High school transcript for kids who repeated a grade?

An AO told us in one interview that if DD repeated 10th and eventually graduated from that school, her transcript would not include the year of 10th she did at her current school. At least, I think that’s what the AO said. It was almost like an offhand comment and my husband immediately asked her something else right after, before I could even register what she said. Is this the case for kids who repeat any year? How can a full year of grades not be on her overall transcript? Wouldn’t colleges question the chronological progression when they see a empty year? I’m assuming the transcript shows the actual year attended per grade? I ask because DD is taking several AP level courses this year as a 10th grader and will take the corresponding AP exams in May. We would want that on her record, as well as the grades she achieved in her classes this year. If she chooses to repeat 10th, it has more to do with her age (she is young for 10th) and other factors, which I think could be explained easily to colleges? What did your kid’s transcript reflect when they graduated, if they repeated a year? Both years of that particular grade or just the one done in the school they ended up graduating from?

Couldn’t you just ask her current school to also send her transcript? I would think they would want the transcript for all high schools attended.

@queenmother yes, I suppose that could be done. Just wondered why the new school (if she transfers) wouldn’t just automatically include it when she starts applying to colleges. They’d have to include her 9th grade grades, which would be from the current school.

I think you misheard. You can, and should, ask for clarification, but AFAIK, colleges would need a full transcript from an applicant. So either a transcript from each HS, or the transcript from the second HS with the some recognition of the full work completed before transfer.

Thanks @skieurope, that makes better sense. I’ll definitely ask for clarification, if she ends up transferring as a repeat.

I don’t mean to hijack, but I’m curious as to how/why one might decide to have one’s daughter repeat 9th. (Dreading M10 and wondering whether reapplying as a repeat after freshman year at a public school might make sense for ours as a Plan B…)

The new high school will include all prior transcripts. My daughters went to 3 high schools, but the final high school sent all the paperwork. Whether the final high school includes the prior grades in its gpa is up to that school…

@CaliMex I think a lot of factors can drive a choice to repeat- academics, maturity/age, change to a new school system (international kids mostly), etc. Good luck to your daughter, M10 will be here in no time!

@twoinanddone thank you, and that’s an interesting point on GPAs. Hadn’t thought of that.

@narcissediaz98 if accepted, definitely ask about GPA calculation, transcripts & graduation requirements. This goes not only for repeats, but also kids who enter school in 10th or 11th grade. I know of a few schools where all classes are shown on a transcript (including classes from a previous school) yet that GPA calculation is only based on classes from the current school. So, if you started in 11th grade, your GPA would essentially be based on one year of grades - assuming colleges don’t look at senior year grades. Same goes for graduation requirements - check to make sure that you will get credit for courses that you took earlier. This may seem obvious, but it’s not always.

Yes, sound advice @GMC2918 thank you. I hadn’t considered the GPA angle of it before.

To clarify: The GPA at the new HS may only be based on one year of grades, but college AOs will look at the GPA from the old HS and the GPA from the new HS, The fact that a school does not include old grades in GPA, but does include them on the transcript is not at all unusual. AOs know how to deal with it.

@skieurope Yes, agreed that AOs are familiar with this and certainly know how to read a transcript. It’s just something that isn’t often mentioned by the schools, so it’s good to be aware. If you’re planning on starting a new school in 10th or 11th grade, I would recommend speaking with the Academic Dean at some point between acceptance and enrollment, just to be clear on your academic path.