20+ Credits Needed for Graduation

June 16, 2026 by Leave a Comment
📚 Part of our guide: Homeschooling High School

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: 20+ Credits Needed for Graduation.

20+ Credits Needed for Graduation

20+ Credits Needed for Graduation

Lots of homeschooling parents feel intimidated by transcripts. They worry if they will include the correct courses and credits for a successful launch for their homeschool high schoolers into the next phase of life.

That’s why I (7Sister Vicki) am excited to talk about homeschool transcripts! I know this can be a stressful topic for new homeschooling parents, but once you get used to it, it’s a fun game!

Start with: This is a game to learn to play!

Creating your teen’s homeschool transcript is a game. It can be fun!

So, let’s all take a deep breath and say to ourselves, “This is a game. I can play the game, and it can be fun.”

So we practice a positive attitude, and it won’t be so bad! (Believe me, it is true. We have successfully helped our teens and hundreds of our local advisees create a successful transcript.)

There’s not ONE right way

Anyway, let me remind you that there’s not one right way to homeschool high school. (We say that all the time!) And it is especially true about transcripts.

There’s not one right way to do transcripts. Even if you had a teen in a public school, every school’s transcript looks different. Thus, you get to adapt anything I share to meet your teens’ needs.

BTW- at 7SistersHomeschool, when you download our transcript package, you will find a transcript in an editable format that we have used with all our teens. You, too, can use it to make your own transcript. The how-tos are all included! It has been useful for homeschool graduates for admission into college, the military, trade schools, or whatever their next steps are.

How to Create a High School Transcript with Editable Transcript

Just like there’s not one right way to create a transcript, there’s not one right way to decide how many credits to put on the transcript. Every state has a different set of requirements for what kinds and number of credits are needed for graduation.

In our umbrella school, we had kids from Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Thus, we had to require the highest number of credits from each state’s graduation requirements. Our teens needed twenty-six credits on their transcripts.

With this in mind, adjust these tips for your teens’ needs and your state’s requirements.

Courses your teens need on their transcripts

Homeschool high schoolers need several kinds of courses on their homeschool transcripts:

Core courses

The core courses are the basic academics that teens need for graduation. Most states require the same core subjects, but may vary in the number of credits for each category.

Core courses for the homeschool transcript include:

  • English/Language Arts (ELA)– usually four credits
  • Maths- usually three or four credits
    • These credits usually include Algebra and Geometry; many states also require Algebra II. College-bound teens may need Pre-Calculus or Calculus, according to their major. Some states add Financial Literacy or Consumer Math to these requirements.
  • Social Studies/History- usually three or four credits
  • Science- usually three or four credits
    • Many states require Biology and Chemistry credits. Some also include Health, Physical Science, or Physics.
  • World Languages- usually two to three credits

Other required courses

Many states have additional required credits, such as:

  • Physical Education- usually one or two credits
  • Fine Arts- usually one credit
    • This can include drama, art, music, and sometimes dance, if it’s not counted as Phys Ed.
  • Technology- usually one credit
  • Career Pathways- usually one to four credits
    • A few states require Career Exploration, followed by courses that build experience in a possible career choice.
      • For instance, teens interested in a Science major, all of their sciences count as Career Pathways
      • Teens interested in non-college or trade schools. For instance, if  Early Childhood Eduation is a teen’s Career Pathway, shadowing, volunteering or working at a daycare or preschool, as well as 7Sisters Early Childhood Education textbook.

Elective courses

Most states require some elective credits (usually one to four credits). Many homeschool high schoolers have more than the minimum elective requirement. That’s because we can include ALL of their educational experiences on the transcript to highlight the richness of learning.

Electives are topics that interest your teens, they want to explore for fun, or are extra courses related to a favorite core course.

So, let’s say your teen had all the fine arts they needed, but they enjoyed being in a choir. They can count those choir hours as a Choir Elective.

One of my teens was interested in the History of Church Music. He created his own credit in that topic.

Elective credits add sparkle to the transcript. It also shows that your teen is self-motivated and can explore an interest.

Don’t be intimidated. Transcripts are a game.

There you have it! Since transcripts are a game, you may as well show off your teen’s excellent high school experiences! Never exaggerate or fib, but do show off your teens’ educational strengths!

Keep your attitude positive! You can do this!

Stay in touch!

Join Vicki for encouragement as you plan your teens’ credits for the homeschool transcript.

