Education gets serious when we face homeschool high school transcripts! Here are the 26 credits needed for graduation:
Homeschool High School Transcripts – the 26 Credits Needed for Graduation
In my decades of serving as upperclassmen advisor to our local homeschool high schoolers, I had the opportunity to help hundreds of homeschool high schoolers meet requirements for graduation while building college-attractive transcripts.
Here are some things that have helped our teens find success on their homeschool high school transcripts. These are twenty-six credits needed for graduation (and college attractiveness).
Here are a couple of important things to know before we start:
- There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school! Therefore, keep in mind that these are suggestions for earning credits. You do what is right for your teens.
- Note that each state and each college have varying course requirements. Thus, it is always good to check department of education and college websites to make sure you are on track.
- Many homeschool high schoolers are non-college bound. They will be going right into the military or a career. Therefore, feel free to adjust numbers of credits to meet their needs for graduation and life skills.
Homeschool high school transcripts – the 26 credits needed for graduation
There are three basic types of credits for homeschooling high school: core courses and elective courses.
Core courses are courses that all teens need (although they can be taught on the level that meets your teens’ needs). These courses include:
- English/Language Arts
- Maths
- Social Studies
- Sciences
- World Languages
- Fine Arts
- Physical Education
Elective courses build interests or skills for teens. These can include:
- Additional courses of interest in the core course topics
- Drivers Education
- Career Exploration
- Any topic that is of interest to your teen
- For more information on types of electives, check this post
With this in mind, let’s look at those twenty-six credits needed on the homeschool transcript
Remember, there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school. Adjust these as needed.
4 credits of English/Language Arts
- ELA is a huge credit. Each year’s ELA credit will cover:
- Literature topics can cover any area of interest such as:
BTW- You can create a powerful transcript when you use 7Sisters curriculum for no busywork curriculum that is adaptable to various levels.ollege Prep- Honors.
4 credits of Mathematics
- Math generally covers:
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Algebra II
- Pre-Calculus (some students will need this for college acceptance, others will not)
- Financial Literacy/Consumer Math
- Other topics may include:
- Statistics
- Business Math
- Math generally covers:
4 credits of Social Studies
- Most homeschool high schoolers will need History courses:
- American History
- World History (can be a creative course like History and Philosophy of the Western World)
- Also, they will need Social Science courses such as:
- Geography .5 credit,
- American Government .5 credit,
- Economics .5 credit,
- Specific Social Science .5 credit, such as:
- Psychology
- Human Development
- Sociology
- Elective Social Studies .5 credit
- Most homeschool high schoolers will need History courses:
Wondering what we mean by social science? Read more.
4 credits of Science
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- Most homeschool high schoolers will need these basic Sciences:
- Biology with 30 hours lab
- Chemistry with 30 hours lab
- Health
- Check out our user-friendly Health curriculum, High School Health for the Whole Person
- The remaining credit will be a lab science such as:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Physics
- Marine Biology
- Astronomy
- Or other science of interest.
- Check out this post with ideas for this additional science if you have a non-science type teen.
- Most homeschool high schoolers will need these basic Sciences:
2 or 3 credits World Language
- Usually this must be the same language
- Here is a post with more information on World Languages
2 credits Phys Ed
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- You can earn Physical Education credits by logging hours and/or using a text such as:
- Here is a post on ways to earn a Phys Ed credit
1 credit Fine Arts
1 credit Technology
- While our homeschool high schoolers are digital natives (as opposed to those of us digital immigrants who had to learn all the technology stuff), it is wise to offer your teens some tech education. Also, some states require this.
- Technology credits can include any computer-related topic such as:
- keyboarding
- coding
- photo/movie editing
- church technology such as sound systems
- critical thinking skills for the digital world
- Check out the Homeschooling with Technology podcast for lots of ideas
3 credits Career Exploration
- Why allow your teen to graduate without some ideas of what they should do after high school? Career Exploration helps teens explore what to do next in life!
- Career Exploration courses include:
- apprenticeships and volunteer work in the homeschooler’s interest areas
- specific introductory training courses such as Early Childhood Education
- an actual Career Exploration course
- OR any of the above required courses that prepare a student for his chosen college major (for example, all the science courses are career exploration for a future biology major)
- apprenticeships and volunteer work in the homeschooler’s interest areas
2-3 Electives
- Electives are important because they add sparkle to the transcript. Not only that, but electives can help intentional character and spiritual development.
- They can include subjects of personal interest such as:
- Apologetics
- Home Economics
- Home Maintenance
- Bible,
- Philosophy,
- or extra courses in:
This adds up to 26 to 28 total credits. Remember, each state (and college) has different specific requirements. Therefore, hold these credits as suggestions and homeschool in the way that is best for your teens.
Are you feeling a little intimidated? Do not worry. Homeschool high school- you CAN do it! (In fact, we created a free mini-course for homeschooling parents to help them get started. Not only that but we have a more in-depth course on how to homeschool high school just for parents. Check them out!)
[…] Here is a post that breaks down the 26 requirements that you can chose from. […]
[…] What must be done for the homeschool transcript? […]
[…] However, goals change in homeschool high school. Teens need to develop a transcript, thus they need to show that they have accomplished their academic goals of earning the necessary credits for graduation. (Here’s a post on the 26 credits needed for graduation.) […]
HI! Quick question! How does this 26 credit plan work if your student is beginning College courses their 11th grade year? For instance, if she takes Art History (or Appreciation some call it) would we just put that on the transcript as history and it count as H.S. History electives as well as College transcript classes? So, if we choose to do World History thru a college 12th grade year will it also count as World History for H.S. as well. Any tips for that on transcripts?
Thanks for your help!
Julie
Hi Julie,
Good questions. Your teen will count a college course as 1 credit on their transcripts but be sure to note next to the title of the course, the name of the college so it is clear that it was a dual-credit course. If your teen needs a Fine Arts credit, that Art History course could count as that. If your teen needed a History elective instead, the Art History course would count. (It can count for either Fine Arts or History but not both.) The World History at the college would count as one-credit World History on the high school transcript.
At the same time, these college courses will go on their college transcript, but the college will handle that for you.
This post can help: https://www.7sistershomeschool.com/how-to-homeschool-high-school-earning-credits/
[…] check with the university your child plans to attend for guidance. Here is some information from 7 Sisters Homeschool too. In general, I have my high school students complete at least 7 credits a […]