The Happy Homeschooler Podcast

When it comes to high school transcripts, consistency is of the utmost importance. Whether it’s large details like GPA or course name, or small details like a comma in your school’s name, consistency in your high school transcripts is critical! Matt Bass, founder of Transcript Maker gives insight into how to create consistent transcripts in an efficient way.
Where should there be consistency?
When it comes to your high school transcripts, there are a number of areas you want to have consistency, including:
School name (Being consistent between transcript, website, business cards, etc.)
Course titles
Branding
Formatting (making sure all transcripts look the same, but also within one transcript, for example, the column widths are consistent)
Why are there inconsistencies?
Often times schools will notice a lack of consistency when doing transcripts manually. It becomes almost impossible to keep data consistent across different student’s transcripts, and your final product may not always look the same. If you’re doing your transcripts manually (which we don’t recommend, in part, because of the lack of consistency), you’re going to use a lot of time trying to get all of these details addressed, and you might still miss some.
Why is consistency so important?
You want your transcript to represent your school and your students well. When you’re sending transcripts that have issues, you do your students a disservice while also losing credibility with the schools your students are applying to- you don’t want that!
We know that schools and families would like to have consistency within their transcripts, but it may not feel like the biggest priority, so we’ve made Transcript Maker easy to set up and have taken care of these areas where consistency matters. When you have a system that’s easy to use, you become more efficient, your transcripts improve, and your school and students are represented in the best light.
Resources Mentioned:7 ways you know it’s time to move away from manual transcriptsSign up for a free trial of Transcript MakerJoin our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Holly Urbach is a virtual assistant who homeschooled her five older kids from elementary school through high school, graduating four of them. Beginning September 2018 she will be homeschooling her 6 year-old-son, so she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to having insight into tips and ideas for a strong homeschooling experience.
Meet Holly Urbach
Holly’s homeschooling journey began many years ago and has been a very positive experience for her kids and family. She now has five grown children and is looking forward to homeschooling her youngest son.
Tips for parents and students
As Holly has spent many years homeschooling her kids, she has learned a lot along the way. She highly encourages families to find their community for both support and knowledge: she used to find information in magazines and now it’s accessible online, but the ability to find information and connect with other families has been invaluable. Once she began homeschooling, she quickly realized that her children would be able to have so many positive experiences within the community at large when they’re not in a traditional classroom. So, for any parents who are concerned about the perceived lack of social interaction, she sees that there are more opportunities for homeschooled kids, and with a variety of people. Holly also encourages involvement in civic youth organizations like 4H, cub scouts, and girl scouts to add to a homeschooler’s experience.
For the students, Holly reminds them that this is their journey and to take ownership of it to make the most of it. Being homeschooled allows many opportunities to manage your own time, develop strategies to stay organized, and she encourages students not to depend on their parents to manage it all.
The gifts that homeschooling has given her family are more than she can count, but Holly also knows that homeschooling may not be for everyone. She also reminds parents that you can be a successful homeschooling parent even if you don’t see yourself as the most patient person and that you only need to be one step ahead of your kids. So, don’t stress yourself out too much if you’re thinking of homeschooling your kids and this is new for you.
We’re so glad that Holly shared her experiences and tips for homeschooling through high school with us.
Resources Mentioned:Visit the Home School Legal Defense Association for more information about homeschooling laws and support in your areaLearn more about civic youth organizationsSign up for a free trial of Transcript MakerJoin our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

You may not have heard the term “youth civic organization” but you’re probably familiar with organizations like 4H, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. Holly Urbach, mom of 6 homeschooled children, shares about why involvement in these organizations is a fantastic choice for students.
Involvement prepares students
When someone is involved in a youth civic organization like 4H or the scouts, they’re given the opportunity to learn, explore new areas of interest, and develop leadership skills. Not only are they likely to get more comfortable talking with people and gain confidence in themselves, but the relationships they make with others are hugely important as they continue through school and beyond. Involvement doesn’t always lead to scholarships, but students who participate through high school usually have strong letters of recommendation for college from some very impressive people. Holly shares stories about her family’s positive experience with involvement in 4H, and the benefits she’s seen for other kids. She also helps you understand how to highlight this experience on a college application.
How do we get started?
You can use Google to find organizations near you, or utilize families in your community to help you get started. One of the great things about organizations like 4H and the scouts is that they allow kids to explore so many of their interests, so there will be something for everyone. For all students, but especially homeschoolers, involvement creates another community to be a part of.
Resources Mentioned:How to write a high school resumeMore tips for writing your resume for your college applicationSign up for a free trial of Transcript MakerJoin our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more