(With Free Homeschool Transcript Templates)
One of the things that intimidates people the most about homeschooling high school is how to make homeschool transcripts. Thankfully, the solution is much easier than homeschoolers expect it to be, and it's free—you don't need a homeschool transcript service or expensive record-keeping software in order to create a homeschool transcript for high school to send to colleges. If you are intimidated by the whole college admissions process, before reading about creating homeschool transcripts you might want to read Jeanne's article about college admission requirements for homeschoolers.
This homeschool transcript template is offered in good faith at no cost, but you are responsible for checking the accuracy of all information in the completed transcript, including GPA calculations. TheHomeSchoolMom is not responsible for any potential errors, including the formulas and/or resulting GPA calculations. Use at your own risk.
Get the Free Homeschool Transcript Template »
We often receive questions about homeschool diplomas, but it's important to understand that when colleges ask for student records, they are asking for high school transcripts—the student's official academic record.
There are several ways to produce homeschool transcripts for your student, including availability from various organizations, online planner services, or creating your own. We have made it easy to print your own transcripts with our free homeschool transcript template for Excel—just input the information, set the print area, and print the spreadsheet.
Get the Free Homeschool Transcript Template »
Homeschool Transcript FAQ:
- What is the purpose of a transcript?
- What is the best way to keep track of records/grades for high school?
- What goes on a homeschool high school transcript?
- How many high school credits are needed to graduate?
- Which courses should be included on a homeschool transcript?
- Do courses have to be accredited/do the transcripts have to come from an accredited institution?
- If we covered AP material, can I count the course as an AP course?
- Is there a special format and/or contents needed for homeschool transcripts sent to colleges?
What is the purpose of a transcript?
Homeschoolers have many experiences and activities that they want admissions officers to notice, but care should be taken to promote those in the appropriate manner. This may or may not be on a homeschool high school transcript. As the student's official academic record, a high school transcript is shared with colleges and universities to show the student's academic readiness to do work at the college level.
While homeschoolers often think of homeschool transcripts as the place to help their student stand out in a crowd of applicants, college admissions officers may have a different purpose for transcripts. The admissions personnel with whom we spoke look to the application itself to see the individuality of the applicant, while transcripts were strictly used to verify that the base admission criteria for the college or university have been met.
Some schools are moving to a SRAR (self-reported academic record) in which the student enters their courses and grades in an online form as part of the college application. If the student is offered admission, a final official transcript is required to verify the self-reported information. In this case, it is important to make sure that the information in the transcript matches the SRAR, but it is also important to realize that the school will not see the transcript until after an offer of admission has been made.
What is the best way to keep track of records/grades for high school?
The best method is the one that YOU will use, because done is better than perfect. You may even wish to have your student keep the records.
No matter which record-keeping method you choose, it is a good idea to save everything your homeschooler is doing from about 8th grade on. Optimally, you will have some kind of written overview of the material covered and activities completed, including keeping the paperwork and any files from each class should you need them (larger projects can be photographed or videoed and filed digitally) as a reference. Beyond that, you can keep records either in a printed homeschool planner, a digital homeschool planner (online service, software, or spreadsheet), or simply keep a notebook with written notes.
Delight-directed or interest-led homeschooling does not mean transcripts have to be difficult. Lee Binz used this method to create transcripts for her sons who both received full scholarships to their top choices. Unschoolers can keep track of learning using our unschooling record keeper, included in our printable homeschool planner.
When the time comes to create homeschool high school transcripts, your record-keeping should make it a simple process to enter the needed information (detailed below) into the transcript form/template. It is easiest if you keep up with the courses and grades as you go rather than waiting until you need to submit a transcript to start working on it.
What goes on a homeschool high school transcript?
While we may think of homeschool transcripts as record-keeping on our part, it's important to keep in mind that a transcript's main job is to communicate the student's readiness for college by proving that they have completed all of the requirements for admission. As such, a homeschool transcript should include course names that are as descriptive as possible and that appropriately reflect the difficulty level of the work.
Student information
A homeschool transcript should include:
- Student's name
- Your homeschool name (see "Should You Name Your Homeschool?")
