When will you need your homeschool transcript? It’s hard to say exactly. The first time you need it may be sophomore year, when your child starts driving. Many insurance companies provide a good student discount for teenage drivers, and your homeschool transcript is required. It may be during junior year, when you need to review grades and credits with your child, so they report their grades correctly when they take the PSAT for the first time. You may need a transcript for the first time when your child applies for a scholarship opportunity or a summer camp.
Making a homeschool transcript is never convenient, though. It does seem like the first time you need it is never when you have plenty of time to spend on making it a perfect transcript. It always seems to sneak up on parents.
What will you do when you find out, “Surprise! You need a transcript today!”
Here is one mother’s experience.
In April, my homeschooled senior daughter was applying to a very competitive specialty summer college program at a major Ivy League university. I had to come up with a really professional looking transcript, FAST, and I was really dreading it. However, I ordered your Homeschool Total Transcript Solution guide, and it was all you said it was! I was able to write brief course descriptions and find legitimate credits in activities and learning experiences I had never thought of as ‘transcript material’ before! And the format was very professional and official looking, plus easy to use.
You even made the process fun!
She had very good SAT scores, and a unique portfolio, and — in a program where they seldom give scholarships — she received TWO different scholarships! So she was able to attend, and enjoyed a very intense and horizon-expanding six weeks. THANK YOU so much for your common-sense and friendly information.
Learn how to make a transcript early in high school, long before you think you’ll need it. Keep your transcript up-to-date each year. Then you’ll never be surprised!
What do you call the “other stuff” you do in high school?
I want to keep a list of non-academic achievements, BSA stuff, completing lifeguard training, things like that. I don’t mind making a form in Word, I just don’t know what to call it.
~Christy in Texas
I kept a very simple list on a Word document with a simple title “Activities and Awards List.”
I included the list in my Comprehensive Record, and you can see that on page 183-184 of my book “Setting the Records Straight” if you are interested in seeing what such a list might look like .
The list is mostly for your benefit though. When you fill out college applications, they will ask questions like “What activities were you involved in?” and this list will prompt you to remember what happened over the previous 4 years of high school.
The activity and award list included some details. You might want to keep track of hours of volunteer work. That’s something I didn’t do, and it would have helped me.
You may want to include highlights of the activity list on the transcript. You can see how I did that at the bottom of my transcript. My homeschool transcript is also included in my book, and you can also view it.
Blessings,
Lee
Thanks so much, Lee. I have completed my transcript for the 9th grade. Woohoo! and a HUGE thanks to you and your wonderful advice. I direct everyone I know to you.
~Christy
“How do I determine if a curriculum is high school material? My son is interested in learning Biblical Greek. I found a few great workbooks at Half-Price books, but they don’t have any grade recommendations on them.” ~ Charlotte on Facebook
Look up the book online, through Amazon or a homeschool catalog, and see what it says. You can also look at the author and reviewer, to see if they are high school or college reviewers. you can also ask your pastor – if he took Biblical Greek, then he might know.
I am reading Homeschoolers’ College Admissions Handbook by Cafi Cohen. I know the books is a bit dated. Should homeschoolers worry about portfolios anymore? I don’t really recall you talking about them.
Blessings,
~ Kate
Portfolios are also called course descriptions, comprehensive records, and other names. A portfolio is technically more of an art major or unschooling “scrapbook” of work. That’s why I opted to call mine a comprehensive record.
Many colleges (most?) want course descriptions, and it can improve your changes of admission and scholarship. My new book is mostly about course descriptions.
Here is the link to a $5 coupon code!
Setting the Records Straight: How to Craft Homeschool Transcripts and Course Descriptions for College Admission and Scholarships. Use coupon code X39CKFNC for $5 off
In the Tools and Templates section of the Gold Care Club, I always have a course description of the month. My comprehensive record contained: a description just like that from every class.
I think the book will help you with your course descriptions.
Get your homeschool transcript done with my Total Transcript Solution. The best part is I can help you implement it!
“Hi Lee. I heard you speak at the Midwest Homeschool Convention. I really appreciated all your information. I need to ask you a question. Can I count a computer graphics class or video editing class for fine arts credit on the homeschool transcript?”
~ Trina on Facebook
Sure, Trina! You can use those classes for fine arts on your homeschool transcript. Some parents use classes like that for a technology credit, and others will use it as a way to get art into a techie kid. Either way is just fine. Remember when we were in high school and we could take photography for art? It’s the same sort of thing, only now we have computers.
The fine arts include music, art, theater, and dance. Graphics are an art, and video is like theater. You can get an art degree in “Graphic Arts”, so I suppose that might be my “go-to” title for that course. For more class titles, look at a community college or university catalog, and see how they name their classes.
Technology credits are sometimes used as electives, and other times they are put into the science category. It depends on which way will make your child look the best to the college of their choice.
Click here to read more about why teaching your high schooler is highly overrated.
Before creating complicated grading rubrics, check with your state law to see if it is really necessary. And before giving tests, consider all the other evaluation options that are available to homeschoolers because of our fabulous student-teacher ratio.
I am having a hard time calculating semester grades. I am trying to place all grades into one of two groups… tests/quizzes and classwork/homework. I added all grades then multiplied by .5. Some of the grades do not look correct. Can you tell me if I am doing this right? I have asked my accountability group, but no response yet! Thanks for any help!
