Official as well as Accredited Home school Transcripts – What's the Difference

Author: Robert Browns
Have you possibly wondered about the main difference between an "accredited" and an "official" homeschool transcript? A mother got in contact with me because she was assured her son could play on a private school baseball team - IF he moved into that school's Independent Study program. The school said he needed an accredited home school transcript from his 9th grade year to establish that he is in the 10th grade this year. The mother was under the impression that his work was accredited by her. The school disagreed and explained they could examine his transcript from last year for $50 per credit hour.

So, what does accreditation suggest? How does a homeschool student get "accredited" transcripts without spending hundreds of dollars?

There is a big difference between an "accredited" and an "official" homeschool transcript. Homeschool credits are official, and our transcripts are official. Homeschool transcripts are typically NOT accredited, however. Accredited transcripts are offered by certified programs, with some sort of government oversight. For that reason, they are normally avoided by independent homeschoolers. Though it's critical to note that a certified program is not essentially better than your homeschool program, in this case the school was correct. Our homeschool credits are not accredited. They are official, however, when you act within your state law.

There are quite a few programs that can accredit your transcript. They may cost about $50-$100 per credit or more. It can add up quickly, and it can be VERY expensive in the long term. At one point I estimated that a whole 4-year high school would be $2000-$5000 just for a piece of paper that said "accredited. " Accreditation businesses make a lot of money this way!

The expense of accreditation wasn't worth the headaches for my family. Seemingly didn't matter to our college or university choices either. My sons acquired great scholarships from every single college where they applied. They were in addition both given a four-year full-tuition scholarships based on my "mommy-made" official yet unaccredited transcripts. The admissions director at that university said my transcripts and records were the very best he had ever looked at. And he had seen many of transcripts, accredited and official!

Accredited programs typically come with strings attached. You have to register with them, and use their curriculum, follow their procedures, and work at their speed. They may call for added record keeping from the parent. Using accreditation programs can lessen your autonomy and overall flexibility to build the best homeschool high school experience for your child.

Strangely enough, the mother who got in contact with me might possibly have had better luck with a baseball team associated with a public school. Ask public schools about playing on their sport team, and see if they will let you access under part-time enrollment. That will allow for you to get involved without being a student at the school. I know parents who have picked that decision.

If you decide to save some money by producing your own "official" transcripts, you will need to start by keeping good high school records. Did you know that failing to keep good homeschool records in high school is one of the "5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School? " Learn how to avoid all 5 mistakes in my free e-mail mini-course.

And make sure you check out my latest homeschool high school product, the Total Transcript Solution to learn the insider secrets of making an AMAZING "official" homeschool transcript that will wow the colleges and universities.
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