- Your homeschool address (usually your home)
- Your phone number
- Student's date of birth
- Graduation date (use projected graduation date for pre-graduation submissions)
- A section for each grade OR a section for each subject area in which high school courses were completed, with the information below included for each individual course
- Number of credits (both cumulative and, if organized by year, for each year)
- GPA (both cumulative and, if organized by year, for each year)
- Grading scale
Course information
For each course on your transcripts, you should include:
- Course name
- Grade earned for each course
- Course weight (if additional weight is given) for each course
- Number of credits for each course
- GPA for each course
Other homeschool transcript considerations
Course descriptions. You may wish to also keep a course description for each course in your personal records (this won't be needed on the transcript), and you may even want to submit this with the homeschool transcripts. Some colleges find course descriptions helpful; if you decide to include them with your transcript submission, be sure they are no more than one page. Whether or not to include them is an area you may wish to ask for guidance from the admissions office of the school to which your child is applying—giving them more than they want to see can actually be detrimental.
Format. Students who have taken longer than usual to complete high school courses may find it beneficial to list courses by subject rather than by grade. The same information is shared but in a way that de-emphasizes the number of years in which the courses were completed. On the other hand, if a student is weak in a specific area it can be de-emphasized by grouping the courses by grade.
Outside evidence. You may wish to include information about where your child took specific courses, either on the transcript or a supplemental submission. While colleges accept homeschool transcripts, showing them outside evidence of the student's work helps colleges to see that a variety of professionals have worked with the student and evaluated their work. Jeanne has written extensively about outside evidence for college admissions, including sources for obtaining outside evidence.
Outside evidence may not all fit appropriately on a transcript. Some may be in the application, some may be included as references, and some might be submitted as test scores. Forecasting (during the early planning stages for high school) the content of the student's final transcripts (and applications as a whole) will help to illuminate gaps that need to be filled. You might find our high school course planner (part of Homeschool Planner Plus) helpful, and Jeanne has written previously about teaching subjects where Mom's not the expert, which is useful in the planning stages for high school.
Social Security number. Some homeschoolers include the student's social security number on the transcripts, but this is generally not necessary (or even advisable, since it can introduce the possibility of identity theft). You may wish to state "SSN available upon request" if you are concerned that the school might want to see the SSN. An alternative identification is to include the ID number from the student's Common Application submission on the transcript.
How do I make a transcript for my unschooler/non-traditional learner?
Often the learning experiences of non-traditional learners don't fit neatly into a traditional transcript format. Not a problem! Just as non-traditional homeschoolers think outside of the box for learning, they can put together a transcript with the same kind of thinking. Check out Vanessa's "Tips for Assigning High School Credits for Your Non-Traditional Teen Learner or Unschooler" for how to create a great transcript for your student.
How many high school credits are needed to graduate?
In most states, you decide how many credits your student needs to graduate. At the time of this publication, no state requires homeschoolers in the US to follow public school requirements for graduation, but a few states do have graduation requirements for homeschoolers in their homeschool statutes. Be sure to know the homeschool law in your state regarding graduation requirements, if any.
Even if you are in a state where you get to decide the number of credits needed for graduation, it can be helpful to know what colleges are seeing on transcripts for the public school students with whom the homeschooled student is competing. You can find the course and credit requirements for graduation for each state and territory in the US on the website of the Education Commission for the States.
Homeschoolers should also be aware that their state may have other requirements related to high school that affect college graduation. An example of this is New York's "preliminary education requirements," which do not prevent homeschoolers from graduating from high school or enrolling in college, but are required in some form before a student can graduate from college. Since at least one of the options must be completed while the student is still of compulsory school age, it is imperative that homeschoolers know the education laws of their state and of any state where they may wish to attend college.
Which courses should be included on a homeschool transcript?
Math starting with Algebra I (or Geometry if your student takes that before Algebra), high school level foreign languages, and high school level sciences are all included no matter when they are taken. Typically, these courses are first taken around 8th grade, but of course this varies by individual. All other courses taken from 9th-12th grade should be included as well.
