How To Make A Homeschool Transcript
Are you homeschooling high school and wondering how to make a homeschool transcript?
Questions about what it is, when your child will need one, and what makes it “official” might be running through your head. But don’t worry – learning how to create a homeschool transcript is easier than it sounds.
As a homeschooling mom myself, I remember feeling overwhelmed when my oldest decided to continue homeschooling through high school.
That’s when I turned to Google and searched “How To Make A Homeschool Transcript For High School”.”
The Danger Of Too Much Information
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of information on how to make a homeschool transcript, know that you’re not alone. I remember feeling the same way after my Google search. But with the right information, creating a homeschool transcript can be simple.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the process in the simplest way possible, and share some of my favorite resources and free templates.
It’s important to remember that homeschooling is unique to each family, and your transcript should reflect that. Use the information below as a guide to creating a homeschool transcript that works for your child and their plans.
What Is A High School Transcript?
It is easy to confuse a homeschool diploma with a homeschool transcript.
A diploma is a certificate that says your kid did everything they needed to do to graduate. It does not have coursework, grades, or credits.
On the other hand, a high school transcript is a record of your child’s academic accomplishments in high school.
What Does A High School Transcript Include:
What is on your transcript changes depending on what the goal of your child is, but most transcripts include:
- the words “Offical Transcript” (See below for an explanation)
- student name, address, and birthdate
- school information (if you name your homeschool, use it here and your address)
- name of the courses your child has taken
- the final grade obtained on each course
- the credit earned for each course
- a graduation date (or the projected graduation date)
- official school signature (yours)
- Date
Some transcripts may also include:
- Your cumulative GPA (Grade point average, GPA Calculator)
- Your scores on AP Exams, the SAT, or other standardized tests
- Any academic honors received
- Activity List
Your homeschool transcript should reflect your child.
What is the difference between “Official” and “Unofficial” transcripts?
The main difference is that one comes from the school and one is from the student. That is why your homeschool transcript should include the words “Offical Transcript.”
You will always be asked for official transcripts because they want to make sure the transcript’s information hasn’t been changed.
When Do You Need A High School Transcript?
Your child will need a high school transcript when applying to secondary education, such as colleges and universities.
A homeschool transcript gives college admissions officers a quick overview of your child’s academic performance and helps them decide who to admit.
I called my local community college to see what was required if my children wanted to attend. I highly recommend doing this to know exactly what format and what information to include on your child’s high school transcript.
Some scholarships, internships, and jobs may also ask for a copy of your child’s high school transcript. I’ll admit that I have changed jobs numerous times in my life, and no one has asked me for a transcript.
If your child wants to enlist in the military, they will need to present a homeschool transcript.
Lastly, if your homeschooled child decides to attend public school during their high school years, they may need a transcript for the years completed while homeschooled.
How To Make A Homeschool Transcript
Creating a homeschool transcript is not tricky, let’s learn how to make a homeschool transcript by breaking it down into 3 steps.
Step 1: Have A Plan
Before you begin to create a homeschool transcript, you need a plan.
Talk to your child and find out what their goals are for the future. For example, my children did not want to go to university, but attending trade school was a “maybe.”
With this information in mind, you can not only plan their high school education but know what to keep track of on their transcript.
If you are unsure what to include on a high school transcript, I suggest checking out the websites of any secondary education your child is considering attending in the future.
Another idea is to look for homeschool transcript samples to get ideas. Khan Academy has a sample here to help you get started.
Step 2: Keep Records
A high school transcript needs to be kept up to date each homeschool year. What method should you use to keep track of your child’s records/grades for high school?
The one you’ll use, or in my case, the one my child will use.
By the way, do not rely on your child to keep up to date on their record keeping. While both of my children are pretty responsible, it is easy to fall behind. After learning that lesson, I started holding weekly planning sessions with my teens. That way, if they forgot, it was only a week to catch up.
Your record-keeping should be done from 8th grade on and include:
- a written overview of the material covered
- a list of activities completed, including clubs and volunteer work
- paperwork and any files from each course listed on the transcript in case you should need them
For my children, we used Homeschool Planet for a few years to track grades and assignments. If you are using Homeschool Planet for your homeschool record-keeping, learn how to generate transcripts with one click here.
