When graduating from high school, kids need to make some important, life-changing decisions concerning their further education and future occupation. Of course, it implies doing some paperwork.
In this article, we will cover all relevant issues concerning the High School Transcript, provide you with sufficient information and tips on what to include on such documents, and advise you on how to authorize the paper correctly.
A High School Transcript is a paper you have to fill in with the information concerning your grades for all courses you have taken in high school. This document sums up your academic record, and that is why you should write down accurate data about all courses. It does not matter if they were parent-taught or taken outside the high school you attended.
Everyone who graduates from high school must have this transcript prepared. Even if you are a homeschooler, you still have to complete the form. Please note that the form should be filled out together with your homeschooling teacher or a parent.
A high school transcript is a paper that you will need multiple times after finishing your high school education. It is highly recommended not to underestimate the role of this document in your future life. Do not postpone the moment of filling it out until the last moment.
You will find a list of circumstances in which you will need a transcript below:
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Firstly, it might be a good idea to search for samples of a transcript to understand how a completed form should look like. Keep in mind that there is no standard format of transcripts all over the country. That is why you may see some transcripts, including awards received while being at high school, some disciplinary records, and standardized test scores. But it is relatively easy to figure out how to fill out the form since the essence is the same.
The majority of the documents contain a list of courses, credits, grades received for each course, and cumulative GPA. If you are still not sure whether you have found the correct form and know how to fill it out, ask for a copy of a transcript in your high school main office. Usually, it is free, but you might be charged a small fee for printing out the document.
In general, a transcript consists of three parts, as follows:
Insert Your Personal Data and High School Info
Fill out the school’s name, address, and phone number. Then complete your name, ID, and birth date. On the right part of the page, you have to write down general information about the number of credits, cumulative GPA, and anticipated graduation date.
Provide details on the Classes You Took and Major
Once you are done with the first section, you can move on to the second one. It includes a set of questions on the classes you took and the results you achieved. You should include any awards or recognition you have gotten during your studies. But first, you need to fill out the results for tests that you have taken with a date provided for each test.
All courses that you have attended should be listed. For each one, write down the title, a grade, and a number of credits. It is recommended to list main academic subjects such as English, history, and math first. Only after completing information about them move on to elective courses. Do not write the name of the course after a textbook. It is more acceptable to fill out a general title of a discipline.
The last two columns are for your yearly GPAs and four cumulative GPAs that you fill out in the last line of each academic year.
Gather Signatures and Authorize the Form
After filling in all the tables, you can go to the last section of the form. You will have to write down a graduation date. Then ask a high school administrator to put their signature and current date. If you have studied at home, your supervisor (you or your parents) should sign this document.
There is a difference between a date issued and a current date. In most cases, they are not the same. The first one is the date of your graduation. It also can be found on your homeschool diploma. It should include the date, month, and year. The second date is the current one when you sign the form.
High school transcripts have two versions: official and unofficial ones. It is very easy to make an unofficial transcript by yourself. You can do it at home and print it out whenever you need to. An unofficial transcript is a report card that contains all the information about your number of credits and marks. You can check if you are able to access it through your academic online portal. You can use an unofficial option of a transcript to apply for summer school, courses, or jobs.
Your high school has a unique right to send you an official version of a transcript. The file can be sent via email or by US mail in a special envelope with a seal (so that no one could open your envelope). If you apply for a scholarship at a particular university, you have to attach this file.
Some scholarship committees may ask you to send your transcript with an electronic signature via email. In this case, make an electronic signature and use PDF for formatting the document.
It is not obligatory to print out a transcript on watermark paper. It will look more professional like that, but it is not necessary, so do not worry about that.
You should also be aware that there is a service for completing a transcript for you. The advantages of this option are an automatically calculated GPA, an opportunity to access and update a transcript online, and formatting your records professionally. However, this service is usually not free.