For more on transcripts, check out:

Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing today.

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College-Attractive Transcripts for Homeschool High Schoolers

September 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment
📚 Part of our guide: Homeschooling High School

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: College-Attractive Transcripts for Homeschool High Schoolers.

College-Attractive Transcripts for Homeschool High Schoolers

College-Attractive Transcripts for Homeschool High Schoolers

In my eighteen years of advising homeschool high schoolers, one of my favorite tasks was helping teens develop the transcript they needed to fulfill their goals. Our homeschool umbrella school graduated hundreds of teens, many of them college bound. These teens graduated with transcripts that opened the doors they needed for the next phase of life.

Why do college-bound teens need college-attractive transcripts?

Each college is looking for something special in their incoming freshmen. They may simply be looking for teens who completed state high school graduation requirements. However, many colleges are also looking for courses that show that their future students know how to develop an interest, work through rigorous academics, and live an active life.

Many teens are also competing for scholarships that depend on a powerful transcript.

A transcript is a snapshot of your teens whole high school academics and more, all crammed together on one sheet of paper.

Where to start developing the college-attractive transcript

Let’s start with the transcript form. Just like homeschooling: there’s not ONE right way to make a transcript form. With that in mind, let me talk to you about the editable transcript form we used with our umbrella school (and is offered by 7SistersHomeschool).

Sample of a 7SistersHomeschool editable transcript (filled in as a sample)

The 7Sisters editable transcript includes step-by-step how-tos for completing the transcript.

What to include in a college-attractive transcript

Remember, there’s not ONE right way to do a transcript. However, these are the items we include.

Identifying information

The most important thing to put on that transcript is your teen’s name and date of birth, because otherwise colleges will not be able to discern WHO this transcript represents.

  • Your address comes next in the identifying section of the transcript.
  • These days, you can add email if you like.
  • You may also add your homeschool “school” or umbrella school’s name

A “snapshot of all four years of high school”

Not all transcripts include this. However, it is useful for admissions officers (and you want to make them happy).

Look at the top left corner. There is a little section on the transcript that looks at the core subjects. That box shows the core courses and what years those courses were completed.

A legend or key

It is wise to include a legend or a key that tells what the levels of rigor for your teens courses. (You can see that in the top-right box.)

Testing scores and GPA

In the box with the legend, you can also include SAT or ACT scores (or other pertinent tests).

  • Also include the GPA
    • Colleges look for a solid GPA, although there is variance from college to college
  • And the grading scale

A breakdown of courses, year-to-year

Note on the sample transcript, each year has it’s own section (grades 9, 10, 11, 12).

Picky details and sticky questions

Colleges want know that your homeschool high schooler is capable of pulling a good, strong GPA in high school so that they can transition well to college.

Should we weight our GPAs or not?

With traditional GPAs, you have a letter grade and a number assigned to that letter. So

  • A would receive a 4.0
  • B would receive a 3.0
  • C would receive a 2.0

Um, some high schools would break that down even further:

  • B plus was a 3.5
  • C plus was a 2.5

There are even more ways to break down a GPA.

Some high schools weight courses

A weighted GPA, on the other hand, is for high schools who want to show that their teens are working at very rigorous levels.

So they might give a highly rigorous course (like an AP course) more “points”. For instance:

  • 5.0 for an A instead of a 4.0 because they are rewarding the level of rigor

That is why colleges want to know grading scales, and the GPAs!

In their admissions algorithm,

  • they unweight the weighted grades
  • or weight, the unweighted ones

And so everybody ends up in the same kind of algorithm. In other words, one transcript is comparable.

What are levels of rigor?

Levels show the amount of rigor a student has worked on each core course.

  • Level one, remedial level. (Teens with learning problems.)
  • Level two is average. An average high school student could do this course. (A young person going to a competitive college will not work at a level two.
  • Level three is college prep, so this is much more rigorous than an average.
  • Levels four and five. Students going to a more competitive college, will want to have at least a good proportion of their courses added level four or level five.
  • Level four is advanced, it’s significantly more rigorous than college prep for our teens. (For our teens, level four courses included the college prep course, plus about half a credit extra (however, this only shows at one credit).
  • Level five is our honors. These include AP courses, dual enrollment courses at level five. (Remember that you cannot call  a course an AP course unless it, unless it has been approved by the College Board.)
    • Level five honors includes double the work for one credit. That really, really, really prepared them for the rigors of college and helped them to really become a like high school level subject matter experts in the courses they took at that level.

