This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: 20+ Credits Needed for Graduation.

Lots of homeschooling parents feel intimidated by transcripts. They worry if they will include the correct courses and credits for a successful launch for their homeschool high schoolers into the next phase of life.

That’s why I (7Sister Vicki) am excited to talk about homeschool transcripts! I know this can be a stressful topic for new homeschooling parents, but once you get used to it, it’s a fun game!

Start with: This is a game to learn to play!

Creating your teen’s homeschool transcript is a game. It can be fun!

So, let’s all take a deep breath and say to ourselves, “This is a game. I can play the game, and it can be fun.”

So we practice a positive attitude, and it won’t be so bad! (Believe me, it is true. We have successfully helped our teens and hundreds of our local advisees create a successful transcript.)

Anyway, let me remind you that there’s not one right way to homeschool high school. (We say that all the time!) And it is especially true about transcripts.

There’s not one right way to do transcripts. Even if you had a teen in a public school, every school’s transcript looks different. Thus, you get to adapt anything I share to meet your teens’ needs.

BTW- at 7SistersHomeschool, when you download our transcript package, you will find a transcript in an editable format that we have used with all our teens. You, too, can use it to make your own transcript. The how-tos are all included! It has been useful for homeschool graduates for admission into college, the military, trade schools, or whatever their next steps are.

Just like there’s not one right way to create a transcript, there’s not one right way to decide how many credits to put on the transcript. Every state has a different set of requirements for what kinds and number of credits are needed for graduation.

In our umbrella school, we had kids from Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Thus, we had to require the highest number of credits from each state’s graduation requirements. Our teens needed twenty-six credits on their transcripts.

With this in mind, adjust these tips for your teens’ needs and your state’s requirements.

Homeschool high schoolers need several kinds of courses on their homeschool transcripts:

The core courses are the basic academics that teens need for graduation. Most states require the same core subjects, but may vary in the number of credits for each category.

Many states have additional required credits, such as:

Most states require some elective credits (usually one to four credits). Many homeschool high schoolers have more than the minimum elective requirement. That’s because we can include ALL of their educational experiences on the transcript to highlight the richness of learning.

Electives are topics that interest your teens, they want to explore for fun, or are extra courses related to a favorite core course.

So, let’s say your teen had all the fine arts they needed, but they enjoyed being in a choir. They can count those choir hours as a Choir Elective.

One of my teens was interested in the History of Church Music. He created his own credit in that topic.

Elective credits add sparkle to the transcript. It also shows that your teen is self-motivated and can explore an interest.

Don’t be intimidated. Transcripts are a game.

There you have it! Since transcripts are a game, you may as well show off your teen’s excellent high school experiences! Never exaggerate or fib, but do show off your teens’ educational strengths!

Keep your attitude positive! You can do this!

Join Vicki for encouragement as you plan your teens’ credits for the homeschool transcript.

Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing today.

The post 20+ Credits Needed for Graduation appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.