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When you are making your comprehensive homeschool records, it’s a great deal like cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. There is usually a whole lot of work involved, that’s true, however there are a great number of choices! You can find a huge number of “correct ways” to create great homeschool records! You can choose to create your information appear the way that is JUST RIGHT for your family. I offer options as well as templates you are able to change and customize. I also present a selection of successful homeschool records. I truly want parents to see a large selection of perfectly good ways to demonstrate homeschool records. We homeschoolers usually are a unique group, and one approach won’t fit all of us. Loosen up a bit! Select the way that’s perfect for your family!
Typically the transcript is extremely important. It’s the one page synopsis of your student so the college or university can give them a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” quickly. It’s a excellent strategy to have some outside documentation besides your transcript.
Commonly that’s the SAT or ACT test. Sometimes it can be online classes, dual enrollment, or letters of recommendation. It depends on the college the amount of emphasis they put on tests, because each and every college is unique that way.
It’s NOT always good to have both the SAT and ACT test, actually. First, check to see if the college your child desires to go to prefers one test above the other. Normally colleges don’t care which test they take. Then give a sample SAT and sample ACT at home. Kids commonly do better on one test than the other. Then take them to be tested with the one that causes them to seem smarter. This article will explain everything. Your children don’t have to have a perfect score, you only want them to score their best.
My transcript templates as well as course description templates are like tasty recipes. They supply FLEXIBLE advice that you can adjust to fit your wants. Feel free to edit them! That’s the reason we chose to avoid creating software for our templates, actually. By giving our templates in Word and Excel, you are able to change them and change them in a million ways. Like they say on American Idol, you can “make it your own” easily with these!
A while back I was working with a mom who had altered the colors, modified the phrasing, and removed a few columns. That is absolutely fine! Whenever you are cooking a recipe for the first time, do you add the peanut butter if your children are allergic to peanut butter? No! You feel at ease cooking, so you feel free to make substitutions. That’s how a transcript template should be! I want you to be comfortable with them so you can substitute and modify them as desired.
I’m a visual learner. Show me an example, and I can usually imitate it (unless technology stands in my way.) Are you a visual thinker? What would you like to see?
“I’m a visual thinker and I guess I need to SEE a piece of paper as to how the course descriptions are laid out and formatted. Do you have a format?” ~ Maria
Here are some links for visual learners who want to see a course description:
While supplying universities with the information they require, going further than a transcript will be able to better your likelihood of scholarships. A transcript may be the building block of admission, however colleges require more than that if you expect them to offer you scholarship money. They ordinarily want to see further comprehensive homeschool records.
Examples of student work can be the icing on the cake, the mouth watering dessert of comprehensive homeschool records.
In our homeschool records, I offered three writing samples. I made an effort to pick a wide range of writing styles; research, fiction, and poetry. I tried to use writing samples that I knew were very good. We had submitted a few writings to essay competitions to win scholarship money. When my children earned scholarship money, I assumed the essay must have been good, for that reason I tried to incorporate that piece of work.
What’s more, I saved a sample of work for each class on the transcript. I didn’t send those to colleges (I suspected it’s possible that they didn’t actually prefer documentation of four years of PE, you know? That could get lengthy! ) In its place, I produced a note on each course description about how “written work is available upon request. ” I actually did keep something from each class. In the event that they asked me for something, I ended up being able to offer it to them.
I ended up being asked for various additional work samples. I was asked for a “graded” English paper (presumably along with a few red marks on it) and math work in the student’s handwriting. A different college needed to see a lab report from science. My suggestion is to be well prepared. It’s not possible to estimate specifically what information they could ask for. Instead of being concerned about it, simply make an effort to maintain a couple of representative samples from each course. Then you’ll be all set
for anything!
Learn how to translate all those great homeschool high school classes into the words and numbers that colleges will understand. Get the Total Transcript Solution http://www.thehomescholar.com/easy-truth.php1
Seniors – Fill out an application for College and Register for Tests
It normally takes a rather long time to finish a college application form. Get started right now, and mail the application in as soon as the colleges begin taking applications. Financial decisions could possibly turn out to be made “first come first served” and applying early might possibly enable you to obtain the most beneficial financial aid package. Sign up for ACT test by September 16th if you would like to take the test on October 22nd. Register for the SAT online well before September 9th if you would like your student to take the SAT or SAT II subject tests on October 1st. This time of year, it’s often the seniors who seem to take the SAT, while the younger students put emphasis on the PSAT instead.
Juniors – Register now for the PSAT exam
The PSAT will be offered on Wednesday October 12 or Saturday October 15th this year. You will need to sign-up at a local high school, public or private. Get in touch with them as soon as possible to sign-up – at the very least by the first week of school. Word of caution: Students will have to take the PSAT/NMSQT in eleventh grade to meet the requirements for the National Merit Scholarship! There is only one chance to take this specific exam each year, for that reason sign up now for the October test!
Sophomores – Give some thought to taking the PSAT
You might choose to take the PSAT for practice, along with high school juniors. It won’t be counted for the National Merit Scholarship Competition at this point, however it is great practice for next year, and at $13, it’s a inexpensive approach to obtain a standardized test if required by your state. About fifty percent of the students who take the PSAT are actually sophomores.
Learn the SECRET to getting your student placed at the TOP of the stack for college admission consideration as well as one of those MASSIVE university scholarships. Get the Comprehensive Record Solution!
