Academic transcripts are records of your previous education that provide complete details of courses and grades that are relevant for admission. With a long list of documents to manage, it is quite possible that you feel the need to take a look at an academic transcript example. Remember to check your transcripts for the date, signature of the registrar of the institution and stamp of the issuing institution to verify whether those are official copies of your transcripts or not.
Students often find themselves caught in a dilemma while differentiating between transcripts, marksheets, degree, diploma and other documents showing academic records. This is why it is important to know how does a transcript look like. In this blog, we shall show you an academic transcript sample, what information an academic transcript provides, types of academic transcripts and more.
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What Information Does An Academic Transcript Provide?
An academic transcript is of utmost importance when you seek admission to institutions because of its information. When we talk about example of a university transcript, you will find the following information included in it:
- Student details
- Institution details
- Details of courses taken
- Grades or marks obtained
- Class rank
- Record of behaviour
- Additional information
Let us discuss in detail what type of information is provided in each category:
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Student Details
One of the most important details contained in a transcript are the student details which are very important for verification of the academic details. Student details included in a transcript are the name of the student, name of the parent, date of birth, year of passing, student ID, etc.
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Institution Details
Details of the previous institution include the institution name, complete address with details of city and state, accreditation held by the institution, etc.
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Details of Courses Taken
A transcript provides complete and detailed information regarding the courses taken by a student for completing the program. It also provides details of courses that a student may have dropped out of. It covers information related to the duration of the degree, name of the degree, the class schedule and whether the classes were held term-wise, semester-wise or quarter-wise.
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Grades or Marks Obtained
Academic transcripts provide details of the grades obtained in each course such as A, B, C and so on as well as the GPA obtained in that term or semester. A university transcript sample also provides a cumulative GPA obtained by a student in all semesters. Some institutions provide subject-wise marks that a student has achieved and the overall percentage which is equivalent to a grade.
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Class Rank
A class rank is used to show how you performed compared to other students in your graduating class. A class rank is a measure of your knowledge compared to your peers who studied the same course under the same teacher. Some institutions particularly ask students for their class rank and prefer to shortlist students who have ranked in the top 10-25% in their class.
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Record of Behaviour
The final academic transcript of a student also consists of details of a student’s behaviour including records of attendance, suspension, detention, etc. By looking at a transcript, an institution can determine how well committed a student is to their studies and their disciplinary records.
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Additional Information
There is some additional information that may or may not be included in a transcript. These include:
- In many cases, transcripts provide information on student participation in extracurricular activities, volunteering opportunities taken, attendance in seminars or special events, honors received, etc.
- Details of the grading scales are often disclosed in transcripts. These details contain information related to how much weightage has been given to class tests, practical work, final exams, participation in extracurricular activities, etc.
- Information related to the total number of students in a class specially when students are given class ranks.
- The average class performance in terms of an average grade or percentage to help determine how a student performed in the class.
Suggested: How to Get Transcript Certificate?
How Does a Transcript Look Like?
If we get into the details of how does a transcript look like, here is the information you will find in a transcript of records sample:
- Name of the institution
- Institution address, city, state and country
- Accreditation of the institution
- Student name
- Unique student ID number
- Date of birth of the student
- Name of the student’s parent
- Name of degree obtained
- Subject list
- Course duration
- Date and year of graduation
- Marks of each subject
- Consolidated marks obtained in the course
Suggested: How to Send Official Transcripts to Universities?
Types of Academic Transcripts
Before we take a look at academic transcript sample, let us understand what are the types of academic transcripts. There are mainly 2 types of transcripts: official and unofficial. We shall now discuss the difference between these 2 types:
Unofficial Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts are those available online and easily downloadable from the university’s website. To get your unofficial transcripts, you just need to visit the institution’s website and log into your student account.
Let us take a look at a few key points that will help you differentiate between official and unofficial transcripts:
- Unofficial university transcript sample look very similar to official transcripts and contain all information as in the official transcripts.
- Unofficial sample of a university transcript will not have the official signature, seal or stamp of the issuing institution.
- This can help you in applying to universities but in most cases you will be asked for official transcripts either at the time of application itself or before confirmation of admission.
Official Transcripts
Official transcripts are those that are issued by the previous institution following a procedure wherein you apply for official transcripts and receive it either in person or through mail. It usually takes 1 to 4 months to receive official transcripts.
Take note of the points that will help you recognize how does an official transcript look like:
- Official academic transcript format will always consist of the signature of the issuing authority and sealed in an envelope with the stamp of the institution.
- You will require an official transcript of records to universities abroad.
- If you have attended several institutions, you will have to apply for an official transcript at each institution.
Now that you know how does a university transcript look like, you can easily identify and differentiate it from unofficial transcripts and other documents. For applying to universities abroad, you will have to manage a lot of paperwork and an academic transcript is just one of them. Just knowing about an academic transcript format is not enough. But it is nothing you need to fret about just make sure you are well informed about all the requirements and gather necessary documentation on time.