When that stopped working, I printed out grade sheets, and they were included in the front of the binder for each subject. The children filled them in when assignments and tests were completed.
Step 3: Fill In Your High School Transcript
If you have been dutifully keeping up with your homeschool record-keeping, filling in the transcript is much easier.
First, you will choose your transcript format.
The format you choose should reflect your child’s goals and strengths.
There are two formats to choose from, a four-year or subject-based.
For example, if your child has stayed on target, a four-year format may work best. This format breaks lists each year of high school, followed by a breakdown of the courses/credits by year. This is the most common format used.
However, if your child has doubled up on courses or gotten behind due to illness, you may want to list the subjects covered. You can find an example of a subject-based transcript.
Second, fill in the homeschool transcript.
Basically, it is a matter of transferring the information from your record-keeping and filling in the homeschool transcript with courses, course descriptions, grades, credits, scores, etc.
Keep it simple. College admissions officers want a homeschool transcript that is simple and easy to read. If you can fit it all on one page, great!
When my son entered high school, I invested in the book Cure The Fear (review here). The pdf came with printable planning pages that are perfect for high school.
I created a printable planner for myself when my kids hit the high school years.
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
Cure the Fear of Homeschooling High School: A Step-by-Step Handbook for Research & Planning
The Homeschool Planner for Working Moms has everything you need to stay organized and on top of your game. From transcript pages to high school planning pages and quarterly planning pages, this planner has got you covered.
And because it is printable, you only use the pages you want!
How To Make A Homeschool Transcript For Child-led Homeschool Approach
If you are using a child-led or interest-led homeschool approach, Lee Binz shared how she created homeschool transcripts for her boys using a “Sticky Note Strategy.”
If you are using a relaxed or unschool homeschool approach, you may find using a planner laid out for your needs, such as:
- Focus & Goals
- Projects
- Skills Practiced (cooking, woodworking, building, crafting, writing, etc.)
- Reading (include books, articles, websites, etc.)
- Watching (documentaries, movies, youtube channels, etc.)
- Field trips
- Discussions
If you have the Deluxe Homeschool Planner, the Quarterly Planner Pages (pages 11-14 shown above) may work along with the Unit Planning pages (page 31 shown below).
You will want to keep this up to date each year. Do not wait until the end of 4 years or so and try to recall what your child learned and when.
4 Free Homeschool Transcript Templates
As a busy working mom who is also homeschooling (yes, it can be done!), time is limited. To help you out, here free homeschool transcript templates you can use.
- 4 Year Transcript Creator
- Homeschool.com
- Regent University’s Homeschool Transcript (excel spreadsheet)
- How to Homeschool Today’s Transcript Creator
Homeschool Transcript Checklist
If you are like me and prefer to check all your boxes, use this checklist to make sure you’ve correctly created your homeschool transcript.
- “Official High School Transcript” or “Official Homeschool Transcript”
- Name of Student
- Student Address
- Student Date of Birth
- School Name
- School Address
- Course Names
- Course Credits
- Total Credits
- Graduation Date
- Your signature
- Your date
You may also include:
- GAP Per Year
- Cumulative GPA
- Grading Key
- Standardized Test Scores (if you choose)
What Does NOT Go On A Transcript?
The goal of the transcript is to represent their academic work, not all the things.
Activities, awards, and course descriptions do not belong on the transcript, that information will be entered on the application.
Remember, you want to make a homeschool transcript that is simple and easy to read.
Creating A Homeschool Transcript
Now that you know what a homeschool transcript is and what it is used for, all you need to do is:
- Create a plan
- Keep good records
- Choose a format
- Fill it in
- Print it out and sign it
And you are done! Wasn’t that easy? Making a homeschool transcript for your child is not complicated! Just like every other aspect of homeschooling – keep it simple.
Feel free to stop reading here and make your homeschool transcript. But if you have questions, check out the Frequently Asked Questions below.
Homeschool Transcripts FAQ
This is where I admit my love of asking questions. While all of the above provides you with the information you need to create a simple and easy transcript, you may have some specific questions.
Here is a list of the most commonly asked questions about making a homeschool transcript.
