As parents of college-bound teenagers, I understand that the college application process can be both exciting and daunting. One crucial factor that significantly influences college options is your teen’s academic performance, particularly their grades. Therefore, it’s important for you to assess your teen’s transcript to gain valuable insights on their options.
By addressing key questions regarding their grades, you can help your teenager construct a stronger college application and open doors to more college options.
- Are your teen’s grades steady, trending upward, or trending downward? Admissions officers scrutinize a student’s academic trajectory, looking for consistent improvement and dedication to their studies. Encourage your teenager to maintain steady or upward trends in their grades throughout high school. Consistency showcases discipline, perseverance, and a strong work ethic, which are qualities highly valued by colleges.
- Does your high school publish class rank? If so, what is your teen’s rank? Class rank provides colleges with valuable context on how your student’s performance compares to their peers. Admissions officers consider class rank as an indicator of relative academic standing. Understanding your teen’s rank will help you gauge their competitiveness and strategize accordingly. If their rank is lower than desired, focus on other aspects of their application, such as extracurricular activities and essays, to showcase their unique strengths.
- Does your teen’s performance in certain subject areas across multiple years suggest noteworthy strengths or weaknesses? Transcripts reveal more than just overall grades. Review your teen’s performance across various subjects and identify patterns. Admissions officers seek well-rounded individuals, but they also appreciate students who excel in areas related to their intended field of study. Recognizing your teen’s strengths and weaknesses will give you the chance to help guide them towards selecting courses that align with their academic talents and interests.
- Is your student taking harder classes in the field they want to pursue in college? Colleges value students who challenge themselves academically. Encourage your teenager to enroll in additional and harder classes in subjects relevant to their intended college major. By taking these classes, they demonstrate their commitment, adaptability, and readiness to excel in their chosen field.
- How does the rigor of your student’s coursework compare to other college-bound students at their school? Colleges consider the academic context in which a student’s performance is evaluated. They assess the rigor of your teen’s coursework relative to what is available at their school. Encourage your teenager to take advantage of advanced placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes, if available. Participating in challenging coursework shows colleges that your teen is prepared for the academic demands of college.
Your teen’s end-of-year transcript is a vital piece of their college application puzzle. By understanding its importance and reviewing it with these five key questions in mind, you can gain valuable insights into your teen’s academic progress and take steps to level the admissions playing field. Remember, good grades demonstrate your teen’s work ethic and ability to excel. Additionally, challenging coursework and subject-specific strengths can help them stand out in a giant pool of applicants.
P.S. Other factors such as standardized tests remain influential in the admissions process, but nothing is more important than grades.
Fitz has dedicated the entirety of his 28 year career to encouraging higher education opportunities. He worked in the Vanderbilt, Duke Law and St. Lawrence admissions offices prior to serving as an enrollment management consultant for 200+ selective colleges around the country. He created Find The Right College to make trustworthy college counseling more accessible. Fitz is also the father of two teens so he also understands first-hand the challenges associated with a college search.