What does your teen’s favorite college want to see on transcripts?

Check college websites. They will tell you what they are looking for. For instance:

Building courses in the potential college-major areas

Transcripts should show the ability to develop interests in the future college major. For instance, future English majors could spend a whole semester or a whole year on like CS Lewis studies or world literature. So they’ll, they’ll go in depth on a topic and not just stay at the surface.

Personal Development

Courses in personal development help teens build their own transcript, but also their lives, with courses like career exploration or really dive into health and make it an enriched credit. Those kind of things show academic richness.

Extracurriculars

Then very important is you want to include, not for credit but for richness, extracurriculars or activities.

Volunteering/Service

Teens build a powerful transcript with they volunteer at the museum, church, or some other cause.

Competitions

This is an optional suggestion. Teens who compete in some way are showing that they have competitive drive. One of our favorite podcast episode about a competition that homeschooler Nathaniel Mack participated in for the conservation district in Virginia. (Nathaniel is the son our friend and Cousin Natalie Mack.)

Remember, there’s not ONE right way to create a homeschool transcript, but these suggestions have worked well. Join Vicki for a discussion on college-attractive homeschool transcripts.

Thanks to Seth Tillman for editing.

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How to Get Homeschool Transcripts Exactly Right- Special Replay

March 25, 2025 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast, a special replay: How to Get Homeschool Transcripts Exactly Right!

How to Get Homeschool Transcripts Exactly Right- Special Replay

How to Get Homeschool Transcripts Exactly Right

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast we are talking transcripts. Actually, we are RE-talking transcripts. This is an episode we did four years ago (can you believe it?!) However, we have been receiving requests for this same information, so we decided to reshare.

As you know, Sabrina, Vicki and Kym have seen their twenty-six kids through homeschool graduation. In fact, the 7Sisters have not only graduated their kids, but through their umbrella school (where 7Sister Vicki and Marilyn have served as academic advisors), they have helped hundreds of teens graduate and head successfully into adulthood.

How to Create High School Transcripts

So, they know a lot about homeschooling high school and creating great transcripts!

Do you want to know how to get homeschool transcripts exactly right?  Do you fear that it is one right way or else? Well, we have good news for you! There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school and there’s not ONE right have to handle transcripts.

However, transcripts are important so here is how we do our transcripts!

Transcripts are important for all homeschool high schoolers. College-bound teens need a good transcript to get into college. Even teens who are not college-bound will often need to show a transcript for trade schools or the military (and sometimes for new jobs). We love to share the things we have learned learned about successful transcript creation. (And even more transcript information in this post in our Authoritative Guide series).

Why are transcripts important?

Transcripts are proof that education happened. (Our culture believes that if there is not a record on paper that something happened, it did not happen.) They open doors for college and career. (And it is fun to keep a record for yourself about what a great job you and your high schoolers have done.)

There is not really a magical formula or necessary downloadable form from your state government that you must fill out. You must create your own. However, there are many templates available. For instance, 7SistersHomeschool has an editable transcript form along with a detailed guide about what to include.

There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school…OR complete a transcript.

However, these tips are a good place to start.

On the transcript include:

7Sisters sample transcript

Suggestions that will really help!

Should you do a year-by-year transcript or a subject-based transcript?

As always, we 7Sisters believe there’s not ONE right way to handle transcripts. However, one thing to think about is that many college admissions officers are used to thinking in the traditional year-by-year format. Therefore, if you have a yearly transcript rather than subject oriented transcript, you might make their job easier.

So, that’s how you do get the homeschool high school transcript exactly right, with the the exactly ONE right formula…Oh, right! There’s not ONE right way to do a homeschool transcript. These are simply the tools that we have used over the years on the transcripts of our own kids and the hundreds of homeschool high schoolers in our local umbrella school who have graduated and gone on successfully to the next phase of life. Adapt our information and ideas to your teens’ needs! Let us know your ideas.

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for this informative episode.

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    1. View in “…your favorite podcast source”
  3. This will take you to Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast source and our own podcast page.
  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
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OR PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE

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How to Get Homeschool Transcripts Exactly Right

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Ten Tips for Terrific Transcripts- Special Replay

March 11, 2024 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Ten Terrific Tips for Transcripts-Special Replay.

