Homeschool Diplomas and Transcripts: Solutions to These College Admissions Hurdles

One of the biggest worries of homeschooled students and their parents is the eventual college admissions process. When the college applications process starts one of the first road blocks most homeschool families will face are the transcript and diploma requirements. Thankfully, there are options available for your student that will help ensure colleges and universities recognize your homeschooling courses as actual high school classes.

The issue of a diploma will need to be considered during your child's middle school education. If you want your child to have an official diploma that is recognized by the state you will need to enroll them in a satellite/correspondence public or private homeschool program. Don't forget to research the possibilities on the Internet because there are many online correspondence courses that confer diplomas as well. The right satellite program will provide your child with an official transcript of their classes along with the diploma. If you don't want to enroll them into an official program but still want official recognition for their education, consider registering them for a GED from a local community college. Anyone can take the GED tests and most colleges accept GEDs in place of high school diplomas.

Your homeschool student does not necessarily need an official high school diploma to attend college; instead, you can create an unofficial diploma and a transcript for your child. Some families ask a certified teacher to create the transcript because it gives the document more credibility. When creating a high school transcript be sure to use the correct terminology when labeling a course. Additionally, indicate if a course was AP, college, or included a lab. These are all important points of information for a college admissions counselor to know. When creating your child's transcript remember to include extracurricular activities such as any sports, clubs, or internships. Many schools give students credits for internships or program where they get credit for their job. If your child completed an internship or any other program that would qualify for credit at a public or private school then include it in your transcript. The transcript you create is your child's chance to showcase all of the knowledge and the life experience they has gained!

Books and websites can assist you with creating diplomas and transcripts. The best resources are those created by professionals that have worked in college admissions because they know exactly what university officials are looking for in students. Additionally, if you have questions about specifics when creating the transcript, don't be afraid to ask college officials what they look at when considering a student for admission. Many colleges look at grades differently, so this is likely to be the greatest variant.