High School Transcript Help and Giveaway

If you homeschool a child, get ready- you are going to have to prepare a high school transcript.  It may not be today or even this year, but trust me it is coming.  And unfortunately it weighs on the hearts of many homeschooling parents.  Sometimes years in advance.  Trust me, I know! It creates questions like:

• What information do I include?
• How do I make it look professional?
• Will a college take one look at it and laugh?
• How do you even make a chart on the computer?

All valid and real thoughts!

The first time I made a transcript was ugly.  As a matter of fact, after several pitiful attempts, I relegated the task to our then state homeschooling group for a pretty hefty fee.  The problem was that it look a long time to enter the information, an even longer time to get it in the mail, and I had to fight with them every step of the way.  They knew how they wanted it to look and I knew how I wanted it to look, and unfortunately those were not the same things.  I finally got mostly what I asked for, but it was a long, painful process.

Fast forward to four years later and I was determined I was not going to go that route again.  Praise the Lord for His perfect timing and a friend who told me that the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has a transcript maker, Fast Transcripts, on their website that seemed user friendly.  I hopped on, played around a little, and was convinced that this was definitely a better option!

Lucky for you and for me, they take the work out of transcript making and offer it an affordable cost.  Plus, once you are done, all you have to do is hit print!  I am one happy homeschooling mamma!

And what about the colleges?  Well, one just accepted my second daughter using the transcript we made two weeks ago!  And I heard no laughter- except for our giddy celebration dance!

So how does it work?
Fast Transcripts allows homeschooling parents to generate a transcript that is GPA error free.  The cost is $16.00 or $12.00 for HSLDA members.  You can print it immediately on your own or for $20.00 have it sent to you printed on high quality, secure watermarked paper.

The first section you will fill out is a general student identification area with information such as student name, contact information, and graduation date.

The second section is academic information.  There are four years to fill out so it is recommended that if your student has taken classes prior to their freshman year that count towards their high school credits, you add them in the freshman year area with an asterisk that can then explain in the miscellaneous section below.  The greatest part about this section is that as you begin to type there is a quick drop down menu that will pop up with subjects beginning with the letter you first typed.  LOVE IT!  I cannot tell you all how much time this saves you.  Again, trust me!  You will also put the grade and credit hours here.

The next part is the cumulative summary that shows the hours completed and the GPA, which is automatically generated for you.  A life saver.

A grading scale is listed next which can be adjusted to your liking or hidden completely if you wish to not have it on your transcript.

The final section is a miscellaneous section in which you can add any additional notes, include college hours earned, list awards and clubs, or add any explanation you feel may need to be added to the class information you previously listed.  Fast Transcripts does recommended that you provide an additional page of awards and activities.

There is then a place for you to add an electronic signature.

Save it, preview it, and print!  It is that easy!

The other feature that I would draw your attention to is on the far right hand side of the page.  For your reference are three tabs- one for general high school recommended course work, general college prep, and rigorous college prep.  Not only can these remind you of areas your child might have completed, but they are great reference points for those of you just beginning this journey.

In addition, there is a FAQ page that addresses many questions you might have.

Fast Transcripts provides a 30 day trial for you to enter your courses, begin to organize in a way that makes you happy, and generate a GPA for your child.  You will not be able to print the transcript with the trial, but this is a great way to get familiar with the software and see what you think.

If you are looking for a pain-free transcript service, I highly recommend Fast Transcripts.  This easy, low cost service makes generating a professional-looking transcript fast and easy.

Fast Transcripts has graciously offered to giveaway a 1 Year License for a Single Student.  By leaving a comment here for us, you will be entered into a random drawing to be held next Wednesday!

Blessings,