What’s Included In A High School Transcript?

Most colleges require applicants to submit an official copy of their high school transcript. This has to be sent directly in a sealed envelope directly from the applicants’ high school to ensure that it is not tampered with after it is released. But what is a high school transcript? And what’s included in one?

Your high school transcript will typically include:

• A list of all classes that you took in high school
• The year that you took each class organized by date, with your most recent classes listed last
• The grades that you obtained in each class
• Your graduation date and year
• Your GPA
• SAT, ACT, PSAT scores or the scores of any other proficiency test that you may have taken
• If your school follows the ranking system, they may also include details of your class rank with your transcript.

Basically, a transcript is a record of your academic career throughout high school. College and schools use it as a reflection of your academics.

Some schools also include a record of their students’ behavior. They may provide additional information about any disciplinary actions that a student may have faced, from minor issues such as detention to major issues such as suspension. They may also include details about the number of days you remained absent from school.

Of course, your transcript isn’t the only thing that matters in college admissions. Yes, your grades and test scores are important, but so are your extracurriculars, hobbies, and your essays. At the end of the day, colleges are looking for students who will fit well with the campus and culture, which means looking at students in their entirety (or as much as you can get across in your application).

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