Does a TA period look bad on HS transcripts?

hop
Fri, 07 Jun 2019 00:27:14 +0000

I would respectfully disagree with the above posters who say it won’t matter,
and will chime in with an “it may well matter” vote.

Having a TA period is not a huge issue, but it does put an unquantifiable class on your transcript.
The schools you’ll be applying to won’t know if you are getting coffee or dry cleaning for the teacher you’re assisting, or if you’re actually grading (don’t laugh, I’ve seen this happen) student papers.

A lot depends on the types and specific schools you’re targeting.
If you’re looking for a Top 20, Ivy or many of the competitive public flagships, I would say don’t do it,
as it won’t add to the rigor of your course profile.
Instead take a class with a letter grade based on work completed, even if it’s not a tough AP class.
If your targets fall outside of the rarified air of the highly selective, then it’s probably just fine to TA.