Just to clarify, I am a high school senior whose taken several courses at my local community college. Do the grades received in community college courses taken concurrently in high school or over the summer play a role in admissions? Are they of any value in boosting admission profiles. If so, how would you like college transcripts to be reported. I have the option to merge my community college transcripts with my high school transcripts, or do colleges want them separately? Even if admission officers do not regard college transcripts during the admission process, would it hurt just to merge them with my high school transcripts to show admission officers a clearer picture of my academic career?
You would have to send both transcripts either way.
Yes, in the end you will need official transcripts from both the high school and the community college. But, at application time, colleges are likely to accept the merged transcript.
For my daughter’s college applications, we uploaded the unofficial community college transcript (the one she could print for free from the college student portal) with all her common app alongside the high school transcript. We paid for one official community college transcript only to the school at which she finally enrolled.
OP: You could merge your community college records onto your high school transcript for now – it keeps all your information together in one document and saves having to deal with two institutions transcript fees – and then send an official record directly from the community college when you accept an admissions offer later.