Ten Tips for Terrific Transcripts

Ten Tips for Terrific Transcripts

Transcripts are vitally important as record of all the work your homeschool high schoolers have done. Who needs need a high school transcript:

  • Homeschool graduates who want to serve in the military (check out this interview with a military recruiter)
  • Non-college-bound homeschool graduates who will be going into the workforce. (Most employers do not ask to see your teens’ transcript, but it does happen occasionally.)
  • College-bound homeschool graduates

    How to Create a High School Transcript. Create meaningful transcripts with this editable PDF transcript, course checklist and detailed guide.

    Click image for full description.

BTW- 7Sisters has a transcript kit that includes an editable template and detailed instructions.

So if your teen needs a transcript, it might as well be the most advantageous transcript you can produce. With that in mind, here are ten tips for a terrific transcript!

Remember, there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school. Also, there’s not ONE right way to create a transcript. So, do what is best for you and your teens.

Transcript Tip #1

You need it. You may not be required by homeschool law to produce a transcript, but your teen will likely need it at some point.

In my years as the upperclass advisor for our local umbrella school, I found that transcripts can be important years after graduating from high school.

  • I remember one graduate school insisting that one of our graduates produce her high school transcript, even though she had just graduated with her undergraduate degree from a four-year college.
  • Another young man was required to produce his high school transcript for a new job years after homeschool graduation.

Transcript Tip #2

It should be easy to read. As we have often noted: there is not a standardized format that your homeschoolers’ transcripts need to follow. However, the most useful transcripts are easy to scan quickly to get an idea of who your teens are.

Transcript Tip #3

Start in ninth grade. You will thank me for this tip. Can you imagine getting to senior year and needing to dig through years of portfolios and crates and boxes, trying to piece together a transcript? (We have had to help a few homeschoolers do that. While we made it happen, it’s tough.)

You don’t need that stress. Go ahead. Start in ninth grade!

The cool thing, as you watch that transcript develop year to year, you and your teens will feel SO proud of what they are accomplishing. As the transcript builds each year, teens can really feel proud of their successes.

Start the transcript in the 9th Grade

Transcript Tip #4

Keep the format consistent year to year, especially the order of the courses your teen completes. Take for instance:

  • List English/Language Arts first each year
  • Then list Math next each year
  • After that list Science
  • Then list History

You do not need to follow this format, per se, but do order the courses. That way admissions officer, military recruiter or human resources personnel can quickly scan to make sure your teen accomplished all they needed to in high school.

Also, choose the titles for the courses wisely. Here’s a post to help you choose the names for courses.

Transcript Tip #5

Show the level of rigor your homeschool high schooler worked at for each core course:

  • English/Language Arts
  • Math
  • Science
  • Social Studies

Levels can be used for other courses also.

Simply record the level of rigor right next to the course title on the homeschool transcript. For instance:

  • Level 1: Remedial
  • Level 2: Average high school
  • Level 3: College prep
  • Level 4: Advanced
  • Level 5: Honors

Check this post for details on levels on a transcript.

This lets colleges or military recruiters know that your teen can handle rigorous academics.

Transcript Tip #6

Include a legend or key on the transcript. Because there is no standardized format for Levels, you will need to include a key or legend on the transcript to explain how the levels are earned.

Transcript Tip #7

Have a GPA recorded on the homeschool transcript. Decide whether you want that GPA:

  • Weighted or
  • Unweighted

For instance, a weighted GPA might be greater than 4.0 to reward teens for their hard work. On the other hand, when applying to colleges, the GPA tends to undo the weighting so that they can compare student to student.

Transcript Tip #8

Include testing scores. If your teen is taking SAT or ACT, it is good to include those scores on the transcript.

Although teens often are often asked these scores as part of their college applications, it is good to have them on the transcript also. That’s because of the “skimmers”. In other words, having the testing scores on the transcript helps admissions officers skim the transcript and turn up LOTS of good information.

Transcript Tip #9

Include extracurricular activities and competitions on the transcript. This is so beneficial for teens who participate in chosen activities for a couple of years in a row. It makes the transcript look so powerful.

Also, include service hours on the transcript. Volunteering shows strength of character and willingness to be involved in the community. Not only that, but these projects helps them when they build their experiential resume.

It is also good for nostalgia when your teens are grown and on their own. You and they can look back and remember all the cool things they did!

Transcript Tip #10

Make sure you include identifying information for your teen. (This seems so obvious, but hey, we are homeschoolers and our kids don’t have to put their names on papers. In the same way, it is easy for us to forget all the important identifying information on the transcript.)