Every college has different high school course requirements, so check to see what the individual colleges to which your student is applying require. If you have no idea which school your child might attend, you can find a general list of requirements on the College Board website. Requirements also vary by program, so whether your student is going into arts (BA) or sciences (BS) will make a difference in requirements. Typically, a high school transcript will include something similar to the following:
- 4 years of English including literature and writing
- 4 years of math including a minimum of Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Trigonometry
- 2-4 years of social sciences, such as World History, World Geography, US History, and US Government
- 2-3 years of lab sciences, such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
- 2+ years of the same foreign language (some colleges give credit for ASL as a foreign language and some do not)
- electives for the balance
Be sure that your student covers the material that is expected by the institutions to which they will apply. If your student doesn't yet know what they want to do after high school, it is a good idea to examine the requirements of a variety of institutions so that you can plan for all of the options. Most schools have a page listing the high school requirements (like this one for Virginia Tech) for applicants, but requirements may be different for specific colleges/degree programs within each university.
Do courses have to be accredited/do the transcripts have to come from an accredited institution?
In almost all cases, neither courses nor institutions need to be accredited for a course to be put on a high school transcript. Notable exceptions are if a student is interested in playing NCAA sports (high school programs must be approved by the NCAA), or if a student is planning to go from homeschooling to a public or private high school, which have their own restrictions about what can be transferred in. You can read more about accreditation in our article about homeschool accreditation and in Jeanne's article about homeschool diplomas.
If we covered AP® material, can I list the course as an AP® course?
AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, and a course can only be listed on a homeschool transcript as an AP® course if the instructor and materials "go through a process called the AP Course Audit, which ensures that each AP® course meets specific standards..." and is approved by the College Board as an AP® course for the year in which the audit was done. Homeschool teachers can be approved to teach AP® classes by going through the course audit process before the course is taught.
A less restrictive option is to designate a course using AP® material as an honors course. Honors courses earn that designation through the use of advanced material and homeschoolers should be diligent to use the term only when appropriate.
Dual enrollment courses (usually taught at a community college or through a local high school) are another option. Dual enrollment courses are those for which a student earns both high school and college credit at the same time.
Typically more weight is given for AP, honors, and DE courses on the transcript, but not always—Lee Binz of The Home Scholar never weights classes on transcripts. And keep in mind that just because a course is designated as DE doesn't mean that the student will be awarded college credit for it.
As with determining the number of credits required for graduation, remember that it is your school, and you decide.
Is there a special format and/or contents needed for homeschool transcripts sent to colleges?
Transcripts you send to colleges should:
- State that they are official transcripts (and if they are final, state that as well)
- Show the grade point average based on grades and weighted credits (this is automatically calculated in our free homeschool transcript spreadsheet template)
- Be free of spelling/grammar errors
- Be printed on good quality paper (you don't need to spend a fortune, but avoid the lowest grade paper)
- Be signed by the school administrator (you!)
- Be in a sealed envelope with a signature across the seal and submitted via USPS
If you have any issues, you may wish to offer a notarized copy of the transcripts, although this should not be necessary.
Free Homeschool Transcript Template
Homeschool Planner Plus includes an older version of our transcript template, but we have revised and updated the transcript and are making it available as a separate file. The revised and separate homeschool transcript workbook for Excel has options for creating a transcript either by year or by subject, and includes both 10 point scale and 10 point scale with +/- options.
For questions, see the FAQ & Troubleshooting section below. At this time, we are only offering the updated homeschool transcript template for Excel and not other spreadsheet programs. Simply choose the style you prefer and enter the courses with the grades. For courses that should be weighted (honors courses, for example), simply add the extra weight in the indicated column and it will be figured into the final GPA.
This homeschool transcript template is offered in good faith at no cost, but you are responsible for checking the accuracy of all information in the completed transcript, including GPA calculations. TheHomeSchoolMom is not responsible for any potential errors, including the formulas and/or resulting GPA calculations. Use at your own risk.
Get the Free Homeschool Transcript Template »
Troubleshooting/Customizing FAQ for the Homeschool Transcripts
- I'd like to make changes and the sheet is locked. What is the password to unlock it?
- I can't enter my student's info at the top of the transcripts because the sheet is protected.
- I can't find the Student Info tab (or another tab). Why is it missing?
- What is the difference between the 10pt. +/- scale and the 10 pt. scale?
- Can I change the grading scale?
- I can't set the print area.
- When I print the transcript the grid lines are all on the transcript. How do I get them to not print?
