Standard Grading Scales for Homeschool Transcripts
The grading scale you use is entirely up to you — but you must document it clearly on your transcript and school profile page, and use it consistently across all four years. Admissions offices cannot evaluate your student's GPA without knowing what a B in your homeschool means.
The Standard 4.0 Scale (Most Common)
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage Range |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 90–100% |
| B | 3.0 | 80–89% |
| C | 2.0 | 70–79% |
| D | 1.0 | 60–69% |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60% |
This is the baseline scale. If you use it, clearly state on the transcript: "Grading Scale: A=4.0 (90–100%), B=3.0 (80–89%), C=2.0 (70–79%), D=1.0 (60–69%), F=0."
Plus/Minus Scale
Many homeschool families use a finer-grained plus/minus system. This is entirely legitimate and gives colleges more resolution on your student's performance. Standard plus/minus values: A+=4.3, A=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7, C+=2.3, C=2.0, C-=1.7, D=1.0, F=0. Note: some colleges cap A+ at 4.0, not 4.3 — state your scale clearly.
Percentage-Based Grading
If you graded by percentage rather than letter grades, you can either convert to letter grades for the transcript (using your stated conversion table) or list percentages directly. Most admissions systems expect letter grades; if you list percentages, include the letter grade equivalent.
Narrative Grading
Narrative-only transcripts are the most challenging for college admissions because they cannot be easily converted to GPA. If you have used narrative grading, consider also assigning a letter grade based on your documentation of mastery. Many families do both: maintain a narrative portfolio for their own records and assign a letter grade to the transcript.