Or should I re-label the year he just did as a second 8th grade?

 

I don't want the schools to think he is incompetent for doing high school in 5 years.

He is doing very well now, because the stress is off. He can start fresh with a full load

of high school classes next year and it doesn't have to matter that we got behind on

Social Science or that we spend so much time on ec's/music.

So he is a great student, but would be behind if we moved on to 10th

grade next year. Also he is very busy. Hence we are having him start 9th grade next year.

 

But I still have the above questions about the transcript.

I hope I am not too confusing! (Confused, yes!)

:)

 

I would definitely NOT put in writing that your dc did five years of "high school." What you have listed for the next four years is more than sufficient for a high school transcript. I count four years of English, four years of math, four years of science, two years of a foreign language, four years of social sciences, two years of fine arts. That's plenty for a high school transcript.

 

"Language 1 and 2" will have no meaning.

[Teachin'Mine]

It's fairly common to have foreign language, math and science courses of high school level taken in middle school. I would list them and then just start with 9th. There's no reason to consider him as having two 9th grades. Many boys are 19, or older, when they graduate.

[JanetC]

Although most classical homeschoolers do 4 years of history, it is not required for college admissions. Looking at your plan, you may actually finish high school by the fourth year. You have to put "some other class" in three basic subjects for the fifth high school year because you've finished the standard high school curriculum.

 

He's obviously bright, given the classes you have planned. He may grow up in the next three years and be ready to go on to college without the extra year. The fact that he is dedicated to specialized ec's means he may want to go off to college sooner, rather than later. He doesn't need the high school years to find his passions, he's already got some.

 

You have enough credits to graduate on time so far. (I see 5 credits in your 8th/9th list, plus it sounds like music should be a credit. I see that you give him a half credit for music in upcoming years, but if it is taking up "too much time" maybe it should be a full credit? Leave the 4 year plan as an option for now, and rework the transcript later if you decide not to graduate him on time.

 

"This year wasn't quite as awesome as I had hoped" does not mean "We didn't really do 9th grade." Most of us have had years that were not as awesome as we had hoped. You don't redo 9th simply for lack of one social science credit.

[Matryoshka]

Although most classical homeschoolers do 4 years of history, it is not required for college admissions. Looking at your plan, you may actually finish high school by the fourth year. You have to put "some other class" in three basic subjects for the fifth high school year because you've finished the standard high school curriculum.

 

"This year wasn't quite as awesome as I had hoped" does not mean "We didn't really do 9th grade." Most of us have had years that were not as awesome as we had hoped. You don't redo 9th simply for lack of one social science credit.

 

:iagree: That's a good point. I don't think 4 years of social science are required for graduation most places. Our ps requires 3. Back in the day when I was in high school, I only had 2 - one year World History, one year US History. That was it.

[jhschool]

Although most classical homeschoolers do 4 years of history, it is not required for college admissions. Looking at your plan, you may actually finish high school by the fourth year. You have to put "some other class" in three basic subjects for the fifth high school year because you've finished the standard high school curriculum.

 

He's obviously bright, given the classes you have planned. He may grow up in the next three years and be ready to go on to college without the extra year. The fact that he is dedicated to specialized ec's means he may want to go off to college sooner, rather than later. He doesn't need the high school years to find his passions, he's already got some.

 

You have enough credits to graduate on time so far. (I see 5 credits in your 8th/9th list, plus it sounds like music should be a credit. I see that you give him a half credit for music in upcoming years, but if it is taking up "too much time" maybe it should be a full credit? Leave the 4 year plan as an option for now, and rework the transcript later if you decide not to graduate him on time.

 

"This year wasn't quite as awesome as I had hoped" does not mean "We didn't really do 9th grade." Most of us have had years that were not as awesome as we had hoped. You don't redo 9th simply for lack of one social science credit.

 

 

Thank you for your responses, everyone!

To the above--thank you for the thoughtful questions! A lot to think about on that one.

That is an interesting (and scary) thought, to maybe just graduate on time. His English this

past year was definitely high school level, although I wouldn't put it in the transcript at all

if he went for 4 more years. So theoretically I could do that. Social Science is the one that is

completely missing.

