Kelly Reading Instructor at Nassau Community College

You've probably heard of loftier school transcripts, but practice you know what data they comprise and why they're and then of import for applying to college?

This guide will explain what a high school transcript is, what exactly it includes, and why it is ofttimes the most important role of your college application.

What Is a Loftier School Transcript?

A high school transcript is basically a record of your academic accomplishments in high school. It lists every grade you took, when you took them, and the grade you received in each class, sometimes along with additional information such as standardized test scores and whatsoever honors you received. Every person enrolled in high school has a high school transcript, which is regularly updated as courses are completed.

There are two versions of your loftier schoolhouse transcript: official and unofficial. The ii versions will usually look very similar or identical in terms of content, but an official transcript will often take a seal or tamper-proof marks on information technology or volition exist inside a sealed envelope. This is so people reading the official transcript can be certain no changes were made to it afterwards it was released by the school and that the information it contains is 100% accurate.

Official transcripts frequently take to be sent directly to by your high school in order to remain official, while a transcript y'all print or re-create yourself will exist unofficial. Most colleges crave you to submit an official copy of your high school transcript when yous apply, but if you simply want to expect at the information your transcript includes for your own personal use, an unofficial copy is fine.

Why Do Yous Need a High School Transcript?

And then now you know what a high schoolhouse transcript is, merely why is information technology then important? High school transcripts are needed for several reasons:

#1: To Apply to College

Your loftier school transcript is probably the most important part of your higher application, simply because it contains so much data nearly y'all: the classes you took, when y'all took them, how well you did in them, etc. Colleges will look over your transcript very advisedly when you employ, and so information technology's important to sympathize what they'll be looking for, which we'll cover in the next section.

The majority of college applicants are high school seniors, and nigh of the college awarding advice out there is aimed at them. Merely what practice you practise if y'all don't fall into this narrow category? Our eBook on how to prepare for and apply to higher equally a nontraditional student will walk you through everything yous demand to know, from the coursework you should have under your belt to how to get letters of recommendation when you're not a high school senior.

#2: To Graduate High School or Transfer to a New Loftier School

Before you head off to college, you, of form, need to cease high school, and your transcript volition be what your loftier school looks at to see if you tin graduate. They volition wait to brand sure you took enough credits, completed each of the graduation requirements, and passed the necessary classes. If you transfer loftier schools, your new school will apply your transcript to decide the classes y'all completed and which classes you lot should enroll in. When irresolute schools, you will have a transcript from each high school yous attended, but your new school volition also include information well-nigh the classes you took at your previous school, usually marking those classes as transfer credits.

#three: To Apply for Jobs

Some jobs require yous to submit your high school transcript when you employ so they can look at your grades or make sure you take taken any classes they may require workers to have passed.

Grab a re-create of your transcript and find the specific information mentioned equally y'all read through the next part of this guide. If you don't already take a copy of your transcript, inquire your guidance counselor for 1, or if you need more assistance, have a look at our guide to learn how to get your high school transcript.

What a High School Transcript Includes

Transcripts contain a lot of information, and at first glance it can be difficult to take it all in. This section will explicate what a transcript includes, why this information is of import, and means for you to determine if you're on runway for creating a potent one. The master components of a transcript are:

The Proper noun of Each Class You Took in High School

Your transcript will list the grade name for each class you took in high schoolhouse, including whether yous retook or dropped a form.

Why Is This Important?

• This information is used to decide if you met graduation requirements for your loftier schoolhouse also as the archway requirements for colleges.
• It shows the difficulty of your schedule, such as whether yous took a lot of honors and AP classes or mostly stuck to regular-level courses.
• Information technology shows the subjects yous the most classes in. This is important because if you're applying to college and indicate you plan to major in, for example, biological science, colleges volition expect to come across a off-white number of science courses on your transcript.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• Are yous on rail to run into your high school's graduation requirements?
• What nigh entrance requirements for colleges you are interested in?
• Have you lot or will you be taking classes in the subject you plan to report in higher?

Actions to Accept:

• Talk to your guidance counselor if you're unsure almost graduation requirements.
• Research different colleges to come across the classes they crave students to have completed in high school, and make sure those classes are on your transcript or volition be before you graduate.
• If you don't feel like your transcript includes plenty courses in the subject yous want to study in college, aim to take more classes in that field earlier yous graduate.

