High School Transcripts
High school graduation may be just around the corner, but don't get so caught up in the hoopla that your child forgets to order his final high school transcripts before the counseling office closes for the summer. Virtually every university requires that final proof of graduation and academic valor before they seal the deal on that college acceptance.If your teen dropped a class senior year or tanked an exam, make sure he alerts the college admissions department and explains the reasons, particularly if the drop was prompted by a family crisis, for example, or case of mono. Do not wait for the admissions office to discover the bad news on the transcript. Colleges have been known to rescind acceptances when grades drop or high level courses go missing without explanation.
Advanced Placement Scores
It's also time to submit test scores for any Advanced Placement courses. Your child may have indicated his college choice on senior year exam(s), but any sophomore or junior year scores will still need to be sent. This can be done through the College Board's automated 24-hour hotline, 888-308-0013, in early July. Your teen will need his social security number, his AP code (look for it on his AP paperwork), the college's four-digit code and the year(s) of the exams, as well as a credit card to pay the $15 fee.Tip: If your child goes by a first initial/middle name - F. Lee Jones, for example - and you're not absolutely sure he used that exact formulation on every exam, contact the College Board and double check. He may have dual records there, with some exams credited to Fred Jones and others to F. Lee Jones. College Board staffers can merge the records, but they need a heads up. Your child should alert his university, as well.