- Can I use the transcripts in Google Sheets?
- How can I add a row so I can insert another course?
I'd like to make changes and the sheet is locked. What is the password to unlock it?
The spreadsheet is locked to avoid changes that might affect the GPA and credit calculations. If you are experienced with Excel and wish to unlock the tabs, you can do so with the password letmein. Each tab must be unlocked separately. I highly recommend checking the calculations manually after making any changes to ensure that they are correct.
I can't enter my student's info at the top of the transcripts because the sheet is protected.
All of the student information is entered on the very first tab (Student Info) and feeds automatically to the other tabs. The Student Info Tab is unlocked.
I can't find the Student Info tab (or another tab). Why is it missing?
There are directional arrows at the bottom left (the location of the arrows may be different in your spreadsheet program) that allow you to scroll through the tabs if they aren’t all on the screen. If you don’t see the Student Info tab, you need to use the left pointing arrow to scroll back to it. Screenshot of the tab and arrows:
What is the difference between the 10pt. +/- scale and the 10 pt. scale?
Some schools uses a +/- system when grading (B+, A-, etc.) and others simply use a straight A-F system without any +/- assignments. It’s entirely your preference the way you wish to grade your students.
Whichever scale you choose, the template for that system will use the correct grade points to figure the GPA. You’ll see the grade point assignment scales at the bottom of each template, so you can tell what grade point is assigned to that letter grade, whether it be a straight A-F system or a +/- system.
Can I change the grading scale?
The scale needs to be changed in the formula in order for the GPA to reflect your preferred scale. You'll find the formula by unlocking the sheet with your preferred scale (straight A-F or A-F with +/-) and clicking on each cell in the F column beside the courses entered. You should be able to choose one cell to correct, then copy and paste it into the other rows (the relative cells will change for each row, so if you copy the code from row 9 and paste to row 10, the references to C9 and D9 will change to C10 and D10). The formula looks like this for the A-F scale:
Where you see "0,60,70,80,90" in the cell, that is the ranges for the grades. 90+ is a 4.0, 80 - 89 is a 3.0, etc. The +/- scale has more numbers to account for the additional point values assigned for the +/- grades. You can change the number to indicated the lowest grade for each grade point range. You will need to edit the footer to match your new grade range. To edit the footer, click on the View ribbon and choose Page Layout. Click the center cell in the footer to edit the footer text.
One thing to note about this is that typically colleges do not rely on grade-based GPA as much as the number grade because schools have varying scales, so it may not be worth changing the scale. It's entirely your choice, but many colleges will average out the GPA based on their preferred scale regardless of what is on the transcript so that students are on equal footing.
I can't set the print area.
If you are sending in physical copies of the transcript, there is no need to set the print area (which you can’t do without unlocking the sheet). It will print correctly as is, but it will add pages on the end for the area that says “do not print the content below.”
All you have to do is visually check how many pages the actual transcript will be (should match the way the page breaks are set up visually and it prints top to bottom, then goes over to the pages on the right that you don’t want to print) and tell your printer in the dialogue box to print only those pages. Typically this will only be the first 2 or 3 pages.
If for some reason this doesn’t work, or if you need to set the print area to print the appropriate pages to pdf, just unlock the tab (Tools > Protection > Unprotect Sheet …) using the password letmein and then set the print area.
When I print the transcript the grid lines are all on the transcript. How do I get them to not print?
Grid line view options are in the Page Layout ribbon all the way to the right (on my Mac – Windows may vary slightly but it should still be similar). Be sure that the box next to Print under Grid lines is unchecked:
Can I use the transcripts in Google Sheets?
The transcripts have not been tested with Google Sheets, and we have had reports of a compatibility issue. Open Office, a free suite of office software, is similar to Excel and is more likely to work, but we have not tested it.
How can I add a row so I can insert another course?
If you need to add a row to include another course, you must ensure that the formulas to calculate the GPA are in the correct cells. The easiest way to do this is to :
- highlight an existing row that you want to duplicate
- choose copy
- right click where you want to insert the new row (also BELOW the grading scale rows)
- choose paste
Enter a grade and test the GPA cell for that line to be sure it is calculating. If it is not, click on the GPA cell and look at the contents to see if there is a formula there. If not, the row did not correctly copy and paste. You will need to copy a row that is correctly calculating the GPA and paste it in the row you created and test it again.
