There is a growing movement among U.S. colleges and universities to allow self-reporting grades from students. The National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), together with Compass Education Group, a test preparation company, has been compiling a list of participating schools. To date, the list includes 95 schools that run the gamut from Ivy Leagues like Brown University and Harvard University to large state schools like University of Virginia and University of Illinois to small liberal arts colleges such as Amherst and Pomona.
For students, reporting their own grades makes for a smoother application process. First, students will no longer have to request that a transcript be sent to each school to which they are applying, and second, students will no longer have to follow up with each school to ensure that the transcript was received. Only colleges accepting the applicant will require an official transcript to verify the grades that the student has reported.
There are also benefits of self-reporting grades on the college admissions side:
- Saves money: Colleges will now only have to check the transcripts of students admitted versus the expense and effort of checking all applicants’ transcripts as applications arrive.
- Saves time: With grades in hand, admissions officers need not wait for transcripts to arrive before they review applications.
- Eliminates confusion: Transcripts differ wildly between high schools, not only with respect to grade scale but also to format.
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