Courses & Grades
In the Courses & Grades section, you will learn how to determine if the colleges you are applying to require this section, and how to fill in the various questions if it is required. This section should take approximately 30 – 45 minutes.
Items marked with a red asterisk * are required. You are not required to complete items that do not have the red asterisk.
Introduction
In the Courses & Grades section, you will learn:
- How to determine if the colleges you are applying to require you to complete this section
- Tips for correctly entering your courses and grades, if required
Resources
To properly complete this section, you will need:
- A copy of your high school transcript that shows course names and grades
- To create a college list, go to the College Search section of Common App and add the colleges where you are applying.
- After you have completed adding colleges in the College Search section, you will find your college list in the My Colleges section.
Videos
In this video, we discuss how to complete the Courses & Grades section. Not all colleges require you to complete this section. We discuss how to know if colleges to which you are applying require you to include your courses and grades and how to fill in this section. If you need to complete this section, it should take approximately 30 – 45 minutes.
STARS (Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record System), formerly SRAR or SSAR
STARS is not part of Common App.
Some colleges and universities require students to complete the Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS) in addition to the Courses & Grades section.
The current list of colleges and universities that require submitting STARS is subject to change. We recommend referring to the official college or university website to verify their specific requirements.
STARS is free, and, if required by the college, you will need to create a STARS account to complete and submit your STARS academic record.
STARS has created video tutorials that walk students step-by-step through this process, including how to create an account, edit details, and enter coursework by academic year. Please visit the STARS website for their videos.
Tips & Reminders
- This section will appear on your My Common Application menu only if one of the colleges you are applying to requires it.
- You can find a complete list of colleges that require Courses & Grades in the Student Solutions Center of Common App. “List of colleges that require Courses & Grades.”
- You need to have added all the colleges where you are applying to your list in the My Colleges section, which will automatically populate the college/colleges to this section if Courses & Grades are required. For help adding colleges to your list, go to College Search in the AXS Companion.
- You need to have your high school transcript in front of you to complete this section.
- Enter course names exactly as they are listed on your transcript. It is important to report grades and courses accurately.
- The Courses & Grades section has space for you to include other courses, including those taken in middle school or summer, which are listed on your high school transcript and have an official grade on your transcript. This can be done in the Other Courses category.
