High School Transcripts:

Transcripts are often intimidating for us homeschool moms. But the good news is that they aren’t hard! I recommend starting your transcripts when your students enter high school. This will just help you save time and stay organized. Each year I add a section with their class information. And this way, when they graduate or need their transcripts for any reason, I can quickly print it out and sign it with no stress.

Transcripts should include:

- a section with your homeschool information (homeschool name, address, phone number, email)
- a section with student information (name, date of birth, address, phone number, graduation date)
- education information: a section for each grade or school year with a list of classes, the credits earned, and grade earned, GPA
- you will want to have the credits earned and GPA BOTH for each section/ year and cumulative
- grading scale
- a statement that your homeschool is registered with the state, and also a statement that you certify this official transcript (see example)
- make sure you have the correct number of overall credits and the right number of credits in each area (math, science, etc.) for your state. Each state has different requirements. North Carolina’s can be found here:
https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/high-school-graduation-requirements
- Weighted vs unweighted: Generally, most colleges just want the unweighted GPA. However, if you are doing honors or AP classes and have more difficult coursework, it is still great to show the weighted GPA that takes this into account. Weighted GPA is on a 5.0 scale while unweighted is on a 4.0 scale. GPA calculator: https://gpacalculator.io/high-school-gpa-calculator/
- Some colleges may ask for course descriptions. I keep a separate document with course descriptions for all of our classes. Again, this way if it is needed for some reason, we have it ready to go.

Here is a template I created for my high schoolers. This only has two years, but it has all of the necessary information that is needed for college. I created this template using table in Microsoft Word. If you don’t want to create your own, you can look around on the Internet and find many free templates for transcripts or download mine.

You can download my transcript template here.
This template is a Word Doc. You can enter your own information, change fonts, etc.

Challenge Classes and equivalents for high school transcripts:

This is a work in progress.
This document gives titles and the number of credits for Challenge classes
Download chart here

Resumés:

Have you students create and maintain a resume when they start high school. It is a wonderful, professional skill and habit to develop. And it will come in handy! If your high schoolers are maintaining a resumé, then they can turn in with a job or college application to make them stand out. This is where they can include job experiences (obviously), community service and volunteer work, skills and training, etc.

Anything that shows ambition and leadership is great! Maybe your student started a small business. For example, one of my students started washing cars to make money. He took advantage of the fact that there are many moms waiting in our yard during my art classes and started a little car wash business. This is something that will help him to stand out and look motivated. Entrepreneurship is a huge plus!

Test Scores:

Test scores are important! Especially as homeschoolers. More and more colleges are seeking and recruiting homeschoolers since they have been rising far above the average students. However, there is still that element of - “are these grades legit?”
Start your high schoolers with taking the ACT and SAT right away. They can feel out the test and work toward improvement each year. And their test scores are another thing to help them stand out.

Yearly Testing

Generally, once your child is 7 years old, you are required to do yearly testing. There are many different options: the Iowa, CAT test, Woodcock Johnson, etc. Research the various tests and find what is best for your family. I prefer the Woodcock Johnson. It is the most individualized test and gives the most thorough feedback. It is very helpful for seeing where you child is excelling and specifically where to do more work. It is the most expensive option, but it is well worth it. The test giver works one-on-one with your child, and it isn’t the high-stress, fill-in-the-bubble standardized test.

Woodcock Johnson Testing
www.testingmom.com/tests/woodcock-johnson/

CAT Test (California Achievement Test)
https://www.academicexcellence.com/complete-online-california-achievement-test-not-timed/

Iowa Test
https://www.setontesting.com/product/iowa-assessments-form-e/

Public Schools do EOG testing
https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/testing-and-school-accountability/state-tests/end-grade-eog

Scholarships & Letters of Recommendation:

Coming soon!