Include this information at the top of the transcript:

  • Student’s full name
  • Complete address
  • Email address
  • Your homeschool’s name or the word “Homeschool” at the top. (This is optional.)

This distinguishes your teen from other applicants with similar names.

These tips are tips that have worked for us and our advisees. Remember: there’s not ONE right way to build a transcript so do what is best for you and yours.

Want more support?

Check out

And for more homeschool support, check out our sister podcasts right here on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network:

Join Vicki for encouragement and tips for terrific transcripts!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our Apple Podcasts page.
  2. OR take this IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in “…your favorite podcast source”
  3. This will take you to Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast source and our own podcast page.
  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
  5. Choose RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!)
  6. Thanks!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE

      1. Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone
      2. Choose the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen
      3. In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast
      4. Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon
      5. Choose *Subscribe*
      6. Please tap *Ratings and Review*

 

 

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Homeschool High School Transcripts

December 8, 2023 by Leave a Comment

On this episode, Lisa Nehring, Director of True North Homeschool Academy, joins Crystal Niehoff to discuss homeschool high school transcripts.Episode #3- Homeschool High School Transcripts

On this episode, Lisa Nehring, Director of True North Homeschool Academy, joins Crystal Niehoff to discuss homeschool high school transcripts.

Lisa and her husband, Dr. David Nehring who served in the Air Force, started homeschooling 30 years ago. They started in 1991 and graduated their youngest a year ago this spring. They have five kids ages 19 to 35, and a couple of grandkids who are also homeschooled. Lisa holds an M.A. in Human Development and M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy. In addition to homeschooling and her work as Director of True North Homeschool Academy, Lisa has worked as an Admissions Counselor, Administrator, Copywriter, Blogger, Academic Adviser, Teacher, Event Planner, and Program Developer.

Homeschool parents often dread the thought of preparing high school transcripts for their high schooler and feel confused about what should be included. In this episode, Lisa shares her years of experience in creating transcripts for her own children and others, details the different types of transcripts and what should be included, and assures us that homeschool high school transcripts don’t need to be complicated or stressful. We can do it!

So, whether your homeschooled high schooler is on a college track, career track, military track, or trade school track, this episode will help you navigate the ins and outs of preparing a high school transcript.

Closing Thought: Crystal then shares this thought in closing which comes from educator, John Holt, “Any child who can spend an hour or two a day, or more if he wants, with adults that he likes, who are interested in the world and like to talk about it, will on most days learn far more from their talk than he would learn in a week of school.”

Resources:

True North Homeschool Academy

Survive Homeschooling Through High School

Considering Military Service

Special Needs Credits and Transcripts

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone, tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast, and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

  1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
  2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
  3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook.

 Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Online Transcript Platform for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Enid Franklin

October 3, 2023 by Leave a Comment

WThis week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Online Transcript Platform for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Enid Franklin.

Online Transcript Platform for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Enid Franklin

Online Transcript Platform for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Enid Franklin

If you’re wondering about how to get your high schooler’s transcript under control, we have you covered here in this interview with Enid Franklin and Brittany Williams. Our friends Enid and Brittany are the masterminds behind Franklin Homeschool Services and My Portfolio Page. These incredible women have developed an online portfolio and transcript service. It will revolutionize the way you document and showcase your homeschooling achievements.

Let’s dive into their journey, the benefits of online portfolios, and how this online transcript platform can transform your homeschooling experience.

Getting to Know Enid and Brittany

Enid Franklin, a lifelong Maryland resident and homeschooling mom, has successfully homeschooled her three children. Her oldest daughter recently earned her master’s degree in journalism at the age of 21! Her son is pursuing a career as a firefighter, while her youngest daughter has just completed her first year at Drexel University. 

Brittany Williams, another homeschooling mom, also has successfully homeschool her three kids. Her oldest son graduated from Towson University two years ago and now works in the film industry. Her daughter is about to enter her third year at Coastal Carolina, majoring in marine biology. And then Brittany’s youngest son just graduated from high school, and he plans to attend Baltimore County Community College before transferring to a university for mechanical engineering. 

The Birth of Franklin Homeschool Services:

Franklin Homeschool Services became established in 2021, after Enid recognized the need for comprehensive homeschooling support. That summer, she started the company after working as an administrator for a homeschool umbrella. When COVID hit, many families who never intended to homeschool suddenly found themselves needing guidance. 

