Decoding high school transcripts: What's all included?

Hey guys, kinda stressed here since I'm trying to make sure my academics are on point.

What all does my high school transcript include?

Do schools look at freshman year grades?

I've heard about weighted vs. unweighted GPAs, but how exactly does that show up on a transcript?

9 months ago

Hello! Your concerns are quite common among high school students, so let's break it down. A high school transcript typically includes all courses taken, the grades received for those courses, your GPA, and mayf include standardized test scores and attendance information. Yes, colleges look at your grades from freshman year, though they often focus more on your junior and senior-year performance. Freshman year is seen as a time of adjustment, and improvement over the years can reflect positively on you.

Regarding GPAs, schools calculate a weighted GPA by giving extra points for honors or advanced placement (AP) courses. This can reflect well on you as it shows you've taken more challenging courses. An unweighted GPA is the average of your grades on a scale of 0 to 4.0, without additional points for advanced courses. Depending on how much weight your schools give to advanced classes, your weighted GPA could go up to as high as a 5.0! Both GPAs might show up on your transcript depending on your school's policy, or just one could appear. It's a good idea to ask your high school counselor directly to give you specific insights on your transcript and how your school reports GPA to colleges.

9 months ago

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