Our next installment of our “Countdown to Common App” series focuses on what is arguably the most important aspect of the college application- your high school transcript. As we begin to think about why the transcript is so important, let’s first look at the Merriam-Webster definition of “university:”
“an institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees”
Within that short definition alone we find at least three words related to school= “learning,” “teaching”, and “academic.” What’s the point of all this? The purpose of college is to learn something.
Because colleges and universities exist mainly as institutions of higher learning, we need something to judge your level of preparedness for said higher learning. That’s why your high school transcript is so important. Imagine if all you had to show colleges you were prepared was the following information:
Not as impressive, right? But we digress– here are some frequently asked questions about the high school transcript that we often get at St. Mary’s:
Do you look at weighted or unweighted GPA?
At St. Mary’s, we look at both. However, when students ask us the average GPA of applicants, we use an unweighted number (3.5 if you were wondering!). This is because so many high schools weigh classes differently that it wouldn’t give us an accurate average to use weighted GPA. However, at St. Mary’s we look at your transcript in entirety, and that includes weighted GPA. Make sure you ask each college you are applying to how they calculate and look at GPA!
Do you look at all four years of high school? I had a rough sophomore year.
At St. Mary’s, we do look at all four years- however, we are looking for a couple of things in our applicants:
- Did you increase the difficulty of your classes each year? Perhaps graduating from honors classes to AP, or adding more IB courses each year.
- Is your GPA steady or increasing over all four years? We would not want to see that junior and senior year your GPA experiences a severe drop, for example.
- Can we see trends over time that indicate your best subjects? If you got an A in Algebra II, Precalc, Calculus AP, and Statistics AP, we probably can see that math is your strong point. However, if you consistently struggle in English class each year, that indicates to us that English might not be your best subject.
What are some things on a transcript that might stand out to an admissions office (either good or bad?)
Some good things that might stand out are: a strong balance of honors, GT, AP, and/or IB classes, four years of math, science, AND English, advancing in art or music classes to a more advanced level, and any community college or summer courses.
Some things that might make us nervous are: a sudden drop in grades senior year (hello senioritis!), a really rigorous course load with really low grades, lots of absences and missed classes, or anything else strange and out-of-place.
*If you think there is something on your transcript that would make an admissions office nervous, then call them and explain. Or schedule an interview– the interview is the perfect place to disclose reasons for low grades or explain and describe your high school career.
How do I send my transcript through Common Application?
Your high school guidance counselor can electronically submit your transcript online through the Common Application. They can also mail a sealed copy to each school’s admissions office. If sending by mail, make sure to get a delivery receipt through the postal office. That receipt can serve as confirmation that the transcript got to the college and didn’t get lost in the mail!
In conclusion, your transcript is what it is by the time you get to senior year. You can’t control the grades you got freshman year when you should have been working harder. You can’t go back and replace that Yearbook class with World History AP (nor should you!). And college admissions offices know that. That’s why the transcript is not the only part of the application. That’s why we also look at recommendation letters, standardized test scores, extracurricular resume, and essays. Remember, you can always call or email your admissions counselor to set up an interview or ask any further questions!
The Yellow Brick Path 