The high school transcript is one of the most important components of the college application that top admissions officers will consider when making admissions decisions. Not only does it demonstrate a student’s academic capabilities, but it also conveys a dynamic story about the evolution of a student’s passions and skills over time. Therefore, it is important not to wait until junior or senior year to begin thinking about what story your transcript is telling. Instead, students should begin strategizing with their parents, school counselors, and any private academic support system they may have during their freshman year.
As they do so, they should be mindful of the three key qualities colleges look for in a transcript:
Top colleges are not just interested in stellar grades; they want to see that a student has taken the most challenging coursework available in the field they hope to pursue. Taking these challenging classes not only shows a student’s passion for their subject, but if they take AP or IB level courses, they can also allow students to earn college count these challenging classes as college credits while still in high school. If a student’s school does not offer AP or IB courses, they should plan to take whatever Honors or high-level courses are offered at their institution. A transcript that boasts rigorous courses aligned with a student’s intended major signals their ambition, passion, and commitment to excellence in their chosen field.
First and foremost, electives can convey a student’s personality and secondary interests to colleges, adding dimension to their application. Elective courses allow students to explore their interests and discover new passions, particularly if they are not sure what they want to study in college. While an elective course can be a fun opportunity for a student to deepen their knowledge of an adjacent interest, students should be mindful that their elective selection should not stray too far from their core passion and area of study. The subject could be in an area of study that a student is considering minoring in or a subject that relates to their core interest in a more specialized way. For instance, a student intending to study sustainable technology may take an oceanography course to better understand underwater ecologies. Students should show dimension without undercutting the cohesive narrative presented through their application.
While earning perfect grades throughout high school is ideal, this is not a feasible goal for most students—nor is it what colleges expect. Instead, colleges look for evidence of improvement throughout the course of a student’s high school career. Colleges are particularly interested in seeing improvement in the core academic subjects. An upward trajectory in grades signals adaptability, resilience, and a genuine commitment to personal and academic development. This upward trajectory should not only occur in GPA, but also in the difficulty of the student’s course load. Demonstrating improvement over time conveys not just a student’s current capabilities but their potential for continuous learning and academic development within the rigorous academic environment of the Ivy League.
While the transcript is only one piece of a student’s application, it is a critical opportunity to tell a story and showcase a student’s strengths—but this is only possible with strategy and careful consideration. Students should keep these three key points in mind starting in freshman year to ensure that their transcript demonstrates the strength of their candidacy.