The Happy Homeschooler Podcast

Marketing is not just for business! As a school, it’s easy to think that the students will come to you, and then you serve them. But, as alternative forms of education grow, it’s important that you consider marketing, not just to help your school grow, but to ultimately reach and support more students.
How can a school market themselves?
If you’re looking to reach more students, you need to start where people are: online. Most people are going to use Google to find information on potential schools and programs, so, at a minimum, your school should probably have a website. Make sure that you have pages that discuss your school, it’s approach, and what makes your school unique. Be sure to consider what people are searching for and have that on your site, for example, “Private School [Your city and state].”
From there, you can add on content, like blog posts about your school, profiles on students, or information that people would find useful. Not only does this give people more ways to find you when they search online, but you can then use these articles to send out in your mailing list, and also within social media: two other significant ways to market your school.
What is the transcript’s role in marketing?
Anything that your school produces can potentially be a source of marketing, and your school’s transcript is a marketing tool, whether you’re using it that way or not. When your students share their transcripts with colleges, that’s creating more awareness of your program: you don’t want your school or your students to get a negative reputation because of errors, inconsistency, or an unprofessional look.
Your school can use its transcripts as a helpful marketing tool by not only making sure the content is accurate but also by creating a branded look. Transcript Maker makes it easy for you to accomplish this. Not only can we help you create a template that meets your needs, but when you print your transcript, it will look great. You can kick it up a notch with high-quality paper and emboss it with a seal- what a great marketing tool that students will be proud to share!
Resources Mentioned:Our blog post that covers a few ways schools can market themselvesLearn about 3 great schools: Orion High School, Texas Success Academy, and Dartmoor SchoolSign up for a free trial of Transcript MakerJoin our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

We live in a world where there are so many options to save us time and make us more efficient. However, it’s also easy to stick with habits we know well- one of those may be creating your transcripts manually using spreadsheets or (gasp!) a typewriter!! Even though change can be hard, when you’re noticing errors, lack of consistency, or you’re frustrated, it might be time to upgrade from manual transcripts.
7 Ways you know you need to step away from the spreadsheet
Check out the episode to learn more about each of these signs that you need to put the spreadsheets away and try out a transcript app like Transcript Maker:
Mistakes are happening too frequently: Typos, spelling errors, or missing information are all signs that the manual process may not be working for you.
You’re struggling with GPA math: This type of math is no joke; it’s hard, and it needs to be correct. Math mistakes are easily made when you’re using spreadsheets, and dealing with weighted and non-weighted GPAs manually can be tedious.
You’re losing your work: If you don’t have a system that backs up, you run the risk of losing your work. You waste time (and money) trying to get all of it back.
There are inconsistencies: The transcripts that you create for your school should be consistent from the information on them to the overall look; this is hard to accomplish manually.
Changing something renders old transcripts obsolete: Your manual system doesn’t allow you to change information in one place (like a class title) and have it apply to other transcripts.
You’re wasting time: It’s time consuming to produce a transcript when you’re entering information piece by piece and transcript by transcript. Your time is probably better spent somewhere else.
Printing problems: Once you’ve created your manual transcript, you still need to print it and have it look the way you want; sometimes that’s easier said than done.
Feeling ready to upgrade?
Though it can be overwhelming to make changes, Transcript Maker aims to make the transition easy for you. During your free 14-day trial, we’ll get you onboarded and set up to try us out; since we’re focused on transcripts, you don’t have to worry about making lots of changes at once. And don’t forget, we’re here to answer questions along the way.
Resources Mentioned:Sign up for a free trial of Transcript MakerJoin our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more

Getting into college is tough these days- there are so many students seeking admission. It’s important for students to do the best job they can to show that they are a good fit for the colleges they apply to. Parents and school administrators can support this process in a number of ways. In today’s episode, we share our best tips for helping your students get into college.
Our Top Tips
Application tips
The application is a critical part of what a student sends to each college they apply to. It’s not just about highlighting your test scores and grades (though those are important too). The application, and more specifically, the personal essay is an opportunity to show who you are, that you appreciate different perspectives, that you can think critically, and that you’re a team player. That’s a lot, but it’s worth it to take the time to create a great personal essay that stays true to who the applicant is.
When colleges have a huge list of applicants, you want to highlight how you stand out as an individual with varied interests. Schools can help students become more aware of what to put on the application to help show the applicant in the best light. And, in order to be seen positively, a social media check (and clean-up) is a must for college applicants. An additional step to standing out with your application is to have strong letters of recommendation; be sure to plan ahead (and talk to your students well ahead of time) about not only their letters, but all pieces of the application, as each school will have its own deadline, and you don’t want to miss one!
Cover letter tips
We don’t know when cover letters became the norm for college applications, but even if one isn’t requested, we encourage you to include it! That’s because it’s another opportunity to show who you are and help you stand out from the crowd. Be sure to customize each cover letter (don’t just cut and paste!), discussing why you’re interested in the particular school, and be sure that your application, essay, and cover letter are free from errors.
And, if you’re an educational institution, or a homeschooler, be sure to think about sending professional looking transcripts along with your application and cover letter so that you can be a triple threat.
Resources Mentioned:Not sure about what we mean by a professional transcript? Check out this episode of Beyond TranscriptsSign up for a free trial of Transcript MakerJoin our newsletter for blog posts, tips, and more