Preparing a Transcript
Creating a Transcript
A transcript is a cumulative record on a 4-point scale indicating a student's level of success overall and in individual courses. On this scale any "A", including + or - , typically counts as a 4, "B's" as a 3, etc. Typical percentage breakdowns are: 90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D. Pass/fail indicators do not figure into a G.P.A. (grade point average).
It is recommended that all student receive a letter grade for all core courses. One-full credit is given for a course that a student works on in an every-day basis for the full year and lesser credits are prorated on a comparison basis depending on number of days per weeks or amount of the school year. For example a music lesson once a week all year long would be counted as .2 or .25 credits. A health course worked on every day for 9 weeks (1/4 of the year) would also be counted as .25 credits. A typical transcript has courses grouped either by grade level or by subject area. For purposes of modeling a transcript and how to figure a G.P.A. the following example has courses grouped by grade level and has been done for only two years.
Example by Grade Level
| Course Title | Grade | Credit | Scale | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra I | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Biology | B | 1 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| English I | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| World History | B | 1 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Bible | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Keyboarding | C | 1 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Physical Fitness | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| Music | A | 0.25 | 4.0 | 1.0 |
| TOTAL | 6.75 | 23.0 |
| Course Title | Grade | Credit | Scale | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra II | B | 1 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Chemistry (laboratory) | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| English II | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Geography | B | 1 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Bible | A | 1 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Computer Tools | B | 0.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 |
| Health | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| Music | B | 0.25 | 3.0 | 0.75 |
| TOTAL | 6.25 | 22.25 |
| Course Title | 1st Semester | Credit | Scale | Points | 2nd Semester | Credit | Scale | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | B | 0.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | |
| Geography | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | |||||
| Music | B | 0.25 | 3.0 | 0.75 | |||||
| World History | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | |
| English I | B | 0.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | |
| Bible I | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | |
| Physical Education | A | 0.25 | 4.0 | 1.0 | |||||
| Algebra I | A | 0.5 | 4.0 | 2.0 | B | 0.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | |
| TOTAL | 3.25 | 12.0 | 2.75 | 10.25 |
Notes:
1. The preparer of the transcript should sign and date the document, and indicate their relationship to the student.
2. Calculate a cumulative G.P.A. as the Total Points divided by the Total Credits. Both totals are the sum across all high school years completed. In the example above, the cumulative GPA over 2 years (sum 9th & 10th grade) = 45.25 / 13 = 3.48 on a 4-point scale.
3. A transcript should be split into semesters if 1) a student takes a course for only half the year, OR 2) a student makes a different grade each semester of a full-year subject.
Learn More: HSLDA Guidelines & Examples of Homeschool Transcripts