How exactly would I write a 5 year high school transcript?

Parents Forum
1

Hello! I wrote a thread about having my son taking a gap year after his sophomore year in high school, and the people who replied really helped me plan exactly what we plan to do. So here is some background information about us and our high school plan. We want to learn how exactly to portray the transcript considering it would be 5 years in high school.

So my son just turned 16 and is finishing up his sophomore year. He is homeschooled. He wants to take a gap year to stay with my family in Mexico City for the fall semester and with my husband’s family in Vienna in the spring semester. He will focus on his violin playing, learning German, and some core subjects like math and English. This is what we did already:

P.S. Sorry if this type of thing isn’t allowed. I made this account yesterday and do not exactly know the rules but I do know this website from google searching questions about home schooling my son and I finally made account because this website is so helpful.

1st year/9th grade:

Algebra I.
English I and English II.
Biology.
World Geography.
Health.
Music.
Spanish 2.
Latin I.

2nd year/10th grade:

Algebra II.
English III and English IV.
Physical Science.
World History and American History.
Economics.
Critical Thinking Skills.
Chinese 1.
Latin II.
Personal Finance.

He completed those already. Now this is what we are planning to do.

3rd year/gap year in Mexico City and Vienna/(don’t know how to classify)

Geometry
Composition I
He will be mostly focusing on German and music, and I don’t see a reason why I shouldn’t use that as credit. So I guess I’ll put music and German as subjects and give him credit. I hope to find a German tutor. My husband’s family who he will be staying with speak fluent German so I’m not sure.

4th year/11th grade.

Pre-Calculus
Composition II
Chemistry
World Religions
Chinese II
Latin III
Psychology
P.E.

5th year/12th grade.

Calculus
American literature
British literature
Physics
Chinese III
Law
Speech
P.E.

This is our plan. It isn’t certain, but this is what me and my son would love to do. I don’t know when he should take the SATs but I suppose he will take it in 11th grade. If not, he said he can take it during the gap year if necessary. Do I send all 5 years worth of transcripts, or how exactly does all this work? Thank you!

2

You’d put
Intermediate and Advanced German Language for non native speakers (3 units?), German History and Culture (semester 1) + Music
Same thing for Spanish and Mexican History and Culture.
Ask your family for an American expat willing to give him intensive lessons for a month (several hours a day, with practical applications in town) then continue with daily lessons.
Have him take the language subject test immediately at the end of the semester abroad.

3

Thank you for this detail, and the gap year idea is great.

The issue seems to be the Common App format restrictions. I need to look at the Common App again, but if I remember correctly you get about 4 years allotted by the computer. So what you might need to do is to note other places to the AdComs that your child took a gap year between years 2 and 3. If I just overlooked the option for noting an extra year on the Common App because my kids don;t need this, then this is moot.

Your child can address small issues like this through at the very least a concise statement in an email or through another supplement. Something along the lines of "please note that between years 2 and 3 I took a gap year . . . . " You would need about 2 lines of space for that comment. Adcoms are very busy folks. They will note this. Emails tend to end up in application folders. Very few admissions offices do not publish their email addresses. I think Yale is one–understandably.

Another way to note this is through a resume. Make a formal resume and note the extra year.

As long as we’re talking gap years, I am an advocate of gap years before college away from parents if possible. This is a nice interim step for children to do things on their own, as they will need to do for the rest of their lives. Also, it’s a good way for the family to let go, more slowly, and gradually, than poof they’re off to college an the self-structuring rigors of that plus the academic demands.

Here are some places for gap year ideas–
Americorps
volunteer.gov
coolworks
workaway.info
hiking the Appalachian trail
Student Conservation Association
etc.

4

I think there is a place on the Common App to indicate a gap year. The other two thoughts: could you organize the transcript by subject rather than year? …also in case PSAT/National Merit is a consideration, be sure to plan the PSAT accordingly.

5

On commonapp, there’s a space to indicate gap year. It opens a window/ box where you explain what you didn’t during that year.