Homeschool Transcript Glossary — Terms Every Homeschool Parent Should Know

A

Accuplacer — The College Board placement test used by most community colleges to determine whether incoming students need developmental (remedial) coursework or are ready for college-level classes. Tests reading comprehension, writing, and math. Strong SAT/ACT scores often substitute. See: dual enrollment requirements.

ACT — A standardized college admissions test (American College Testing) scored 1–36 composite. Tests English, Math, Reading, and Science. Widely accepted at all U.S. colleges. See: SAT & ACT guide.

AP (Advanced Placement) — College Board program offering college-level courses and exams to high school students. Scores of 3–5 may earn college credit. Homeschoolers can take AP exams independently. See: AP courses for homeschoolers.

ACTFL — American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Administers proficiency tests (OPI, WPT, STAMP) that can document foreign language ability for homeschool transcripts.

C

Carnegie Unit — The standard measure of high school academic credit in the U.S. One Carnegie unit = approximately 120 hours of instruction. Full-year courses earn 1.0 credit; semester courses earn 0.5. See: credit hours explained.

CEEB Code — A 6-digit College Entrance Examination Board code assigned to every U.S. high school. Homeschool students use the universal code 970000. See: high school code guide.

CLEP — College-Level Examination Program. Tests by College Board that allow students to earn college credit by demonstrating proficiency. Homeschoolers use CLEP exams to earn credit for subjects studied independently, including foreign languages.

Common App — The Common Application, used by 1,000+ colleges and universities. Homeschool students use code 970000 and complete the homeschool supplement. See: Common App guide.

Concurrent Enrollment — Another term for dual enrollment. A high school student takes college courses simultaneously with high school courses. See: dual enrollment guide.

CSS Profile — A financial aid application (College Scholarship Service Profile) required by ~400 private colleges in addition to FAFSA. Collects more detailed financial information. See: financial aid guide.

Cumulative GPA — The overall GPA calculated across all high school courses, weighted by credit value. Reported on the transcript. Distinct from a single-year GPA. See: GPA calculator.

D

Dual Enrollment — Taking college courses for both high school and college credit while still in high school. Also called concurrent enrollment, dual credit, or early college. Provides third-party verification of academic ability. See: dual enrollment guide.

E

EFC (Expected Family Contribution) — Now called Student Aid Index (SAI). The number FAFSA calculates representing how much your family is expected to contribute to college costs. Used to determine need-based aid eligibility.

F

FAFSA — Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Opens October 1 each year. Required for federal grants, loans, and work-study. Homeschool graduates select "Homeschool" as their completion type. See: financial aid guide.

G

GPA (Grade Point Average) — A numerical average of academic performance, typically on a 4.0 scale. Unweighted GPA treats all courses equally; weighted GPA gives bonus points for honors/AP courses. See: GPA calculator · GPA calculation guide.

H

Homeschool Diploma — A certificate of completion issued by the homeschool administrator (parent) on graduation day. Not required for college admission but useful for employment, military, and trade schools. See: homeschool diploma guide.

HSLDA — Home School Legal Defense Association. National legal organization advocating for homeschool rights. Offers legal resources and state-specific guidance at hslda.org.

I

IHIP — Individualized Home Instruction Plan. Required annually in New York State. Specifies the subjects to be taught. Part of NY's documentation requirements. See: New York state guide.

N

National Merit Scholarship — A prestigious merit scholarship program. Eligibility determined by PSAT/NMSQT scores in 11th grade. Homeschool students are fully eligible if they take the PSAT through a local school.

Notarization — A process in which a licensed notary public verifies the identity of a document signer. Does NOT verify content accuracy. Not required for homeschool transcripts by any state law. See: notarization by state.

P

PSAT/NMSQT — Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Taken in October of 11th grade. Determines National Merit Scholarship eligibility. Strong practice for the SAT.

Q

Quality Points — The product of grade points × credit hours for a single course. Quality points are summed and divided by total credits to calculate GPA. See: GPA calculation.

S

SAT — Standardized college admissions test by College Board, scored 400–1600. Tests Reading/Writing and Math. Now administered digitally. See: SAT & ACT guide.

School Profile — A one-page document submitted with the transcript that describes the homeschool's philosophy, curriculum, grading scale, and credit system. Gives admissions readers context they cannot get from the transcript alone. See: school profile guide · template PDF.

T

Transcript — The official academic record listing all courses taken, grades earned, credits assigned, and cumulative GPA. The primary document reviewed by colleges, dual enrollment programs, and employers. See: what to include on a transcript.

U

Unweighted GPA — GPA calculated on a standard 4.0 scale where all courses earn the same maximum grade points regardless of difficulty. The baseline measure colleges use for comparison. See: GPA guide.

W

Weighted GPA — GPA calculated with bonus points for honors, AP, or college-level courses. Must be clearly labeled as weighted on the transcript or school profile. See: GPA guide.

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Disclaimer: Definitions reflect standard usage. Specific programs may use terms differently.