Transcript help from veterans please

[plattehmschool]

Questions:
1. My son started his freshman year by taking the first semester for working on a political campaign. He also took another semester out for working on a carpentry project with a missionary team another year. Total, then, his highschool years are 5 instead of 4. Would you list it as starting in January of his freshman year, (2005),....start it 2005-2006, technically the second year, go with the 2004-2005 and it is obviously 5 years....or what? He will graduate this May. I could give him some type of credit for these extra times, but hadn't planned on it. He is just graduating with normal book-like and normal number of classes. Would you recommend otherwise? Any advice greatly appreciated.

2. Other than these few issues, most of his classes are straightforward,and not "unschooling-ish", so I hate to get into the portfolio type transcript. I'd rather just keep it as normal as possible.

3. Janet from awhile ago mentioned how she assigned credit for Saxon Math with Geometry on transcripts. Her son received credit for lessons 1-70 of Advanced Math as a full credit. My son finished this book in a year last year. Since then he has rather slacked off a bit, but taken on a full-time job. He is doing Saxon Calculus now, but mostly just as a brush-up for college. Should I assign credit? He has started in January, so I am doubtful he will finish by May. (Perhaps by college, if he is faithful through the summer.)

4. Did any of you get your transcript notorized, print it on watermarked paper or any other special tips? One school asked me to go to our local school and get his classes verified by an official from the school. BWAH HAHA HAAA. I can't verify their students and neither can they mine. Just wondering if you had anything like that or any tips.

Thanks much!
Tammi

[plattehmschool]

I have seen on many homeschool sample transcripts a 90,80,70,etc. grade scale, which is recommended in the Apologia Science books. However, myself....I am much more familiar with the schools using a tighter grading scale. Have you found colleges less excited about one scale over another, or just find either way?? Does one scale say "I'm too easy on my students"?? Just wondering. Thanks again.

[Nan in Mass]

I would put all 5 years on, list the classes by subject and not by year, and include a cover letter explaining why there are 5 years on the transcript and what he did on the off semesters. But I'm by no means an expert.

[Kareni]

Well, I don't think I can call myself a veteran since we're in the being there, doing that stage ourselves; my daughter is a senior and is in the midst of her college application year.

One thing I'd consider -- Does your son already know what schools he is applying to? (It's not clear to me whether he is a senior or if you are thinking ahead.) If yes, I'd take a look at all their applications. Do the applications specify his education "in the past four years"? or are they more casual? If the latter, you might wish to go with Nan's suggestion of organizing his transcript by subject.

If you are limited to four years (but not necessarily calendar years), I'd be inclined to define his "school" years to not include his leaves of absence and then highlight those periods as enriching extracurricular activities/internships.

As regards the math question, I'd give him 1/2 credit for Calculus in his senior year (state that it is in progress). In my opinion, this would strengthen his application as many colleges like to see four years of math.

We did not use special paper for my daughter's transcript nor did we get it notarized or verified. We did label it "Official Homeschool High School Transcript" as many colleges request an "official" transcript.

As regards the grading scale, I don't believe it is important which scale you use, so long as you define it on the transcript. I chose to use a 90-100 for an A scale, and I did not weight any grades (neither AP courses nor community college classes).

All of this is my opinion; I imagine you'll get other input as well. Take what works for you and leave the rest!

Regards,
Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

We didn't use special paper, or get it notorized or verified. I did, however, sign it. And I explained about grades or lack there-of in the cover letter. We submitted it to one college, who accepted it. I think the were only interested in the interview, his CC transcript, and his brother (who is a freshman there).

[Brenda in MA]

My son is also in the college application process now.

I made up his transcript in a similar format to the one from the HSLDA website. (www.hslda.org). If you go to their site and search for transcript, you'll find a nice example. I used the format, but I chose to list his courses by subject, not by grade level. My son had several courses, like Algebra, that he did in the 8th grade and were high school level so I wanted them on his transcript. One caveat -- the font used on the HSLDA transcript is kind of unusual, and it would not load into the transcript form on the Common App, so I had to redo the whole thing in Times New Roman.

I agree with the others that your grading scheme probably doesn't matter as long as you explain it.

We didn't have any need to have my son's transcript notarized or printed on fancy paper because it was loaded electronically into the Common Application.

I think the best advice is to go to his college of choice's website and read anything they say they require about transcripts. Also make sure to check if there are any special requirements for homeschoolers. Once you've done that, you could give their admissions department a call and tell them what you plan to submit and ask if it's sufficient.

Best of luck to you and your son!
Brenda

[Pamela H in Texas]

Answers :
1. If he didn't do schoolwork the first year, just life work (very important imo), I would just not worry about that year. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a transcript that doesn't mention when things were done either.

3. *I* would put a credit for Advanced Math (or whatever you want to call it). I realize other people give more credit for that book, but I just wouldn't. And the fact that he did it in a year is proof it was just a credit, imo. And then I'd put one semester of Calculus unless he manages to fit in what most people would consider a credit's worth. This is one place that having dates on your transcript WOULD help. It says something about a kid that picks up Calculus in January of his Sr. year, imo.

4. No. The transcript is just printed off the computer.

[plattehmschool]

I really appreciate the advice. I just love this place. (((Thank you!)))
Tammi