Creating a Transcript – One Approach

· Focus on the subjects colleges require.

· Do not hesitate to include other areas of study. Anything studied can be included, but not everything studied needs to be. For instance, our daughter has developed into quite a gourmet cook. She uses cookbooks from many countries, and her dishes are delicious and beautifully presented. Her transcript will include a Culinary Arts credit to help demonstrate how well rounded she is.

· Use a spreadsheet or some other organized system. You can supplement it with a written narrative.

· Include grades from classes taken outside the home. We did not grade the homeschool classes, but our kids had many other grades from classes they took.

· Divide the work up into specific years, showing all high school level work done before or during high school years

· List subject areas, including a category for “Other” for things you want to include but aren’t sure where, like Drivers Ed.

· Assign a unit number. A unit means a yearlong high school level course or one semester of a college level course. A subject studied at home over several years or for several months can be assigned a unit or credit depending on the scope and depth of study achieved. As the principal, teacher, and guidance counselor of your homeschool, use your judgment.

· Include space to show how a grade or fulfillment of credit was demonstrated. For instance, a good score on a standardized test can justify giving credit in a subject as can private lessons, independent study, field trips and readings, actual high school and college classes taken, online learning, apprenticeships, etc. Basically, anything relevant that was learned and studied to a sufficient degree can be put into a transcript. If you aren’t convinced that your student deserves a whole unit or credit, give ½ credit.

· Your transcript will be taken seriously and not scrutinized as much as you yourself are doing while you’re preparing it. You won’t be audited by the college admissions people.

· It is a good idea to include evaluations such as grades from sources other than the parents. If your homeschooler does not take classes in a public or private or online school, you could have a certified teacher or a homeschool-friendly evaluator provide grades and assessments.

— Daya Solomon

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