Join us for the first in our series on the “big five” elements in college applications - a college application safari of sorts.

These are the application components that colleges use to assess a student's application as they make admissions decisions. Not every college will use all 5 elements, and, ironically, while we firmly believe that every student is more than a transcript, the transcript remains the most important component of a student's college application at all colleges. Holistic review of applications refers not only to all elements of your application, but to the multiple factors inherent in interpreting a transcript!

We begin with a look at the variation of high school transcripts across the US, which generally look different than your report cards.  We touch briefly on weighted and unweighted GPAs, the rigor of your academic courses, grade trends, and the tools, like a high school profile, that admissions readers use to build context for the courses and grades that are on YOUR transcript. 

Our episode tips focus on helping you to better understand your transcript and how your high school describes the curriculum that has been available to you. We want you to learn more about your high school’s GPA scale, rank in class policies, and to think about course planning over four years, but most importantly in junior and senior year. We also touch on classes, perhaps from a summer program or an online program, that may or may not be official pieces of your high school transcript. 

Lastly, we address the growing trend of self-reported transcripts in the admissions process and what to expect if a college you apply to asks for your academic history in this way.

Application Safari Stop 1: The Transcript!

Time Stamps:

0:37 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn discusses the admissions review practice known as committee-based evaluation, which helps to build a preview of what happens in the application review process.

6:06   Big Picture: transcript variations and building context for your courses and grades.

18:10 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” - Colleges with narrative evaluations rather than letter grades!

22:52 Tips and Strategies: learn how to better understand your transcript and GPA, plan your 4-year curriculum and prepare for self-reported transcripts on some of your applications.

More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.

Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.

Thanks for listening!