When Enid finished homeschooling her own children, she realized she had a wealth of knowledge to share. So, she decided to start Franklin Homeschool Services. With her years of homeschooling knowledge and experience, Enid was determined to give back to the homeschooling community. 

Brittany joined forces with Enid due to their shared passion for helping families navigate the overwhelming process of homeschooling. Together, they provide consulting services, guidance, and encouragement to homeschoolers at all stages of their journey.

Introducing ‘My Portfolio Page’

Do you recall the days of bulky physical portfolios and the stress of having them reviewed? Not anymore! Introducing My Portfolio Page, an online portfolio and transcript service offered by Franklin Homeschool Services that makes the process of keeping up with your transcripts and documents super easy. 

And easy is exactly what we busy homeschool moms are looking for these days, especially when it comes to prepping our high schoolers for graduation and college.

Because Enid and Brittany understand the challenges of creating and maintaining physical portfolios, they have created My Portfolio Page, which is a user-friendly platform that simplifies the process and eliminates the risk of losing important documents. This digital portfolio service allows homeschoolers to effortlessly track attendance, create activity logs, log reading lists, and even upload pictures to support their educational experiences.

The Benefits of Keeping Online Portfolios

You’ll find numerous advantages of using an online transcript maker in homeschooling. Firstly, it provides an organized and easily accessible record of your child’s educational journey. No more searching for misplaced log sheets or worrying about physical portfolios getting lost during moves or transitions! 

​ The portfolios are not only useful for reviews but also serve as keepsakes and a way to celebrate the progress and achievements of homeschooling. Once the portfolio is complete, it can be downloaded, printed, and organized in a binder for a physical keepsake. 

Using an online transcript platform, like My Portfolio Page, also allows you to showcase your child’s achievements in a professional and visually appealing manner, making it easier to share with colleges, universities, and potential employers.

It’s like a media kit or a resume of your child’s academic years, and My Portfolio Page makes the process of accumulating all the information a breeze.

Streamlining Transcript Creation

One of the most exciting features of My Portfolio Page is the ease with which it generates transcripts. By linking the report card to the high school component, parents can input grades, including weighted grades for honors or AP courses, and the system automatically calculates the GPA. 

My Portfolio Page eliminates the stress of manually calculating GPAs and ensures accuracy in transcript creation. Once completed, you can easily download and print the transcript, ready to be included in college applications or other educational endeavors.

Online Transcript Platform

It’s important to start off your high schooler on the right foot and utilize the tech tools available to make homeschooling more manageable. Enid and Brittany understand the importance of support and encouragement, and their services reflect their commitment to helping families thrive in their homeschooling journeys.

Enid and Brittany are beloved in the homeschool community. Satisfied parents often share the impact of their services and the ease with which they can handle record-keeping and documentation.

If you are a homeschooling parent looking to streamline your record-keeping process and enhance your child’s educational portfolio, Franklin Homeschool Services and My Portfolio Page are the perfect solutions for you. With their user-friendly online transcript platform, comprehensive services, and commitment to supporting homeschooling families, Enid and Brittany have revolutionized the way we document and showcase our homeschooling achievements.

How To Connect With Franklin Homeschool Services and My Portfolio Page

Remember, the journey of homeschooling is made easier when you have the right tools and support. Explore Franklin Homeschool Services and My Portfolio Page today and take your homeschooling experience to new heights!

For more on what to include on your homeschool transcripts and all the transcript details, check out these resources:

Thank you to Richie Soares with Homeschool and Humor for writing this blog post!

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Special Replay: Rethinking College

April 21, 2023 by Leave a Comment

But whether you and/or your student have a clear plan or not, CLEP-ing out of their gen-eds is always the wisest way to go. Rethinking College

Welcome to this episode of Life Skills 101! This week the topic of this podcast is Rethinking College.

With the rising cost of college, it’s important for parents to take time to evaluate with their students, the academic, financial and world view Return on their Investment (ROI) of college costs and debt. The average college graduate (does not include students who do not graduate but still have debt), takes 6 years, not 4 to graduate, with an average of over $35,000 in debt

A college degree is no longer necessary for a rewarding career or to ensure an upwardly mobile life-style. In fact, crippling college debt can make the American Dream an impossibility!

As parents, how do we guide and direct our young adults as they plan for the future?

