How to Create Honors Credits on Homeschool Transcript

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: How to Create Honors Credits on Homeschool Transcript. How to Create Honors Credits on Homeschool Transcript Vicki shares how to create a powerful transcript by building Honors credits. She explains the method called "leveling up" that her family and the homeschool umbrella school that all the 7Sisters' homeschoolers have graduated from. Check out this Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode that explains the concept of "Levels". If you have homeschool high schoolers who are headed for college, it is likely they will need to show rigor on the homeschool transcript. How do you handle creating courses with rigor and showing them on the transcript? Well, it's complicated! There are not any unified how-to's. Our advice is: * Choose your method * Keep it consistent through all core courses (core courses are Language Arts, Maths, Sciences, Social Studies and World Languages) * Make sure you create a legend or key on transcript that explains a little about how the level of rigor was achieved * Be sure to record along with the title of the course, the level of rigor that your homeschool high schoolers achieved This is how we do it. First decide on the level for each course: Level 1: Remedial Level * This is not college level. It is for student who are severely behind or have learning disabilities. Level 2: Average High School Level * These are courses with textbooks that have easier reading levels and shorter lessons. Some examples would include: Westfield Studios 101, Pacemaker series. * If your homeschool high schoolers complete a Level 2 course it will not prevent them from getting into college. * However, the colleges that accept Level 2 courses will most likely be community colleges or some private colleges. * Make sure that the Level 2 courses are not in the courses that will become your teens' college majors. * Very few courses should be Level 2 for college-bound teens. Level 3: College Preparatory Level * Most available textbooks are Level 3. Some examples of Level 3 publishers are,Apologia, BJU Press and Abeka. Level 4: Advanced Level * This level is more powerful than college prep. * Leveling up the Level 3 to Level 4 in our homeschool umbrella school requires completing a Level 3 course plus one half of another Level 3 course of that same topic. * This will earn 1 credit of that course at Level 4. * It is an attractive credit to many colleges. Level 5: Honors Level * An Honors level homeschool high school course is similar in rigor to an AP course. However, the title "AP" can only be used by courses specifically approved by  the College Board. They own that designation. * Honors level courses are highly rigorous; they require a lot of work. This is worth it for teens who are applying to competitive private or state colleges. * Concentrate on Honors level for courses in the general area of your homeschool high schoolers' future major or interest area. * Some competitive colleges want to see ALL core courses at Honors level. Check with colleges of interest for their requirements. How do you develop Honors credit? It is hard work. A teen working on a Level 5 Honors credit will be doing about double the Level 3 College Prep. 7Sisters textbooks and Literature Study Guides include instructions (with Literature Study Guides the instructions vary by age and grade).