My kids tell me I notice everything. I can see a tiny (and rare) grammatical error on my daughter's history paper before she submits it. I can tell when a shirt was underneath a pile of dirty clothes on the floor, yet it somehow makes its way to my son's outfit for the day. I know the faint smell of my fancy perfume trailing behind my youngest daughter as she scurries out of my bedroom when she thinks I am not looking. That's what parents do. We have eagle eyes.
We also have our kids' best interests at heart. Always. Our eagle eyes come in handy right about now.
So seniors, do me a favor. Before you fill out the SRAR (Self-Reported Academic Record), Common App's "Courses & Grades" section, or fill out a transcript request for a college, ask for an official copy of your transcript. Then, sit down with one of your parents or another trusted adult to review it. Your transcript is the single most important piece of your college application.
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You need to review that transcript with a fine tooth comb to make sure that everything is accurate and that there's nothing on it that will surprise you. The registrar won't know there's a mistake. Your school counselor may not find anything wrong. Admissions officers will assume everything is A-okay. But I guarantee you, if there is a mistake and your mom or dad looks at it, they will find it.
Mistakes can happen. A course title isn't listed correctly. The wrong grade is inputted. The class rank didn't include a course that should have been counted. Worse yet, ACT, SAT, or AP scores appear on the transcript even though a student plans to not report some of them or apply test-optional. It is up to the student (or their very trusted parent or guardian) to realize these things BEFORE anything is sent to colleges.
If you notice something that shouldn't be on the transcript or needs to be fixed, contact your school counselor or the registrar immediately. Then request an updated transcript to ensure the changes were made. Leave nothing to chance.
If your high school doesn't give students an official transcript, ask for an unofficial transcript. But make sure to ask your school counselor if there is any difference between an official and unofficial transcript. One of my students just found out this week that all of their test scores appear on the official transcript even though they don't appear on the unofficial one. Even if the school is not willing to remove the scores, knowing this is crucial. Admissions officers cannot unsee test scores.
READ MORE: 10 Truths for Every Parent About the College Admissions Process
Better yet, parents cannot unsee errors. They cannot unsee the things that put their kids in difficult positions. That's why they are the ones to catch something on the transcript that even the student doesn't notice.
Bring that transcript home to mom, dad, or anyone else you trust before it is used in your application. Those eagle eyes are priceless right now. If there's one thing that unites us as parents, it's our innate ability to see things that involve our kids. We're the ones to use our eyes, instincts, and unconditional love to make things right.
