How to Enhance Your College Transcript
January 28, 2025
When you enhance your college transcript by taking a variety of high-level courses, you can position yourself to be the recipient of a congratulatory email or letter by standing out from the crowd.
Finding the time to boost their college transcript can be a challenge for many high schoolers. Plenty of teens have jobs, extracurricular activities like sports and clubs, and social lives that fill their schedules. It is important, however, that college-bound students take the time to enhance their college transcripts to make the best possible impression on university admissions teams when the time comes to apply. Fortunately, it doesn’t require a lot of time, leaving the rest of their calendars open for work, activities, and hanging out.
Why Should High Schoolers Enhance Their College Transcripts?
More than 7 million high school students applied to colleges ahead of the 2023-24 school year, an increase of 30% from the previous school year. That means every student is facing very stiff competition to get into their preferred college or university.
Let’s say you’re interested in attending Penn State University. In 2023, the university received more than 128,000 applications from prospective first-year students. With a general acceptance rate of around 55%, that translates to around 70,000 high schoolers receiving good news. It also means that nearly 60,000 students will receive a disappointing email or letter from the admissions department at Penn State.
When you enhance your college transcript by taking a variety of high-level courses, you can position yourself to be the recipient of a congratulatory email or letter by standing out from the crowd. Here are some ways to do just that:
Take Advanced Summer Courses to Show Initiative & Get a Head Start on College
Taking summer courses can go a long way toward creating an impressive transcript for a few reasons. How?
For one, taking a couple of summer courses shows you have the initiative to succeed. Colleges are always seeking hard-working students who take their academics seriously. By taking a summer course, you’re showing admissions departments that you have the drive to succeed, improve, and learn.
Also, taking higher-level courses, such as Advanced Placement®, demonstrates your college readiness to admissions departments. When you enroll and complete an Advanced Placement® course over the summer, you’re preparing yourself for the academic rigors of a college education. When you successfully complete that high-level course, you’re showing college admissions officers that you’re ready to take on the college challenge. Research shows that students who take AP® courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a college degree on time.
But that’s not the only benefit of taking AP® courses over the summer. By doing so, you’re not only demonstrating your college readiness, but you’re also:
- Preparing yourself for college. AP® classes are often just as challenging as introductory college courses. The pace, the amount of information these classes cover, and the independent work required to succeed in the class are above and beyond what a typical high school course offers. Experiencing this type of academic rigor better prepares students for what they can expect in college.
- Making your transcript stand out. Many admissions officers put a lot of stock into academic rigor–often ahead of standardized test scores. In fact, 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions. If your transcript is showing AP® classes, you’re standing out from other applicants. Your high school may even add extra weight to AP® grades, meaning a B in an AP® class sometimes looks better than earning an A in a regular course.
- Studying what you’re passionate about. Aside from the obvious college-readiness benefits, AP® classes provide the opportunity for students to dig deeper into subjects they truly love. If you’re passionate about learning Spanish and are even considering studying or living in a Spanish-speaking country, taking AP® Spanish courses will provide a fantastic foundation.
- Preparing you for your college major. If you already know the major you want to select when you get to college, taking a summer course dedicated to your field of study can give you a jump-start on what you’ll be learning at the next level so you’re ready to excel in those classes. For example, say you’re interested in studying coding or computer programming. Taking courses like Intro to Java Programming or Javascript gets you ahead of the game when you begin your college career.
Create a Project
Depending on your area of interest or desired major, creating your own project for the sheer learning experience can make a great impression on a college admissions department. For example, if you’re interested in graphic design, take the time to create a website for fun–and to show off your skills. If you love writing, put together a piece worthy of publication…literally. Write a short (or long) story, a poem, an essay, or an article and submit it to various publications. If it’s good, odds are they’ll publish it!
Say you’re pursuing a career in programming or coding. Design a functional app that demonstrates your creativity and ability. Maybe you’re a budding entrepreneur and have a great idea for a business; try to start your own small business and gain invaluable experience. If you’re an aspiring musician, create your own original composition and include it in your college application!
Showing this type of initiative informs colleges that you’re not satisfied with earning good grades–it demonstrates that you’re willing to put in the time and take a risk on creating something original.
Enter a Competition or Program
Along with creating your own project, you can seek out competitions or programs that allow you to demonstrate your abilities. Sure, winning a competition looks great on your college application–but simply entering one or signing up for a program related to your interests shows your initiative and dedication. And that stands out to college admissions teams.
Get a Job or Volunteer
When you’re in high school, any job is a good job to have. Not only are you making some extra money, but you’re also showing responsibility and a solid work ethic. Whether you take a job at your local mall, at a fast food restaurant, or a position related to what you want to study in college, holding down a job while balancing school and your other responsibilities casts you in a very positive light.
Same with volunteering. Dedicating time to a particular cause or group you’re passionate about puts your integrity, sense of community, and initiative on display. The fact that you’re giving up your time without receiving money in return certainly doesn’t hurt either. Regardless of whether you’re working or volunteering, universities look kindly upon those who demonstrate a sense of responsibility and altruism.
Sign Up for Dual Enrollment in High School
Dual enrollment courses are a valuable way to get a glimpse of the college experience while putting yourself in a favorable position once you begin college. If you’re unfamiliar, dual enrollment is a program that allows high school students to take college courses and earn college credit before they set foot on campus.
Holston Academy dual enrollment program, in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), offers college freshman-level courses to high school students seeking to get a jump on college. Learners who take our dual enrollment courses have access to rigorous, engaging college curriculum designed by ASU faculty and are given the opportunity to get a jump start on their degree and career pathway.
There are quite a few benefits to our dual enrollment opportunities, including:
- Receiving college credit that is the same as if the class were taken on campus
- The ability convert the course to college credit upon earning a C or higher grade (if the student receives lower than a C, the course will not appear on their college transcript)
- Support from both ASU faculty as well as a Holston Academy teacher for all dual enrollment coursework
Enhance Your College Transcripts with Holston Academy
Making your college transcripts stand out is as simple as enrolling in a few extra courses. Holston Academy makes that process easy! Browse through our extensive course catalog to decide which courses interest you, then complete the online application to begin your enrollment in the classes that will help you get a head start on college while shining a light on your high school achievements.
After you’re enrolled, you’ll have access to your course and be assigned to a teacher who will provide personalized support.
Take advantage of the amazing opportunity to bolster your college transcript with an online course or two through Holston Academy. For more information, contact us at (833) 782-6922.