Homeschool Transcript Sample Screenshots
Homeschool High School Transcript with Courses Organized by Year
Homeschool High School Transcript with Courses Organized by Subject
Do you have questions about transcripts? Let us know in the comments.
i used your template for high school transcript and have a few files saved in my downloads folder on my mac mini, but i cant open them and it says there isnt any app available in the apple store to open them.
Hi Marty - The transcript file is created using Excel for Mac, a Microsoft Office application. In addition to Excel, it should be able to be opened in Open Office or Libre Office, free versions of software similar to Microsoft Office. It can also be opened in Numbers, the Mac spreadsheet app. The only other formats you might encounter with our files are either zip files or pdf files. PDF files are opened with the free Acrobat Reader application, and zip files must be extracted before opening. Just double click the zip file to extract it, then open the uncompressed file with the appropriate application.
I am looking for a examples of 8th transcripts (middle school) for the state of NC. I wanted to make sure it had everything on it that is needed.
Do you have to include year end testing scores? What if the student takes any high school classes (ex. Algebra I).
I find a lot of High School examples but none for 8th grade. Please send a link for examples.
Thank you!
As noted above, transcripts are only used for courses that are taken for high school credit: "Math starting with Algebra I (or Geometry if your student takes that before Algebra), high school level foreign languages, and high school level sciences are all included no matter when they are taken. Typically, these courses are first taken around 8th grade, but of course this varies by individual. All other courses taken from 9th-12th grade should be included as well." These transcripts cover all courses for credit, no matter when they are taken. Any non-credit courses taken in 8th grade would simply be presented on a report card if that is required. As for specific requirements for individual states, we defer to the state homeschool organizations for guidance on that.
I am trying to insert more rows and copy the column that has the formulas in it. It wont alow me to highligt that column. Please help.
In order to do that, you need to unlock the sheet. Use password letmein to unlock it.
THANK YOU so much! I appreciate you walking along side our homeschool as we make this transition to high school by providing such great information AND giving us a free template! Many blessings to you and your family!
Thank you so much for this tool!
In both my junior and senior years I have taken courses at my local community college. What should I put there for credits earned? They are semester long classes but they are also college level so I'm not sure putting .5 would be correct.
Hi Olexia - It depends on how you plan to count the course. Some people choose to count it as dual enrollment, in which case they keep it as a .5 credit but add weight in the "Add weight for honors/AP" column, which gives it more weight when calculating the GPA (this is what we did). Others choose to not list it as honors or DE, instead keeping it as a standard high school course. In that case, you could assign 1 credit instead of .5 credits in the "credits earned" column but add nothing in the "add weight" column. Generally when converting college level courses to high school credit, doubling the weight is an acceptable way to account for them.
I am needing help to get into the FOOTER section. The transcript Template has been a dream to work with. Thank you. Our son has used two different Universities for Dual Enrollment. I would like to add this to the Footer section. Ex DE* LeTourneau University DE** Southeastern University.
Where can I see the Footer info and can I add to it at all?
Thank you and Blessings, KIYA
Hi Kiya - Double click on the footer area (be sure you are on the Home ribbon) to access it, or click View > Header and Footer...
Thank you.
I have changed from the 10 pt scale +- to the 10 pt scale. In doing so I have lost the values under course GPA. In each of the boxes under GPA it now says #N/A. How can I fix this?
When that happens, it usually means the formula is looking for a number that isn't entered. Check to be sure that you have entered a numeric grade (not a letter grade) into the grade cell for each course and have entered the number of credits into the credits cell.
Hello! I have filled out the transcript but GPA is not calculating and remains showing #NA. Any suggestions here? I even downloaded a new one thinking I had somehow messed up the backed but same issue. I figure at this point it is user error. Thank you for your help!
Hi Jenifer - I will email you about this to see if we can figure it out.
Thank you for this detailed explanation and template. You mentioned that course descriptions should be no more than one page. Is tis suggesting no more than one page per course, or that all course descriptions together would comprise one page? Thank you for clarifying.
