What are transcripts? And what other records do I need?

You’ve investigated the laws & resources in your state, and you’ve created a rough 4-year plan for high school…now what about transcripts & the rest of your paperwork?  Next to curriculum, this seems to be the other big hang-up for homeschool parents. And, like with curriculum, it’s for good reason! We want to ensure that we are able to show the hard work our students have done in order to graduate.

When I suggest starting your paperwork early, many high school moms are surprised. As we talk it out, though, they get behind the idea.

Starting your records now — whether your kiddo is just heading into high school or they’re already in high school — makes it so much easier to keep up with.

• If your teen’s transcripts are started, it’s a quick 15-minute project to update them every semester.
• If you’ve already jotted down notes for your course descriptions, a couple of hours every summer is all it takes.
• And maybe most importantly, if you at least know what your teen will need, it feels less overwhelming to start.

Transcripts

Homeschool transcripts are the most essential part of your high schooler’s records. They include course names, grades earned in those courses, and the credits earned from them.

You don’t have to make these fancy, and they shouldn’t be complex. Think of them as a basic summary of your kiddo’s four years of high school — the courses they took, credits earned, and cumulative GPA.

Read more about transcripts & grab a free homeschool transcript template.

Not sure what credits your teen even needs for high school? Grab your free checklist here.

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions may* also be important. Transcripts tell others how your student did, and course descriptions tell others what you did.

(*Not all colleges request course descriptions. I suggest that, at the least, you make a few bullet-point style notes about each course. If your kiddo applies to a college that requests them, those notes will give you a good starting point. )

But how do I write them? In a few sentences, you’ll describe each course by including the name of the course, number of credits earned, textbooks & other materials used, a general description of the course, and how the grade was awarded.

A few tips…

• Just like with transcripts, you can organize these by year or by subject. Keep it consistent so it’s easy for other people to understand.
• Google ‘high school course descriptions <your state>.’ Some states list course descriptions from their high schools right on their Department of Education site. This is a great way to get a starting point that will look familiar to colleges.
• Choose descriptive titles! English 1 is a fine title. But if you spent the year reading medieval literature, make the course title reflect the unique learning your student did.

What else may I need?

If your student will be joining the military or playing NCAA sports, their transcript needs may be higher than others. Some colleges may expect homeschoolers to include additional resources. Or your family may simply want to include more so you can “show off” what your student has accomplished.

Rarely, you may need:

• Reading lists
• Volunteer hours
• Your homeschool philosophy
• Extracurricular activities
• Syllabus for each course
• Samples of work & tests