Understanding transcripts can be a bit nuanced and varies based on the counseling team’s policies. Your counselors will likely request your previous transcripts (report cards) from your former school, ideally covering the last two years. This step is crucial for them to assess the classes you’ve taken and align them with the curriculum at the new school. Unless you’re transitioning from one IB school to another or your previous school is recognized by the counselor (this can vary), numerical grades most likely will not be transferable. Instead, they would use ‘P’ for pass or ‘F’ for fail.
To illustrate, my prior school in India, though intense, wasn’t recognized in my new school. Consequently, my 9th and 10th-grade scores are simply marked as ‘P’.
It’s essential not to stress about the classes assigned to you in previous years, as this is beyond your control. Counselors strive to provide the best fit, adhering to certain guidelines. To counter the impact of non-transferable grades, focus on excelling in challenging classes during your time at the new school.
Counselors must create a transcript, assigning credits to meet the minimum requirements for high school graduation set by different states. These requirements typically include credits in fine arts, health, fitness, speech, and more. Working closely with your counselor is crucial in this regard. Share all documents from your previous school; you never know which class might contribute towards earning a credit!