Hi Jill - The more concise the descriptions the better, so we suggest no more than one page compiled. You can always note that you are willing to provide more details upon request.
Thank you for the template. Where exactly should the school administrator’s name be signed?
Hi Alisha - If I recall correctly, I didn't sign the transcripts themselves, but put them in a sealed envelope and signed across the seal. If you want to sign the transcripts themselves, you could sign near the total credits and final GPA.
Thank you! I really appreciate your help.
Happy to help!
Thank you so much for sharing this!!! I am having an issue where my first Grade Level entered (9th), is also showing up on my 2nd page, right above that pages first Grade Level entered (11th). I’ve checked for Headers and looked at the formula, and can’t seem to get that extra 9th Grade to be removed from being listed above my 11th Grade. It’s carrying over to each new page. What am I missing? Thank u!!
Hi Angi - I'm going to email you about this to see if you can send me a screenshot of what you are talking about (including the column and row headers) so I can figure out where in the spreadsheet the affected cell is.
Hi Mary Ann,
My son attended one semester at a public high school, and does have a transcript from the school for that time. How do I show those classes as transfer credits on his homeschool transcript?
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Suzanne
As the school administrator for your homeschool, you have discretion in how to handle credits transferred in. Most institutions award credit but do not include grades for transferred credits in the GPA. If the grades are good, you may choose to include them when calculating the GPA; it's up to you.
If you do not want to include the grades from the public school and are using the transcript template, you would need to adjust the formulas to not include those credits without grades when calculating the GPA. I might do that by putting those credits in a separate section like I describe for adding the ASVB & ACT scores (deleting the formulas in those cells), then insert a couple of lines on the last page and manually add the number of credits transferred at the end of the transcript so that the total earned credits is correct without disrupting the GPA calculation.
Admissions offices are going to want official copies of transcripts directly from all schools that the student attended, and they may do their own internal GPA calculations anyway.
Dear Mary Ann,
Thank you so much for this template for making transcripts. I can't tell you what a relief it was to find your website!
I have two questions:
1) Can I use this template in Numbers for Mac, instead of Excel? Numbers is the native spreadsheet program that comes with a Mac.
2) I'd like to include my son's ACT and ASVAB scores. We used those for validation of his homeschool program, because he had an untraditional program. How can I show these standardized test scores on his transcript?
Thank you for your help. I eagerly look forward to your answer.
Sincerely,
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne - I haven't tried the transcript template in Numbers, but it is worth a try. I would try a sample transcript with some easy to calculate grades and test the spreadsheet's calculations against manual calculations to see if it works. You can also look at the screenshot of the sample transcript at the end of this post (just above the comments) and see if the calculations for that give the same results when it is opened in Numbers.
To show the ASVAB & ACT scores you could add a supplemental sheet, or you could use change the first academic year section into a section for those scores. Just unlock the sheet and delete the contents of that first academic year section (be careful not to change any formulas in cells outside of that bordered area) and replace them with a section for scores. (I do recommend testing the GPA against manual calculations any time you make changes like this to be sure it hasn't caused incorrect formula calculations).
Here is a screenshot of what that might look like:
Am I able to edit this on my MacBook?
Hi Anna - yes, it is compatible with Windows and Mac. I actually created it in Excel for Mac.
I am having difficulty accessing the transcript template.
Hi Dominique - Can you be more specific? I can access it with no problem. What kind of computer are you using? What happens when you click the button?
I am Tethloach Mathew Bol from South Sudan(Africa), can i use this Homeschool transcript for my admission in China
The transcripts were made with consideration given to US university admissions procedures. While it is possible they could be used elsewhere, you would need to research the requirements for the school(s) to which you are applying.
This transcript template is just what I was looking for. Thank you!
Happy to help!
Thank you for the template and the whole website, it is really helping a lot! What do I do if I don't have grades for all the work my daughter has done? She did a Leadership / gap year in the third year of her high school. She received a certificate for the year and did a lot of work that I would like to list on her transcript as subjects/courses but I don't have grades for it. Can I just say "PASS" instead? Thank you.
Hi Magri - Unless an outside class is taken and grades are assigned, it is up to the parent to determine the grade. You could list it as pass/fail course, you could assign grades based on mastery of the subject, or you could indicate (not graded) when you list to course. If you use P/F or no grade, be sure to list that in such a way that the lack of a letter grade is not included in the GPA as a 0 (see below).
