It’s only the most important homeschool document you’ll ever create! No pressure.

Just getting started writing your transcript? Be sure to read Chapter 7 of Homeschooling for College Credit (2nd edition).

Families who have a lot of college credit often worry about how to record credit earned through dual enrollment, CLEP, or ACE. Our families also want to be sure they are assigning the proper letter grades, calculating their GPA accurately, and not missing any key essentials.

If you’re really starting from scratch, my advice is to read the full chapter, do a template on your computer (tutorial below if you don’t have one), and just dive in. The other tools on this page will help you calculate GPA and fine tune your work, but getting something down on paper is really the first step.

FAQs

Length? 1 page
Titles? Keep them simple.
Fonts and colors? Resist the urge.
+ and – grades? Only if you like doing extra math.
To weigh or not to weigh? When in doubt, do it both ways.
1 college course taken at a college with a grade = 1 high school credit.
Brand names shouldn’t appear on a high school transcript.
Test scores (PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLEP, AP, etc.) shouldn’t appear on a transcript because it’s a FERPA violation.
Remember that the transcript is only one part of the application!

HS4CC Transcript Workshop (online)

Be sure to attend one of the popular HS4CC Transcript Workshops! These are open to anyone but specifically, help families who want to understand how courses that carry college credit should be presented on your transcript. Live Events

HSLDA on Transcripts

Home School Legal Defense Association has a wonderful section about transcripts on their website. Some of it is public, and some requires a membership, but it’s really my favorite trusted site to get solid help. HSLDA Transcript Resource Page

GPA Calculation Tools

The easiest GPA calculator is Back2College SUPER easy to use, I’ve used it for at least 5 years. Totally free, but it is really just a calculator. They use a standard 4.0 grading scale, so if you’re planning to use a different weighted grade scale, this isn’t the best site. Also, you can’t save anything – it’s just to help you do the math.

Alternative GPA calculator if you use weighted grades GPA Calculator

Free Online Transcript Template

How To Homeschool Allows you to create a pdf document that can then be printed or saved on your computer. Uses a standard 4.0 grading scale.

Build a Transcript Template

If you have Microsoft Word or Open Office, my online tutorial shows you how to build your own template that you can create and revise anytime. I take you from a blank sheet of paper to a finished transcript in under an hour.

You don’t need special skills or software- I can teach you how to build your document in Word or Open Office, and you’ll fill in your own courses. This is the method I use for my kids, and after you to the first one, you’ll have no trouble building others.

Build it! Homeschooling for College Credit Transcript using MS Word