 

The downside would be that in his Senior Year he was hoping to take some of those

advanced AoPS math courses, like Intermediate Counting and Probability or Intermediate Number

Theory, Group Theory, or maybe Olympiad Geometry--hasn't decided yet (and doesn't have the

prerequisites for the first three right now). His father also wants him to take Statistics.

 

Also he would like to design his own Science course (some Physics spinoff),

and could only do that Senior Year

since we are insisting on him finishing the "regular sciences" first.

 

Another downside is the music stuff he wants to do probably requires another four years

to accomplish (Diploma in Composition and Theory, finishing the Suzuki books) and he would have to drop that if he

graduated on time. Which wouldn't really matter I suppose--it's just something he's been

working on for years and is a big part of his fun life.

 

Frankly, he (and I ) wouldn't care if he only did 3 Social Sciences. That sounds tempting.

(We both don't like homeschooling them. We like them, we just don't like studying them.)

Except it makes me very nervous in case he does not look good to colleges when all the other public

schooled (and most homeschooled) kids will have 4 Social Sciences. I would hate for that

to affect his admissions prospects.

 

Regarding the music, the reason that

I will put his Theory and Composition work every year as 0.5 credit is:

He did a little over 90 hours this past school year between the Theory and Composition. With help

from the Hive, I decided that 0.5 credits of T&C per year would be reasonable. Then all his

instruments and ensembles and other music work will go as extracurriculars (there are enough hours

for almost 2 credits each school year between the instruments and the ensembles but the Hive

helped me see that they would look better as Extracurriculars or he would graduate with 10

Music credits (if we added in the T&C -- 2.5 x 4, which might look bad to admissions officers.)

 

I guess it is an option to graduate on time. It just took this past year to wrap our heads around

what high school meant and learn how to do it properly (with help from this forum). If we do it

properly, we'll somehow be able to squeeze in a Social Science per year for the next few years.

I also feel he will be much better prepared for a difficult college if he took some of those

extra math courses and was able to explore his own Science for a year, like a "proper" homeschooler--truly learning. :)

 

Thank you for all the input and responses, everyone! Thank you for taking the time--I have

to think harder whenever I come to this forum after seeing all the perspectives.

 

:)

[jhschool]

 

I would definitely NOT put in writing that your dc did five years of "high school." What you have listed for the next four years is more than sufficient for a high school transcript. I count four years of English, four years of math, four years of science, two years of a foreign language, four years of social sciences, two years of fine arts. That's plenty for a high school transcript.

...

 

Yes, I was worried about writing it in. Thanks for the response!

[jhschool]

OK, this will be no problem. Looks to me like you have 4 years planned for all the main subjects (and 2 foreign language, which is fine), so the next 4 years will look great for high school as Gr 9-12. I would not say anywhere that you are doing 5 years of high school. There's no need for that (and it would be strange). We had a limbo year like this too (sort of two 8th grades or two 9th grades, however you want to look at it), because my dc were a year ahead academically all through the earlier grades, but yet I really didn't want to graduate them from high school a year early (for maturity reasons) and didn't want to do the gap year thing.

 

What I would suggest (and this is what I did) is to list the Alg 1, Geo, Physics, Lang 1 & 2 from last year and the year before in a section on your transcript called "High School Courses Taken Prior to Grade 9*". I actually had this first (in a box) right above the boxes for each of the high school years, Grades 9-12. You may want to list the year (and "grade" :)) during which each was taken, for clarity (I did.) List the credits for the ones you wish to give credit for (I would suggest only for the ones done last year--your virtual Gr 8--and not for the year before, which would be Gr 7. You can put n/a for the credit on those.) I would also list the grade for each, but not include those grades in the high school GPA. Then have a footnote (denoted by the * in the title) explaining how you're handling the credit/grades for those courses. Mine read: "Credit not given prior to 8th grade; Grades prior to 9th grade not included in cumulative HS GPA."

 

It doesn't matter at all what happened with Social Science or English during those years... just like for us. I couldn't be sure my courses before "official 9th" in those areas were truly high school level anyway, so that was another reason I did it this way. FWIW, the courses I had in this section were: Alg 1 (7th grade, but one college really wanted to see it listed!), Alg 2, Biology with Lab, and Latin 1 (which were all 8th.)

 

And then yes, just proceed as normal with 9th grade next year, following the plan you have listed :)

 

I hope that makes sense!

 

 

I like this. I will do this. Thank you very much!