It’s incredibly common to hear from colleges that they practice holistic review processes, but what does that mean when it comes to your transcript? While essays, extracurriculars, and recommendations all have their own very important role to play, your transcript is unarguably a cornerstone of your application. Have you ever wondered how colleges read them?
At Marks Education, we’ve guided hundreds of students through the college admissions process, and likewise receive frequent questions from parents and students alike about transcripts— how will X curriculum choice be read? What will colleges think about the B I got in Chemistry? Etc.
As a team staffed with talented advisors who have worked at universities across the country, we’ve gained valuable insights into how admissions officers evaluate transcripts. Drawing on the rich experience of our team, particularly Ellen Berg, who has worked for schools on the East and West Coast, this blog was written to help shed some light on how colleges read your transcript. We hope you walk away with some insider perspective on what colleges are really looking for and what they find when reviewing your transcript.
The Initial Review Process
An important thing to remember about the transcript review process is the fact that colleges take the time to review your high school offerings as they’re reading your transcript. Your school profile tells the admissions reader what kinds of courses are offered at your school, their rigor, and the academic opportunities otherwise available to you. Larger universities may have specific groups of admissions readers assigned to specific states, schools, or countries who are accustomed to the different courses, curricula, and expectations across a given area. They’re looking to understand what was offered to you and how you chose to take advantage of that curriculum.
Transcript readers are also looking at how you chose to satisfy the five core subjects: Math, English, Science, Social Studies, and World Language. They want to see not only that you’ve met their requirements in these five areas, but also that you’ve made attempts at maxing out the rigor your school offers within reason and ability. Generally, college admissions readers are looking at two things within transcripts: grades and rigor. Colleges want to see that you’ve challenged yourself, but also achieved excellence in your studies. In short, don’t overload yourself, but don’t take the easy way out either.
As to your GPA, most colleges will also immediately recalculate your grades to utilize their uniform metric. This allows them to better compare students from thousands of different high schools with hundreds of grade assessment systems. So, in the end, don’t get too caught up in the GPA you’re reporting to colleges, and rather focus on positive grade trends and selecting a rigorous curriculum.
The Value of Context
College transcript readers take the time to know the students who are applying and how their school works. We mentioned earlier how admissions offices will sort transcript readings based on certain relevant applicant groups and carefully review your school profile, and the same is true for an “out of the ordinary” transcript. This might refer to home-schooled or international students, but also other transcript situations as well!
In the case of an “out of the ordinary” transcript, it’s safe to assume that your application is far from dismissed or misunderstood, but in all likelihood, is actually given much more attention than a “normal” transcript. Colleges that practice holistic reviews seek to understand who is applying to their schools and are determined to ensure a fair evaluation. Therefore, in these cases, generally, the application is passed along to a reader who has experience with your specific transcript context or is prepared to invest time learning to ensure a fair evaluation.
The Additional Information Section
The “additional information” section of your application is a great place to insert any specific details that might not be included in the rest of your application. This might mean noting that a specific section of a class you wanted to take wasn’t taught because the teacher went on maternity leave, conflicted with another schedule requirement, or involved any irregularities you feel the admissions office should know about.
Any information you add, however, should be very brief and straightforward. This is not another essay, but rather a place to note extenuating circumstances or important details; it is by no means otherwise required or expected.
However, one major piece of advice, if you’re going to name a challenge you encountered, like for example, not being able to take AP Spanish due to a scheduling conflict, try to also include a way you tried to adapt and grow, like continuing your education through online classes or a 300-day Duolingo streak. This is not only helpful information, but also demonstrates your commitment to learning and resourcefulness, qualities colleges value.
Conclusion
Admissions officers are experts at spotting patterns in transcripts; it’s basically their job! You don’t need a perfect A+ in every single course to impress colleges, but generally, you should be prioritizing rigor in your core subjects while maintaining good grades or consistently improving. Be sure that you’re prioritizing achieving the best grades possible and maxing out your academic rigor.
Curious how colleges might understand your high school transcript? Contact us now for a free consultation to hear what former admissions readers have to say about your application!