Transcript question...please :)

[Homeschoolmom3]

Working on my oldest son's transcript and so a newbie in this area.   :) 

 

Really debating whether to use a transcript that is formatted subject based or year based when listing?  I think if I went subject based it looks more impressive.  :laugh:   Anyway, I also have many dual enrollment classes, MS classes to add.  He has A's in everything except his very first Latin class which was a B.  Should I add that?  Hate for him to be so close to a 4.0?   Some classes were done over a couple of years how would that look? 

 

Also, do you include Algebra I, Geometry taken in MS?  Would you include in GPA?  They say you should put it on there because colleges want to see that you actually took them from what I have heard. 

 

Thanks!

[Ann.without.an.e]

I wouldn't add middle school classes, simply note that they were taken prior to 9th grade.  

Remember, PS weight GPAs and so can you.  Just choose a scale and stick to it.  Honors classes usually have an extra .5 and AP an extra 1 point.

I would keep the Latin grade there.  It might even show validity that you don't only give out A's (a concern with many colleges regarding HS kids).

 

I personally sort by grade.  Some colleges don't even count 9th grade (Emory, for example throws it out completely).

 

As for classes done over more than one year, add in .5 credit for each year.  DD had Geometry over two years and I did that, showed .5 credit in 9th with her full credit of Algebra 2 and her .5 in 10th with her full credit of pre-cal.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Attolia

[Tess in the Burbs]

I am working on making both a subject and yearly transcript so we are prepared for what the college wants.  

 

I am putting down the classes spread out over time in the year it was finished.  DS will do an electronics course here and there in the next 2 years, when it's done I will add it to that year.  

 

Yes, put down DE classes.  Don't worry about a great gpa.  

 

There are several people helping with transcripts now.  HSLDA has samples, Lee Binz/HomeScholar, and another one...homeschoolhighschool?   They offer help.  The Lee Binz Book series usually has 1 free book on Amazon every month so it's worth looking to see what's free and maybe the transcript one will be soon.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Most schools we talked to wanted a transcript by year. We put a section of high school classes completed before high school (like Latin 1 to make sure they saw 4 years of a foreign language, but not biology or algebra since those were very common for Middle schoolers around here.)

For classes that spanned more than one year, we put them it the year they were completed.

I did hear from one school that liked the course descriptions to be by subject, but most other schools didn't bat an eyelash at our by-year format.

 

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[snowbeltmom]

I organize my kids transcript by subject.  I also include math, foreign language, and science classes taken in middle school on the transcript and in the GPA calculation, which is the norm for the public schools in my area.

[Lori D.]

Congrats on your DS's awesome academics! :)

 

Previous posters gave some great info on your questions about organizing by subject or grade/year (depends on the wants of the specific university admission office, otherwise it's your choice). And about how/if to include courses from Middle School (can drop, or, can include in a separate section, with credit but no grade).

 

I just wanted to share an important FYI for all families creating transcripts to be sure to include all courses:

 

ALL completed courses need to be included -- ESPECIALLY if from dual enrollment! In addition to your homeschool transcript, you must also provide an official transcript from all schools where the dual enrollment occurred. You would need an official transcript official transcript from a college even if the only course the student registered for was not completed and the student withdrew (so, just a lone "W" on the transcript).

 

Failure to include all transcripts, and to include all courses, can lead to some very serious consequences. Colleges are very strict about this, as there have been cases of people trying to "hide" a bad GPA from either dual enrollment or an early college career at a different school. Absolutely not worth the risk to admission, or potential loss of scholarship funds -- or if discovered later possible expulsion or even stripping of a degree earned. All of those consequences have actually happened.

 

 

Where there is leeway about not including a course is if it was a planned/scheduled home-based course and the student just never did enough material to even get on the transcript -- that does not need to be acknowledged on the transcript. Or, if the student had a very low grade, but then did some sort of  "grade recovery" option -- then just the new, final "recovered" grade can be included.

 

BEST of luck in wearing the administrative hat of homeschooling! :hat:  Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

Edited March 1, 2017 by Lori D.

