Seven Steps to Strengthening your Academic Transcript
There often is a dramatic difference between the classes students must take to graduate from high school and the classes they need to qualify for a four-year college. It only takes a few steps for students, families and counselors to understand and close this gap so that one diploma flows smoothly into the next.
In Texas, it’s the “RHSP.” In California, it’s the “a-g’s.” In plain English, there often is a dramatic difference between the classes students must take to graduate from high school and the classes they need to qualify for a four-year college. But it only takes a few steps for students, families and counselors to understand and close this gap so that one diploma flows smoothly into the next.
For some quick background, “RHSP” stands for “Recommended High School Program.” Many states have some version of this, which allows students and counselors to track two separate bars of progress: if you are on track to a diploma, and if you are on track to at least attend a state university. Find out from your counselor if there is such a distinction in your state - and get a copy of that recommended college-bound course list!
Next, know the danger zones. First, to attend a good four-year college, you’ll need at least three years of math, ideally four, but many high schools require only two years. Two years of science is typical for high school graduation, but three years is minimum for the more competitive colleges, and four years is best if you are looking at a science, engineering or technology major. And you almost always will want to take more foreign language credits than your school requires. Again, shoot for three or four years. One note - if your school is on a block schedule, not to worry; admissions officers are aware that sometimes your required full year of freshman English will be taught in one semester.
At the same time, you should know that courses like Health and P.E. generally are not considered in your college academic requirements, and only certain electives, like Economics and Computer Science, qualify for consideration. Each four-year college’s application usually indicates specific requirements or exclusions they apply when reviewing your transcript.
Finally, be an advocate for your educational experience! As frustrated as many of our counselors are that they are stuck constantly revising schedules instead of guiding students, you absolutely must be the person who knows the most about what classes you need and when you need them. Don’t rely on school officials or parents or guardians or anyone else to take care of this for you. It’s that important. If your current visual is of you slumped in a chair while your counselor types and reads classes back to you, I want you to revise that to you entering the counseling office with a chart of courses. Then strategize together how to keep you on track to college every single session you two have. Trust me, you will make your counselor’s day!
Here now are some strategic steps to keep you laser-focused on the classes you need to go to college - and a few extra moves to help you get there:
- Take a long-term approach. Don’t pick your high school courses out of a book the day before you meet with your counselor. As early as eighth grade, you want to craft what the next four years need to look like to help you get into the best four-year college possible. Think of this as the business plan for your education, and update it CONSTANTLY. Even if you’re a senior right now, get started over the holiday to see what you can do next semester and over the summer to beef up your academic history.
- Create a tangible four-year plan. To get started, you will need a copy of your high school’s course catalog (from your counselor or online), the list of graduation requirements AND the list of eligibility requirements for the nearest four-year state college (usually available online). Now, clear a table or a wall; grab some stickie notes; write out your required and desired classes; then start slapping down four year’s worth of classes. Switch around at will - and use your cell phone to shoot each version so you can revisit it! Review this sample four-year plan to see what your final grid might look like. BONUS! Get step-by-step guidance to Building your Four-Year Plan right here on CLIC Blog, and track your credits to date using our simple credit comparison grid.
- Plan for honors and AP courses. You don’t have to carb-load, taking EVERY advanced class at school (not that it won’t help if you can handle it!). But if your school offers such courses, colleges will be scrutinizing your transcript to see if you took advantage of them. (It is true that a B in a tough honors course is more meaningful than an A in the lower level class. ) Of course, there isn’t always enough room in these classes to accept every student, and yes, some schools have “gatekeepers” who hand select who gains entry. Your best bet is to manage 8th and 9th grade with a good GPA and attitude so you can be part of any honors program from the beginning. If you don’t manage to get into these courses at your school, though, all is not lost - read on!
- Explore community college options in high school. Some schools may not offer enough college-eligible courses, or your schedule may not be able to accommodate them. That’s when taking an evening or summer course at a local community college becomes a win-win-win-win. First, you get college credits that may transfer to your four-year university. Second, you get an early taste of post-secondary coursework. Third, you shore up your transcript with the necessary classes you need to be more competitive in the four-year application process. And fourth, community college classes often are free or drastically discounted for high school students. Of course, if your high school offers “dual enrollment” courses that fit your schedule, you’ll get those same benefits during the regular school day.
- Actively pursue independent intellectual activities. Academic initiative and curiosity go a long way towards wowing admissions officers - and they also can fill some of the gaps in your transcript if your school’s offerings are limited or overcrowded (or you took a few semesters to develop academic discipline). Independent summer and school year programs could have you building robots, tackling Lincoln-Douglass debate or editing a local bilingual news blog. Check The CLIC in spring for summer programs and other exciting opportunities in science, technology, engineering, math, speech, journalism, government and more. With your four-year plan in hand, you can instantly see what types of programs will best round out your expected course load.
- Complete college applications every year. As you explore your CLIC College matches, download a paper application for any you’re interested in to see how your course load to date measures up to their expectations. On your four-year plan, add a column for each app you tackle, so you can start to compare the different academic expectations of universities that interest you.
- Directly address any course deficiencies at application time. If despite many (documented) efforts, your transcripts and extra work don’t quite fulfill the recommended load for your college(s) of choice, it’s time to write an essay on what you WERE able to do within the limitations of your school or family experience. It’s also important to ask your guidance counselor to make a call or write a letter directly to admissions on your behalf to explain the circumstances and champion your application. Yes, that’s not only okay - it’s often expected.
Okay, one final thought. It’s not just the course requirements that differ between high school and college. Grade requirements are different, too. A “D” is good enough to satisfy your diploma requirements, but forget about that course counting towards your college eligibility! You must earn a “C” or higher for a class to count on that college application - and believe me, a “B” or higher is better.
A lot of colleges don’t count your 9th grade classes, save some college reqs some kids take early (like advanced math courses). So if you lost your mind freshman year, which is not as uncommon as you might think, take heart. You can and should grow academically as you mature throughout high school. And another essay and/or phone call can help explain why a move, or divorce, or loss in the family wreaked havoc with your grades early on. For many reasons, I hope you never have to write that essay or ask for that call. But if you have to, DO IT. Getting into college is the single most empowering decision you will make for yourself as a student. Incredibly, that’s when the real fun begins.
Ready to plan for college? Join The CLIC today.
As always, share your own recommendations and experiences below!
DMA is the CEO of The CLIC, the revolutionary new site where students can powerfully plan for college and institutions can effortlessly recruit students from a single home page in our FREE interactive network. CLIC students can connect to college matches, scholarship searches, college access programs and the nation’s first master calendar of all college-related deadlines and events, with streaming video tips and much more, at www.theclic.net.
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Tags: a-g, college courses, counselors, high school curriculum, rhsp, scheduling, transcripts