The Grades You Got in Each Form

Likewise as providing the letter grade you lot got in each course you lot took, transcripts volition also often include your GPA (weighted and unweighted) also as your class rank, if your school has this.

Why Is This Of import?

• It shows schools and employers how well you grasped the cloth in each of your classes and how well you can be expected to do in future classes. This is very of import information to colleges because they want to accept students they feel volition succeed in college classes.
• It allows colleges to compare your grades and GPA to other applicants and their school's average entrance GPA.
• Colleges frequently pay special attention to your grades that relate most closely to the subject area you plan to major in.
• Class rank shows how well you did academically compared to the remainder of your graduating grade.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• Is your GPA close to the average entrance GPAs of the colleges y'all're interested in?
• If you know what y'all will major in, do you lot have strong grades in the classes that relate to that subject?

Actions to Take:

• Observe specific colleges' boilerplate entrance GPA on their websites, and see how your current GPA compares.
• If you're looking to improve your GPA (and it'due south never too late to practise so!) we take a guide for that (every bit well equally a specialized guide on how to practise raise your GPA swiftly)!
• If you desire to improve your grades, concentrate particularly closely on the classes that relate almost to your future major.

When You Took Each Course

The classes on your transcript are organized by date, with the classes you took first at the pinnacle, and your most contempo classes at the bottom. Classes are grouped together by semester/trimester/quarter, depending on your schoolhouse's agenda.

Why Is This Important?

• It allows colleges to see the progression of your courses. Did you move from regular English your freshman year to honors English language your sophomore year? Did you sign up only for easy classes your senior year? Colleges apply that information to aid determine whether or not you challenged yourself each twelvemonth of high school.
• It lets colleges and others see if and how your grades changed over time. Did you stumble a scrap at the showtime of high schoolhouse, but managed to raise your GPA later on that? Were at that place any semesters where your grades were significantly lower than other times?

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• Have you been continuously challenging yourself with the classes you take? Does your transcript show this (such as honors or AP classes)?
• Were in that location whatever periods in high school when you got lower grades than usual?

Deportment to Take:

• Make sure y'all keep to take challenging classes throughout loftier schoolhouse, even during senior year, including honors and AP classes if possible.
• If there was a period of time when your grades dropped, and yous take an explanation for it (illness, personal effect, etc.) attach a note to your application describing the situation, and ask your guidance counselor to explicate the situation in their letter of recommendation likewise. Colleges tin can exist very understanding about circumstances like that, especially if they see you made an try to improve your grades afterward.

Behavior Record

Some transcripts comprise information such equally the number of absences you have had and any serious disciplinary actions you have faced (such as suspensions, non small-scale issues like detention).

Why Is This Important?

• Colleges and employers want to brand sure they're accepting people who are serious nearly their commitments and will get along well with others. If a pupil regularly didn't prove upward for grade or had a serious disciplinary action, they may be hesitant to accept or hire them.

Inquire Yourself:

• Is there any show of discipline or frequent absences on your transcript?

Actions to Have:

• If the to a higher place applies to y'all, attach a letter to your application describing the state of affairs and the ways you lot have worked to amend yourself since and then. Be certain to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Boosted Information

Some high school transcripts contain boosted information such as your scores for standardized tests, any honors or awards you received in school, and sometimes the volunteer piece of work you lot did.

Why Is This Of import?

• It provides more data well-nigh your accomplishments so schools and jobs can go a more consummate picture of who you are.

What's Next?

Need to get ahold of your high school transcript? Learn how to become a copy of your transcript, regardless of when you graduated high school and which type of school y'all attended.

Wondering whether your GPA is good enough to get yous into the colleges yous want? Check out our guide to figure out how strong your GPA is.

Unsure of where you desire to get to college? Learn how to cull the best college for y'all!

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download information technology for costless now:

Accept friends who too need help with test prep? Share this commodity!

Virtually the Author

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Primary'southward from Duke University. In loftier school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biological science in several countries.

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Source: https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-a-high-school-transcript

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