The template is not set up to include courses with no grade or a P/F, so you would need to edit it to adjust the GPA formulas that do not include the course without a grade. The password to unlock the spreadsheet is letmein. Definitely set up a test transcript to be sure this works correctly and play around with it until it does (it's easiest to use simple numbers for grades like 100 when testing because it's obvious when it's miscalculation the GPA).
You'll need to delete the formula in the course GPA field for the course without a grade and be sure that the credits are subtracted out or the total credits in the so that the division works correctly.
For example, if you put a course with 3 credits (column c) and a grade of P or leave the grade empty (column e), then the course GPA in column f needs to be deleted to prevent GPA calculation for that course and the 3 credits you assigned to the course need to be subtracted from all of the cells with Year and Cumulative GPA calculations.
In the screenshot, I've done this with the formula
=SUM(I9:I18)/(SUM(E9:E18)-E9)
in cell C20, where E9 is the cell for the number of credits of the non-graded course.
It's confusing, and I don't recommend this kind of editing because it's easy to make mistakes, but I wanted to explain it for those who are comfortable editing Excel formulas.
This is a wonderful tool and I appreciate the obvious hard work that went into creating it!
I filled out my son's transcript and the institute is telling me that his GPA is not correct. I have actually used many, many other online calculators and spent hours trying to figure this out. They all come back showing a 4.0 using the grade school as you had it (90-100 A, etc.).
After many conversations with the school, they don't even go by the student's GPA, nor do they offer any advice on how to "fix" it. What they see is a student that has varying 90's and a 4.0. It seems the credit hours are driving the GPA. Their concern is if they get audited and the auditor sees the "discrepancy".
I have never done this before. I unfortunately used Adobe to submit the document that I worked on for so long, and they want a specific date of graduation, not just the month, but it seems I am locked out of the document now for editing unless I pay to edit it. Crazy...so I have re-entered all the info and hope to get it right so he can get into the program. But if the GPA is not corrrect (according to them), I am not sure what to do. The last resort will be to make him get his GED, which could pose a problem with other schools. Help?!
Hi Suzanne - In a 10-pt. scale, an A (with a value of 4.0) is 90-100. Any number grade in the 90s will generate a 4.0 for that course which would then be used to figure the overall GPA.
The transcripts were created for students applying to colleges. Colleges would not be concerned about an audit of submitted transcripts, so I can only guess that you are using the transcripts with some kind of umbrella school or perhaps to transfer a public or private high school after homeschooling. Unfortunately, umbrella schools and public and private high schools would have their own requirements for how GPA is calculated that are inconsistent with this template. I will email you to try to help further, but if that is the case, it is outside of the purpose for which the template was created.
Thank you so much for your quick response and help! I am super happy to report that once the school worked the calculations, the GPA was indeed right, as your template calculated. This tool you have so graciously provided is indeed a life saver for homeschooling parents! And your kindness to give your time to help us so quickly, I am so grateful for you!
It looks like we are about to receive our acceptance into the program which he desperately wanted. Thank you for all that you do for the homeschool community! BIG HUG!!
Thanks for reporting back, Suzanne, and congratulations to your son!
I like the idea of a subject transcript, thank you. However my grading scale is vastly different than yours. I do not believe a 91.4 should earn a 4.0 GPA what that is what is showing. I read that I just need to change the scale in the footer. I did that but nothing changes. I'm very frustrated by the difficulty and protected columns/hidden sheets that do not allow us to easily modify this. Please help.
I kept reading through your replies, found the password, and with the help of my husband was able to unlock what I needed to. All is good now.
Thanks for letting me know, and thank you also for pointing out the problem with the scaling.
Hi Vicky - You can unlock the sheets with the password letmein as noted here. As much as I would like to leave the spreadsheets unlocked, the formulas could easily be altered accidentally, and not everyone has a high comfort level working with spreadsheets. You are correct about the grading scale, and I am so sorry that I missed that (I'll be making a change in that section to reflect the oversight).