In this episode, we explore ways that students can get a head start on college, by starting by taking CLEP or  Dual Enrollment courses, specifically targeting Gen Ed Courses.

General Education Requirements:

    • 6 credits of English.
    • 3-6 of Math
    • 3-9 of Science
    • 3-6 of Social Science
    • 3-6 of Diversity
    • You can get an associate’s or even a bachelor’s from the Big Three of the CLEP world. These are
      • Thomas Edison
      • Excelsior
      • Charter Oaks

It makes good sense for young adults to learn how to navigate the digital world. Starting an online business in high school can set them up for future success; setting up an online educational business is even better as the online education market is estimated to be an over $350 billion dollar market by 2025.

Students should consider what kind of lifestyle do they want to have as adults and work backwards from there. What kind of training, income and skills will they need to attain that? The future will demand that our young adults have Critical Thinking Skills, Adaptability and Flexibility and the ability to Collaborate.

Below are resources offered by True North to help families navigate the rapidly changing world of college.

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Assigning Grades for Homeschool High School Transcripts: Special Replay

March 14, 2023 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Assigning Grades for Homeschool High School Transcripts.

Assigning Grades for High School Transcripts

Assigning Grades for Homeschool High School Transcripts

Homeschooling gets serious when our teens hit high school! No more simply learning for the love of learning. Rather, our high schoolers can still love learning but there must definitely be grades because there must also be a transcript!

Many of us homeschooling moms never assigned grades in elementary or middle school. We wanted our kids to learn to love education and not be pressured by grades. However, in homeschool high school, we need to doing some special training:

  • For perfectionistic teens on what a stopping point is. What is GOOD ENOUGH…and learn to stop there!
  • Also, for teens who do not care at all about grades: learning to discipline themselves. What is GOOD ENOUGH for them? (Then work on school assignments until reaching good enough.)
  • Us moms who are too soft or too hard on their teens how to stick to guidelines. Assigning grades helps both our teens and ourselves develop self-discipline!
    • Self-discipline is the key for successful grading.
    • AND self-discipline is a necessary life skill.

SO, grading is serious but it is also helpful! How can we homeschool moms manage grading homeschool high schoolers? In this episode, we share some thoughts about assigning grades for homeschool high schoolers.

Follow Sabrina’s Guideline: Good grading comes from goals

Good planning for your homeschool high schoolers helps you clarify goals (for high school overall and for each course). Clear goals make grading easier!

Make a formula that takes in the goals for each course for each student, including:

  • Effort
  • Mastery
  • Cooperation with peers (in a group class or co-op class)

Remember: You set the goals for your teens. There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school- or to set goals for a course! If you would like suggestions: check out this episode of Homeschool Highschool Podcast where we discuss goals and grading of writing in high school.

BTW- One way to help set goals for each homeschool high school course is to create a course description. Course descriptions are brief but detailed descriptions of your homeschool high schoolers’ courses. There are lots of details on how to create course descriptions in this post.

Create a rubric for grading.

Rubrics can be enormously helpful when grading. Rubrics help homeschool parents know WHAT to grade. Not only that, but rubrics also help students know what is expected of them. Rubrics are adaptable to any different course or assignment. Start with your goals, then decide what and how to grade.

Explain the rubric to the homeschool high schoolers so that they know what is expected and what will be graded.

Use rubrics, especially in courses that include writing, projects or labs. (Also, avail your teen of the peer review process if you have a co-op class.)

  • In concrete courses like math, you simply need to explain the grading process.
    • % of grade that comes from tests
    • % of grade that comes from daily assignments
    • % of grade that comes from attitude
    • Explain to teens that they will experience *subjective points* occasionally in co-op classes and in college
  • Homeschool moms have the right to adapt rubrics in textbooks for their goals.

For more on rubrics, check out these posts:

For more on assigning grades for homeschool high schoolers, check out these posts:

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for an informative chat about grading homeschool high schoolers.

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Credits and Transcripts

February 15, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Lisa Nehring, demystifies high school Credits and Transcripts so that you can confidently move forward with homeschooling High School!Credits and Transcripts

True North Homeschool Academy Director Lisa Nehring, demystifies high school Credits and Transcripts so that you can confidently move forward with homeschooling High School!

Credits are based on Carnegie Units

High School credits are based on both time and rigor.

