<p>High school transcripts are required for applications to universities. So</p>
<p>1) is there a standard high school transcript format that all American high schools use, or does each school (or state, or district, or whatever) have its own unique transcript format? </p>
<p>2) What exactly is included on the transcript? </p>
<p>3) Are comments from teachers included on the transcript?</p>
<p>I'm concerned that where we live, the schools are not familiar with American university requirements. Report Cards each term here don't include A to F type grades (one works here towards end of year exams), and they often include detailed comments from teachers that list out just about every weakness the student has /areas in which the student needs to improve, and in fact rarely are the comments positive even when the student is amongst the highest achievers in the school. They don't believe in ranking students here either (and wouldn't have a clue how to do so anyway, not in a fair way at least). So they would never name one student as 'THE #1 ranked", rather they'll grudgingly (when pushed) allow that a student may, for instance, be in the 'top ten'. </p>
<p>So if GPA, ranking, and teachers' comments are usually included on American high school transcripts.... yeah, then big hassle ahead to look forward to</p>
<ol>
<li>There isn’t a standard american high school transcript – every transcript looks slightly different.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you’re an international student, your school submits their own form, so talk to your guidance counselor at your school. DO NOT try to “mock up” something on your own, as college will only accept “official transcripts” which come directly from your school’s administration in a sealed envelope that has been signed by someone in charge at your school. As international school’s submit these things all the time, you have to trust that your school knows what is needed. And, you have to trust that american Admissions Offices will know how to de-code what your school sends them. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Generally, a transcript is broken down by semester listing your classes, code numbers, teachers and grades. It contains a semester average, however that is calculated at your school, and a cumulative average. </p></li>
<li><p>No. High schools send a “school profile” along with the transcript which explains your schools grading system, curriculum, EC’s offered etc.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks @gibby - I’ll look at the link you gave, but while you’re still online, can you tell me are GPA and ranking not included then? As for ‘guidance counselor’ - mmm, yeah, totally unreliable, hasn’t much of a clue. Very few if any of my DC’s classmates will be applying to universities anywhere abroad, and the ‘GC’ is not very familiar with the application process (for American universities)</p>
<p>On the high school transcript in the link above, there is no GPA, no ranking. So where are students’ GPA and ranking included, are they included on report cards?</p>
<p>If you are applying to a large or fairly well known college, odds are, they seen everything, including your transcript. I know someone who came from a fairly obscure country who tried to pull a fast one with a medium size school, and was quickly told that they had only submitted half the document. Guy tried to argue - he hadn’t done the second part to officially graduate, but they knew what they were looking for and he didn’t have it. They told him he needed to go get his GED before he could apply. </p>
<p>So even though your school may not be familiar with American colleges, American colleges are familiar with documents from your country, no matter how obscure. If you have any questions, just call and ask them - someone will eventually be found who can tell you exactly what you need to do.</p>
<p>GPA is included on most transcripts, and class ranking may be as well, or it may be included in the GCs letter. Ranking systems are different (or nonexistent) from school to school, but can be self reported in the Common App. Look at what the Common App requires and visit the websites of the colleges you want to apply to, contacting the colleges with questions if necessary. As long as all the necessary info is provided, the way documents appear or are divided up does not really matter. </p>
