Transcripts and Grading

[swansonacad]

The samples of transcripts I've seen list grades by semester. When listing semester grades for a subject like World Geography, how does this work? The final map project and the seven wonders project are not completed until the end of the year and each counts for 5% of the total grade. Do I just add 10% between the other categories for the first semester (maybe make Expedition Journal and Map Drawings each worth 30% of the grade for the first semester)? Or maybe it's okay to list grades simply by year?? Does it matter? Our public schools here list by semester on transcripts. We are just beginning the WG guide this August, but I wish I could understand this better beforehand.
Thanks!
Debra

[Rice]

I noticed that no one has replied to your post so thought I'd give what help I can. My kids aren't there yet but as a newbie to HOD I've been reading most posts and this recent one might help answer your questions, especially if you find the book that is mentioned and follow the link. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15348
HTH
Blessings,

[Motherjoy]

I tallied grades at the end of the year, and whatever their final grade was, I listed that same grade on each semester. I didn't bother tallying grades all year long. You can, if you want, but we've never given grades before, and I don't highly value them.

[LynnH]

Public school transcripts do often go by semester, but many of the experts on homeschool transcripts such as Lee Binz do theirs by year. When colleges calculate the GPA they don't look at the semester grades all they care about is the final grade in that class. I use homeschool tracker and it just calculates for the semester based on what grades have been inputted so far and the weight I have given those activities. It does print each semester grade and the final grade, but if I could get it to print just the final grade I would.

[swansonacad]

Thank you for the replies, ladies! Rice, I actually have that book (Transcripts Made Easy by Janice Campbell), but the samples in it all list by semester. It would be so much easier to calculate for the year for the reason I mentioned (some weighted items aren't completed until the end of the year). I didn't know if there was some law or reason to do it by semester as the schools do. I will look up Lee Binz. I plan to record on paper because those record keeping and transcript programs totally confuse me! lol Thanks again for the advice!
Debra

[my3sons]

Another place you can look for help that both Carrie and 8arrows use is...
www.teascript.com

I am planning on using this. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[Rice]

Another homeschool mom I know said she didn't give any grades. When the admissions guy asked she said that grades weren't an accurate reflection of her son's work because anything below about 70% meant they went over it again because the goal for them was to learn it, not merely to evaluate whether or how much it had been learned!

Of course, that answer wouldn't even be sought in some situations so going that route might be counterproductive, but thought I'd put another idea out there. It certainly fit their situation and he was not rejected because of it. (And, although he submitted a portfolio, he didn't do a GED or any official testing to prove competency, either.)

Blessings,