What is an official homeschool transcript?
An official transcript is a record of your grades that has been issued by the school you attended. In this case, it is your homeschool.
Your homeschool transcript should have the words “Offical” at the top.
What do colleges want to see on a homeschool transcript?
A homeschool transcript going to a college should include all the information above in the checklist.
You will also want to check with the college your child is planning to attend to see exactly what else they may require, such as:
- course descriptions
- A list of any extracurricular activities
- A list of any leadership skills, awards won, volunteer hours, or other accomplishments, etc.
Normally, those things are not included in the transcript but are included in the application. That is why it is SMART to check first.
Homeschool.com has a great article on college admission requirements I recommend you check out for further information.
What should a course description include?
As stated above, some colleges may want course descriptions. Course descriptions should include:
- course name
- brief description
A good course description is the key to explaining precisely what a student covered in a course and how your child was evaluated.
Your curriculum’s scope and sequence will be very helpful in filling out this information. If you’re using a textbook alone, most publishers include a concise description that overviews the content or use the table of contents.
Keep it short and to-the-point! Try to limit the descriptions to one page.
What is a high school credit?
According to Cure the Fear, “a high school credit is a course that lasts a full year, and a 1/2 credit is a course that lasts a full semester.” (page 22)
I highly recommend using the “General Credits Plan” page found in the printables section at the end of the book to plan out your credits.
Another way of looking at it is a one-credit course requires 120-180 hours of work. A one-half credit course usually requires 60-90 hours of work.
Using your homeschool time log will help you track this.
How many high school credits are needed to graduate?
How many credits your child needs depends on where you live. Each state and province has different requirements or…none at all. That’s right, in many states, you get to decide how many credits your child needs to complete to graduate.
Currently, as a homeschooler in the US & Canada, you are not required to follow public school requirements for graduation. That said, some states and provinces do list graduation requirements for homeschoolers, and you will need to follow them.
If your state does not have requirements, you should research the college your child plans to attend to ensure they meet the requirements.
Do I need my homeschool transcript to be accredited?
No, your courses do not need to be accredited to be put on a high school transcript.
You can read more about accreditation in this article, “What is Accreditation?“
Does my homeschool transcript need to be notarized?
Your homeschool transcript does not need to be notarized unless the college specifically requests it. You’ll find that information on the website of the college. If you are unable to find it on the website, you can also call the admissions department directly.
How do I make my homeschool transcript professional looking?
Your homeschool transcript should be clear and easy to read, think uncluttered, and well-organized.
It should be typed up in plain font. Now is not the time to get fancy—double-check for spelling errors before printing.
How To Make A Homeschool Transcript For High School
Creating a homeschool transcript might seem intimidating at first, but with the right information, it can be a simple and straightforward process.
By following the three steps I’ve outlined in this post and using the recommended resources and templates, you can easily create a transcript that accurately reflects your child’s unique homeschool journey.
Remember, every family’s homeschooling experience is different, so don’t hesitate to tailor your transcript to meet your child’s needs and goals.
Books For Homeschooling High School:
One of my all-time favorite resources for battling the fear of homeschooling high school is “Cure the Fear of Homeschooling High School: A Step-by-Step Handbook for Research & Planning.” I’ve referred to it over and over again while homeschooling my kids.
Here are a few other books by Ann you may enjoy.
Cure the Fear of Homeschooling High School: A Step-by-Step Handbook for Research & PlanningTaming The Transcript: The Essential Guide to Creating Your Teen’s Homeschool Transcript from Scratch (without overwhelm)Save Your Sanity While Homeschooling High School: Practical Principles for a Firm FoundationFor the Record: How to Give Grades and Organize Documentation while Homeschooling High School
This book will take you step-by-step through the process of planning your child’s high school coursework all the way through to graduation, in such a way that you will KNOW that you are not missing anything!
I encourage you to read my review, Cure The Fear: A Powerful Tool To Help You Homeschool High School With Confidence.
Homeschooling High School Resources:
- Online Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum for High School
- Multi-Sensory High School
- Homeschooling High School? What You Need To Know About The DSST Exam
- CLEP Homeschool High School College Prep Tips: Save Time & Money
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