The scale needs to be changed in the formula in order for it to reflect your preferred scale. You'll find the formula by unlocking the sheet with your preferred scale (straight A-F or A-F with +/-) and clicking on each cell in the F column beside the courses entered. You should be able to choose one cell to correct, then copy and paste it into the other rows (the relative cells will change for each row, so if you copy the code from row 9 and paste to row 10, the references to C9 and D9 will change to C10 and D10). The formula looks like this for the A-F scale:
Where you see "0,60,70,80,90" in the cell, that is the ranges for the grades. 90+ is a 4.0, 80 - 89 is a 3.0, etc. The +/- scale has more numbers to account for the additional point values assigned for the +/- grades. You can change the number to indicated the lowest grade for each grade point range, just match whatever range you put in the footer.
One thing to note about this is that typically colleges do not rely on grade-based GPA as much as the number grade because schools have varying scales, so it may not be worth changing the scale. It's entirely your choice, but many colleges will average out the GPA based on their preferred scale regardless of what is on the transcript so that students are on equal footing.
Good Morning. First I want to thank you for access to such a wonderful site! The information you have available is invaluable to me. Thank you so much.
My question is: in the transcript I have created for my child, I would like to delete 1 or 2 empty rows in the Course area. My printed transcript cuts off incorrectly at the bottom of the page (above the grading scale).
Thank you for any help you can give me.
Renee
Hi Renee,
Thanks for the kind words! I'm so glad you find our resources useful.
There are a few ways you can handle the cut off issue. You will need to unlock the tab using Tools > Protection > Unprotect Sheet (the password is letmein).
The template is set so that the pages should print properly, but any adjustments to font size, cell height or width, etc., could throw things off. if you have course descriptions included (not recommended) that force the cells to a different height, that will change the way it prints.
In all cases, I recommend saving a backup of the file under a different name so you don't accidentally delete information without having a backup.
Printing the transcript to pdf first so you can see how it looks before printing to paper saves paper and ink. Additionally, it's easier to see what is happening before printing if you put set the view to Page Layout (View > Page Layout).
Things to try:
Remove any wrapping text. If you have entered any text in the course cells that is wrapping to a second line, that is forcing the page break to the wrong place. Keep courses to a name only, and provide a supplementary sheet with course descriptions.
Hide the empty rows. Highlight the empty rows on the left where the row numbers are, then right-click and choose hide. In this case, the rows are still in the worksheet, just hidden.
Force the printer to keep the output to one page wide/tall one page at a time. Set the print area for the first page only by highlighting the cells you want to print on page one, then click Print Area > Set Print Area. Click print, then in the print dialogue box, choose the option to force the output to 1 page wide by 1 page tall. Repeat for each page. (Note that this will create multiple files that will have to be combined, so if you need a pdf copy, it may not if you don't have a way to combine pdf files.)
(Not recommended) Delete the empty rows. Making sure to not highlight any rows that have information in columns H & I, highlight the rows in the same way but click delete. This removes the rows from the worksheet entirely and is permanent.
I hope this helps!
Mary Ann
Hi again, I entered the first year's courses, but the GPA didn't calculate. Am I doing something wrong?
I sent you an email - if you send me a copy without the student info, I'll take a look and see if I can figure it out.
Hi, thank you so much for this resource! I'm trying to enter my daughter's art, music and health courses, which were only for a quarter of the year each. The "Credits Earned" space keeps changing my .25 to a .3. Is there any way to correct this?
Hi Judy - I believe you can change that by adjusting the number of decimals for those cells. You can do that on the Home ribbon:
My oldest DD is wanting to play soccer for our local school district. We will need to submit a transcript for her. My question is since she's currently in 8th grade, do I submit 7th grade or her current grades for 8th? Also, do you happen to have a sample of an 8th grade transcript? I found one on one of your resources, closed the window out on accident and now can't locate it. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!
The free transcript is available on this page using the button in the post above. You should be able to edit the document so that it shows the years you want.
As to what grades to show, you need to ask the local school district which years they want transcripts for. That will be specific to them. Then you can adjust the transcript document to include those years.
Good luck!
Jeanne
I didn't catch u ,can u send to me please
Hi Elisha - You can access the transcript spreadsheet from this page using the red "Get the Transcript Template" buttons. We don't send the transcript by email.