Stanford University Magazine had a write-up regarding a gifted homeschool student. I love this quotation: “It’s the spark, the passion, that sets the truly exceptional student-the one driven to pursue independent research and explore difficult concepts from a very early age-apart from your typical bright kid. Stanford wants students who have it. Looking very closely at homeschoolers is one way to get more of those special minds, the admission office has discovered.” As Reider explains it: “Homeschooled students may have a potential advantage over others in this, since they have consciously chosen and pursued an independent course of study. ” I really like the focus on independent homeschooling! Read the actual write-up for yourself here:
A homeschooling mom called the particular college that her student was interested in, to obtain a few answers for herself. Here is exactly what she found out:
I did end up calling the college that my son will most likely attend, and they verified that a mommy-transcript is just fine…and they also expect that we will submit to them a 4. 0 GPA (like 99% of homeschoolers apparently do). Of course he will still need to take the SAT and any placement tests that are required for ALL students, but the only thing that they might require of him that they don’t require of the public-schooled students is an interview. Needless to say, I am *much* relieved to hear all of this, because I do not want to join an umbrella group or an online high school or anything else that would be done for the sole purpose of satisfying a college-admissions person.
Love, Gigi
She found that she can continue to homeschool on their own!
Learn how to translate all those great homeschool high school classes into the words and numbers that colleges will understand. Get the Total Transcript Solution http://www.thehomescholar.com/easy-truth.php1
When is the PSAT?
How do I find a College Fair?
Should my freshman take Physics before Biology?
But other questions are very big, and very complicated. Sandi asked a big and complicated question on my blog the other day.
Hi Lee. I have 5 kids, 3 remain to be homeschooled. All high school age. My 17 yo has had some issues with seizures since Spring. As a result he has fallen behind somewhat in his work. He will be 18 in Oct and should graduate in June of 2012. How do I catch him up this year? He has fallen behind in math and Eng comp. He has so many credits in all the other subjects. Should I just focus on these 2 subjects this coming year? Also, he wants to go to art school. He has been taking art lessons at a studio who will also help him with a portfolio. He just loves it. Any suggestions you have i would appreciate. ~ Sandi
I would LOVE to help, but each issue is not a simple yes/no question or quick fact. Instead, each of these issues is complicated. Here is what I was able to give Sandi.
Dear Sandi,
I have quite a few Gold Care Club members that just need support for handling homeschool while facing unusual issues just like this. These are complicated issues that can’t be answered by a quick email, I’m afraid. Briefly, here are some options to consider:
Complete high school in 5 years;
Take one more year but only count the final 4 years for high school;
Focus on math and English, but don’t double up on those subjects;
Evaluate to see if he is truly behind in those areas, or if you just *think* he is behind;
Find an art school by going to a college fair as a first contact; Learn about junior year and senior year tasks.
I remember when I was homeschooling high school. Sometimes I’d get hung up on ONE small issue that would drive me completely BATTY! I remember wishing for ANYONE to give me one clear, concise, yes-or-no answer. One issue I seemed to stress about was driver education. Wendy asked a question I asked myself years ago!
Hi Lee,
I’m putting together my first transcript and I’ve seen differing credits (.25/.50)/grades for Drivers Education on samples. I have to be honest, I guess I hadn’t thought of putting it on her transcript and I don’t know, it feels like a gimme or fluff to put it on there. So I thought I would get your thoughts. She did complete 24 hours of classroom instruction through a training school. I signed an affidavit verifying that she drove 50 hours as required by law, but I didn’t keep all the dates and minutes she drove before going for her driver’s test and she passed her driver’s test the first time. Your thoughts? Being driven crazy in Ohio ~ Wendy
Dear Wendy,
I felt EXACTLY the same way!!!
This is what I did: I put it on the transcript, gave it 0.5 credits, and put “Pass” as a grade.
Now I’m older and wiser. This is what I suggest: Put it on the transcript, give 0.5 credits, and put “A” on the grade.
This is my rationale:
I don’t think putting “Pass” on the transcript is ever a good idea.
I think some high schools include it on the transcript (mine did.)
I think colleges may just leave it off if they think it’s a fluff class, others may keep it.
It partially answers the “socialization” and “life skills” question, demonstrating our kids do in fact leave the house.
Another similar question that drove me crazy was the class title. Is it “Driver Education” or “Drivers Education” or “Driver’s Education”? To be honest, I have seen class titles using all three variations! Does it even matter?
When you get consumed by things like this (as I did!) then at some point you have to remember the key. Do your best and be honest. That’s all. Just do your best and be honest. Then let it go. Watch the pretty bubbles float in the sky, and don’t stress anymore about it.
I was totally driven crazy by that exact question myself. I hope I’ve given you some peace!
Learn how to translate all those great homeschool high school classes into the words and numbers that colleges will understand. Get the Total Transcript Solution http://www.thehomescholar.com/easy-truth.php
Some colleges will ask for them and some will not. There are a few situations when course descriptions are extremely important.
1. When applying to a very selective college.
2. When parents can’t afford college.
3. When the child wants to go to only ONE college.
In each of those situations, providing detailed homeschool records can improve your child’s chances of admission and scholarships.
The transcript is the bare minimum requirement (there are VERY few that don’t insist on a transcript.) Most colleges prefer that course descriptions are included, but some do not. Some colleges will ask for course descriptions, and others just assume homeschoolers will provide that detailed record keeping.
Here is what I suggest: When it’s time to apply for college, provide a one page transcript on top of the list of course descriptions. Contact each college where you plan to apply, and find out how they want the course descriptions: electronically, staples, loose papers, or what? Try to give it to them in the way they want it.
If you have been preparing course descriptions each year, then compile them in a list. You may want to add some final details: grade or percentage score, the credit value for the course, or number of hours spent. One you have that document (it might be 5 pages or 30 pages) place the one sheet transcript on top. Place a cover letter on top of that. That’s how we provided our homeschool records. It’s that easy!
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