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Creating An Excellent High School Transcript for Your Homeschool

Mother and son working at table

You are resolved to finally do something about that transcript you know you need to create for your student.

This is your year to see this resolution to completion. But where to start?

Making a high school transcript can sometimes feel daunting, but the good news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can do it!

Transcripts For Homeschool High School: Procrastination Can Be Overcome

Transcripts are easiest if you keep them up to date as your student is completing their high school coursework.

However, you can still reconstruct it if you belong to procrastinators anonymous.

Mother and son working at table

Getting Started When You Feel Behind

  1. Pull out the box, drawer, or plastic container with all that homeschool paperwork and make a list of all the courses your student took.
  2. Then note their grade next to the course.
  3. Finally, try to gather as much supporting documentation as you can to show where you got your information.
  4. Don’t forget to check and see if any of the courses your student took while in junior high (or in some cases elementary) count as a high school credit.

Simple, right? Now for some caveats.

What If My Homeschool Student Did Some Unconventional Learning?

Everything your child learns “outside the box” is worth time and effort. All forms of education can be put into a box for a transcript.

How do you know what fits where?

Research the high school graduation requirements for your state. List them in a transcript template.

Then, as your student learns something new, masters a skill, or accomplishes a goal, see where this learning best fits the transcript.

Remember, much education overlaps subjects.

Once you begin to understand how much your high school student has accomplished, you will gain the confidence you need to create a high school transcript.

Maybe your student took an interest in a recent election. Include that study time in Civics or American Government.

Perhaps your student is enamored with cooking and aspires to become a chef. Math, economics, food chemistry, and more are a part of learning to operate a large-scale kitchen.

The examples are endless.

Let Your Homeschool Student In On The Transcript Fun

A great motivator for keeping up with transcript information is to introduce your student to what your state requires to earn a high school diploma. Ask for input on how best to reach each of the goals.

By having a stake in the results, students feel more in control of their future. Knowing what is expected can help pave the way for engaged learning and mindful creation of goals.

Different paths require different transcripts. If your student plans to head to college, a transcript heavy on college-prep courses is vital.

If, however, your student wishes to go straight into a chosen career, a transcript may be less important. Focusing on those subjects which lend themselves to the vocation in mind will help both you and your student solidify high school requirements.

College Requirements Can Affect Transcripts For Homeschoolers

Not only must you know your state requirements for a high school diploma, you should also discover what your student’s preferred college expects before admitting a homeschooled student.

Often, colleges request additional credits or coursework for homeschoolers. Be sure your student completes the necessary studies, then list these credits on the transcript.

How Berean Builders Can Help With High School Transcripts For Homeschoolers

We try to ease the transcription process by providing a scope and sequence document for all of our high school credit courses.

This allows you to easily determine the number of credits, lab credit eligibility, type of science, and honors credit eligibility on a single sheet of paper (might have to print two sided for some courses) and easily have something to keep with the transcript to support the credit.

You can find a scope-and-sequence example here: Discovering Design with Chemistry

You’ll find this type of document under Product Resources on each textbook on our site.

You can find detailed information on preparing a transcript at our How to Make a High School Transcript  page.

Lee Binz, a terrific resource and help for homeschoolers, has information regarding  transcript preparation.

View it here: Homeschool Transcript Template.

She also offers a paid service to help prepare your transcript.

Making a high school transcript is one resolution you can definitely keep this school year!

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