Preparing your homeschooler's transcripts can seem like a difficult task. These are what your child will be sharing with colleges and universities, so there is pressure to make them look professional and neat. It is not as daunting as it seems however. With a little organization you can put together a great transcript for your homeschooler.

Start with the basic information. Name, address, phone number, date of birth, gender, social security number, and a recent photo are the first things to include. Some homeschoolers also include the name of their school if they choose to have one, and include the parents names listed as Instructors at the top.

Next comes a breakdown of the courses taken year by year. There should be separate sections for Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years and each section should be dated for when that year took place. In each section you should list the classes, the grade for each class, and the number of units that each class is worth. Be as specific on the names of the classes as possible. Rather than listing math and science list them as Algebra, Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, etc... At the end of each year section you should include a cumulative report on the number of units completed that year as well as the GPA, or Grade Point Average, for that year.

You should also include a smaller section that lists the attendance for each year and a cumulative attendance for the entire high school career. The attendance should include how many days the child was present and absent, though with homeschooling it is hard to really have absent days. You might also add to this the total number of credits completed and the overall GPA of the child for their entire high school career.

Below this you should include any and all activities the child has been a part of, making special note of one where your child has received an award of some kind. Clubs, athletics, groups, and volunteer work are all perfect examples to add here.Be sure to include any work-study programs, military experience, and any study that occurred out of the country. Do not be afraid to include any activities you child may have participated in online as well, such as a photography group or a writing group online. Some prefer to list the activities in one section and below that list the awards the child has won from said activities. Whether you choose to keep them separated or together is up to you.

Some parents also include shorten medical records to the transcript. A short record of immunizations and annual physical check-ups are sometimes included on a separate page and included with the academic transcript. This is not a required part of the academic transcripts though some parents prefer to include it.

Finally be sure to sign and date the transcript, by both parents is possible. You may prefer to find a state Notary that can witness and sign the transcript as well. Once it has been signed and dated the transcript is complete. Though it may seem like a lot all you really need to do is keep track of what your child is doing and when they are doing it. There are many professional transcript services available online that you can also use to create a high school transcript
easily.

Learn more about this author, Summer Minor.
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