Career Exploration for Homeschool students blog post

Special Needs Homeschool Credits and Transcripts blog post

Career Exploration Summer Bootcamp

Career Exploration full year class

True North Homeschool Academy Academic Advising

Everything you need to know about Credits, Transcripts and Testing with usable worksheets: Survive Homeschooling High school E-book,

FREE Log Sheets to track PE, Music, Community Service and Work Experience

How to get started with Homeschooling? FB short

Getting Started Homeschooling with FREE printables

FREE 5 Tips for Homeschooling through High School

 

Check out our most popular podcast series

Communication:

 

Authentic Values Series

JOIN our online community with others headed True North!

Hear Lisa speak in person at the Great Homeschool Conventions in SC, OH and TX! She’ll be talking about the Future Proof Your Kids Towards Success and Credits, Transcripts and Tests, Oh My!

Marketable Skills Classes at True North 

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Special Replay: What Are Levels in Homeschool High School?

January 11, 2022 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast we have a special replay of a very useful episode: What Are Levels in Homeschool High School?

What Are Levels on the Homeschool Transcript?

 

What Are Levels in Homeschool High School?

If you have a college-bound teen and want to give them a boost on their transcript, this episode is for you. Sabrina, Vicki and Kym will explain how to help your teens explain to colleges the level of rigor at which they have done their high school courses!

What are levels in homeschool high school?

Many moms tell us: “We didn’t have levels on transcripts when WE were in high school!”

That is so very true….BUT levels have come into vogue on high school transcripts (in traditional high schools and in homeschool high schools). Colleges want to know:

  • The level of rigor at which a teen’s core courses were completed.
  • How teens have invested in courses in their areas of strength, giftedness or interest. (These will sparkle more on the transcript if they are academically rigorous and provide opportunities for stretch.)

Your teens can show this academic rigor and stretch by recording the level at which they completed their courses.

Here is a brief explanation of levels and some links to help.

Before we start, remember: There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school…or to handle transcripts. This is simply how we have done it with our homeschoolers (and the homeschoolers we advised for decades in our local umbrella school).

With that in mind, here is an overview of our way to show rigor on the transcript. We do not show this on all courses, just the core courses and the specialty courses and electives that our teens have strongly invested in.

Here is a basic overview of the five different levels

Level 1: Remedial

These are courses for teens with learning issues who cannot do average high school course work. These courses are completed using materials and experiences that are appropriate for the teen. Teens earn credit using Carnegie credit hours and earn a transcript and a high school diploma that should be noted: Developmental Diploma. Still valid and useful.

Level 2: Average

Most high schoolers are average. Don’t harbor guilt trips because your teens are average! God gave everyone varying gifts, average academians are just fine.

Average high school textbooks have shorter chapters than the College Prep textbooks, with simpler vocabulary, short problem sets and short reviews. Homeschool high schoolers can work on courses at average level in areas where this is appropriate. They earn credit for their courses and transcripts show: Level 2 beside the name of the course.

Level 3: College Preparatory

Most high school textbooks are written at College Prep level. There is some rigor but not at stay-up-all-night-working-level for most teens. Record these courses on the transcript as *Level 3*.

Level 4: Advanced

Advanced courses are rigorous. They look attractive to college admissions officers. Level 4 course credit is earn by completing a College Prep course PLUS .5 credit again, combined for ONE credit. This should be rigorous and an academic stretch. Record these with *Level 4* beside the course name on the homeschool transcript. Be sure to include a key or legend on the transcript that briefly explains how the level was earned.

Level 5: Honors, AP, College Courses

These are very rigorous courses. Level 5 courses are College prep course DOUBLED for ONE credit. Students who complete an AP course are doing Level 5 work. College courses are Level 5. Do not just double the textbook, you can mix textbooks and logging Carnegie hours and reading real books. Check out this post with more information on ways to level-up in a meaningful way.

Be sure on the homeschool transcript, you include a key that explains how levels are earned in your high schoolers courses. Here is a sample:

7Sisters sample transcript

For more help, download 7Sisters Guide for How to Create Homeschool Transcripts. It includes lots of in-depth how-tos and an editable transcript template!

7SistersHomeschool.com’s curriculum is design to be easily level-able and has been vetted for years by homeschool high schoolers. Check out the Literature Study Guides, Writing Guides, Psychology, Financial Literacy, World History, Human Development curricula and get busy leveling for the rigor that is appropriate for your teen.

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for a helpful discussion of levels on the homeschool transcript.

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PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

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What Are Levels in Homeschool High School

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