~ Christine in South Carolina
Christine, I did mine a little different. I just added up one column. Then I added up the other column. Then I averaged the two columns (add them together and divide by two.) Honestly, I have heard that teachers do it differently, too. They may drop the lowest grade in each column, or weigh each column differently…. Whatever you do will be just fine. Also, I don’t know your state law is, but you only have to calculate grades like that if it is required by your state law. You don’t have to do it just for you, and you don’t have to do it for colleges either.
Check with other homeschoolers about the law in your state. Just because you have to give a number grade on a transcript doesn’t mean you have to give tests and quizzes and stuff. You could just choose to evaluate in other ways, as many other homeschoolers do. Here is an article about giving grades without grading that will explain what I mean.
I hope that helps!
If you are curious about providing a great homeschool education for your gifted child, check out my audio training, “Gifted Education at Home.“
Lee, do you have any advice for a public-schooled high school junior considering homeschooling for her senior year? She lacks only 3 classes and doesn’t want to waste a year on busywork classes.
~ Mary Jo
My best advice is this; “Know your child and trust yourself.” If you know that homeschooling is the best for your child, then trust yourself and do it. Don’t avoid homeschooling because of fear.
To homeschool high school for only senior year, record keeping is very important. Make a homeschool transcript that will reflect all classes from 9th through 12th grades, both at home and at school. Write course descriptions of all courses taught at home, so colleges are convinced there was no couch-potato academy. They are aware that seniors tend to slack off some, so you want to avoid the appearance of senioritis.
In the application to colleges, the parent may want to write a homeschool statement that explains why they made the decision to homeschool, and describe the positive results. Finally, when communicating with colleges, be very clear about your intent to homeschool and explain your reasons in a positive light.
I hope that helps!
The HomeScholar Gold Care Club will give you the comprehensive help you need tohomeschool high school.
When homeschooling high school, should you give semester grades or yearly grades?
I so enjoy reading your blog and have learned so much. I have researched the archives but am not finding an answer to a question. I was planning on just recording a final grade for each subject. However, in reading some material from Jay Wile he suggests recording a grade per semester. That really doesn’t work as well for us as our schooling is lighter in the fall semester than the winter. That binds us to a typical public school semester. Do you have any words of wisdom regarding this?
Thank you,
~ Barbara in Arkansas
Hi Barbara,
My words of wisdom; do what seems right for you.
I did it exactly the way you suggested, and gave one grade for the whole year. Here is a sample of my transcript, so you can see what it looks like. Just click on “view transcript by subject or by year” and you’ll see it.
The final grade on the transcript was the sum of all the different ways I evaluated in the year; tests, quizzes, and lab work. But there was only one grade on the transcript, just at the end of the year.
In all my work with clients and colleges, I’ve only heard of ONE college that requested semester grades – but I think they ended up being flexible after all.
In my homeschool transcript solution, it comes with 10 transcript templates. I think perhaps three of them come with semester grades. Not everyone gives semester grades, and it’s not necessary. I agree with you, it does seem a little bit like Jay Wile is thinking like the “system” a little bit too much on this one.
Do it the way that works for you.
I hope that helps!
The HomeScholar Gold Care Club will give you the comprehensive help you need tohomeschool high school.
We do Bible as a family everyday. I would guess we spend about 45 minutes a day. Sometimes we simply read the Word and discuss, other times we do a formal study. Plus there is the daily discipleship…Sunday’s at church, youth group studies, etc… May I give a Bible credit per year to my son, or must he have actually done a formal Bible study with documented work done in a portfolio? Any wisdom? Thanks for any help/thoughts. I’m beginning to feel as though I’m stumbling towards the finish line, rather than sprinting. It’s all about doubting myself at this point…
~Yvonne on Facebook
Hi Yvonne,
I gave my kids 1/2 credit per year. You can see how it looks on this link to my own transcript.
If it were me (hey, it WAS me!) I really WOULD put it on the transcript. Because of the amount of time, you could even say 1 credit per year.
You don’t have to use a textbook for Bible anymore than you would use a textbook for PE or a music class like piano. In this case, you just count hours, not textbooks. It’s still an accurate and legitimate way to calculate credit value.
Some colleges may like to see a course description of it, but it depends on the college. Some secular colleges won’t consider a Bible class in their GPA, some Christian colleges will want to see Bible classes so they know kids are prepared.
Your job is to make a transcript that is honest and true. This Bible class was truly part of your homeschool, so I say give him the credit.
“Dear Lee,
This is where I need your insight. I know we talked much about how much time my daughter spent on different subjects to justify awarding a credit. If you could simply give me a yardstick of sorts. How much time would warrant a credit or a partial credit.”
To determine a high school credit by counting hours, most books recommend:
75-90 hours is 1/2 credit
120-180 hours is 1 credit
The hours are how many hours the student spends in total, including time spent reading and doing assignments. When I estimate high school credits, I usually just guess and estimate how much time the student spends. Add up all the experiences you are planning, and see if you have 75 hours or more. If you do, then call it 1/2 credit. If you don’t, then say it’s a supplement – they can add it to other music and art experiences to make up their own credit. If it is 120 hours or more, then you can call it a full credit. By the way, we LOVED the “How to Listen to and Understand Great Music” course, by The Teaching Company, www.teach12.com. I know they have one on the Symphony as well, by the same teacher.
I hope that helps!
Do you have a homeschooling high school question? Send me anemail!
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