[Julie of KY]

Absolutely include all courses taken during high school in the GPA. If this was a middle school course, then you can just list it as middle school.

 

I made my transcript by subject for two reasons. It highlighted the strengths of my student (think 8 credits math) and some of our classes were taught over more than one grade. Sometimes we'd start a class in spring and finish it in the fall whereas other classes followed a more traditional school schedule. We had no trouble with colleges with this transcript.

 

By the way, I emailed our Vanderbilt admission counselor and asked about weighting grades and calling courses honors. She said not to bother as these distinctions help them separate students within a single school, but are not so helpful in comparing students from different schools. I'm sure other schools/admission counselors might give different advice, but this is what I was told.

[Homeschoolmom3]

Yes, his Latin 1 grade was in 7th grade so I wasn't sure how to do that.  He took Latin I in 7th and Latin 2 in 8th.  He took two more years of Latin in HS but didn't do anything this year (11th grade).  Hoping he will pick up a language for his final year but not sure, he is looking at other things and not so much into that.  That is where I was uncertain.

 

Yep, I was wondering about weighting grades whether I should do that with college courses or his AP 's?  I know so much has been said too about whether to count college courses as 1 credit or 1/2 credit where it is driving me nuts!  Our state homeschool association says to count all college courses as one credit.  So many decisions....uhh!

 

Thanks everyone for your comments!!

[Lilaclady]

If the Latin was done at home and not with dual enrollment I will not include it but if it is dual enrollment, then you have to report it.

[Homeschoolmom3]

If the Latin was done at home and not with dual enrollment I will not include it but if it is dual enrollment, then you have to report it.

 

The Latin 1 class was done through Veritas Press Academy when he was in 7th grade, that is why I wasn't sure whether I should include it or not.  I am aware of reporting all college grades...thanks

Edited March 2, 2017 by Homeschoolmom3

[TCB]

The Latin 1 class was done through Veritas Press Academy when he was in 7th grade, that is why I wasn't sure whether I should include it or not.  I am aware of reporting all college grades...thanks

 

I think you can list subjects taken before high school but not list or count the grade. I'm going to include a list of high school classes taken in middle school - like Algebra 1 and Spanish 1 but I am not going to include the grade in her high school GPA. 

[Kassia]

I think you can list subjects taken before high school but not list or count the grade. I'm going to include a list of high school classes taken in middle school - like Algebra 1 and Spanish 1 but I am not going to include the grade in her high school GPA. 

 

My older sons all went to public school and their grades from high school classes taken in middle school were all figured into their cumulative high school GPA.  I was planning on doing the same with my daughter.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

I absolutely would weight grades. If we hadn't done that my older kids would have missed out on top scholarships (which made that school financially feasible), honors college, and access to special programs. Some schools will un-weight grades for admissions purposes, which they would have to do for our local public school students since they only send weighted grades.

 

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[swimmermom3]

I am working on making both a subject and yearly transcript so we are prepared for what the college wants.  

 

I am putting down the classes spread out over time in the year it was finished.  DS will do an electronics course here and there in the next 2 years, when it's done I will add it to that year.  

 

Yes, put down DE classes.  Don't worry about a great gpa.  

 

There are several people helping with transcripts now.  HSLDA has samples, Lee Binz/HomeScholar, and another one...homeschoolhighschool?   They offer help.  The Lee Binz Book series usually has 1 free book on Amazon every month so it's worth looking to see what's free and maybe the transcript one will be soon.

 

Tess, you really don't need to make two transcripts. It is easy to create one that shows both subject and year.  Also, put both unweighted and weighted on the transcript. Make it easy on the college.

 

With regards for MS grades,  few colleges are interested in seeing those unless you have very unique circumstances.

 

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

All of the Colleges I've looked at (3) require transcripts be done in a yearly format, in fact I just got confirmation on one school today.  The Admin guy said "you can write it on a napkin" but yeah it needs to be academic year.  Not sure why, maybe it's "the way it's always been done" type thing.  Like PP I plan to do up one for each way just in case.