Homeschool High School Transcripts: Course Levels Do’s and Don’ts

Colleges often want to see levels on the homeschool high school transcript. Here are some healthy expectations for the levels of your teens’ core courses.

Homeschool High School Transcripts: Course Levels

As we have discussed in the post on recording levels on the homeschool high school transcript, many colleges want to know the level of rigor your teens are experiencing in their core academic courses (English, math, social studies, science). That post explained how to record the academic level on the transcript.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts based on many questions I’ve heard from parents while serving for many years as academic advisor for homeschool high schoolers.

1) Don’t have think your homeschooler has to have ALL Level 5’s (rigorous Honors) on his transcript (or all Level 4’s or 3’s) in order to be accepted into college.

Your teens should have higher levels in their power courses (the courses that are in their gifted areas). Many colleges look for depth and effort in courses that build toward the high schoolers’ future major. The other courses should be Level 3 (College Prep) with few Level 2s (Average High School). 

One course that all my homeschool high schoolers used to sparkle their transcripts at Level 5 was History and Philosophy of the Western World. They enjoyed the enrichment activities listed in the text that they could choose to build that rigorous Honors Credit.

2) Do check your local college website: it can tell you how many higher-level courses they are looking for.

Don’t kill your homeschoolers with an unnecessarily heavy course load. If they don’t need it and don’t love it, don’t do overkill. However, if they don’t need it and DO love it, build a few higher-level courses in that area to add sparkle on the transcript.

3) Don’t fool yourself into thinking that if your homeschoolers takes all Level 5’s, they will automatically get a amazing scholarships.

Most teens don’t get amazing scholarships to college. Many teens do get some kind of financial aid but few get awesome deals like full rides.

(Also, as far as many scholarships go, colleges are looking for more than just power courses. They are looking for financial need, SAT/ACT scores, extracurriculars, service, competitions, talent, and life experiences.)

4) Do concentrate energy on your homeschooler’s gifts/talents/callings.

My oldest liked computers, math, and music. That was the power on his transcript. My second son liked history and government so we developed that heavily, especially combining history/writing/literature. He completed lots of extra writing assignments because he loved it. My daughter, the artist/photographer, started taking community colleges in visual communication while in high school and stuck with Level 2 maths, as did son number three while taking video production courses at the same college. They all got into the colleges of their choice with some scholarships and financial aid.

5) Do remember: Everybody is different, but made according to God’s plan.

Stick with His plan. Develop the strengths, compensate for weaknesses. Then let go and let God 🙂

6) Don’t make academic decisions out of fear. Make them out of prayer.

God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. So pray and exercise His soundness in you. Know that He has a plan for your homeschool high schoolers- and His plan is good, whatever the Level!

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Homeschool High School Transcripts: Course Levels