Frequently-asked questions about the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR).
Applicants will be expected to provide self-reported high school record information. Applicants (adult learners many years out of high school, for example) not able to provide the information will be handled on a case-by-case basis through Penn State’s review process. Students should email admissions@psu.edu if they are having difficulty with SRAR.
No. We do not accept interim high school transcripts in lieu of the SRAR, and Penn State will not review any submitted transcripts instead of a SRAR.
You should obtain a transcript from your school counselor so you can complete the SRAR with complete and accurate information. In order to satisfy the high school graduation and SRAR validation requirement, you must submit an official final high school transcript after graduation.
An applicant who possesses a GED does not need to complete SRAR. These applicants will complete the existing Carnegie Unit portion of the application, and should report all high school coursework that was completed. The recording of all completed high school coursework will benefit the student in the evaluation of the application. GED applicants will also need to submit the final GED transcript.
Yes, if they followed an educational curriculum patterned after the traditional U.S. system. If the curriculum followed cannot be represented on the SRAR, email us at admissions@psu.edu for further instruction.
Good judgement will be followed by Penn State admissions staff as they validate the final transcripts and SRAR. Malice-free errors will occur, and every effort will be made to fairly judge intent.
If it is determined that you intentionally misrepresent your SRAR, at Penn State’s discretion, you will be notified and your offer of admission and/or your academic schedule at Penn State will be canceled.
About two-thirds of Penn State's admission decision is based on high school coursework.
We have a high level of confidence that you will make every attempt to provide true and accurate information. The consequences of intentionally providing misleading information will lead to the revocation of the offer to Penn State and/or the canceling of your academic schedule and housing contract.
You will be expected to provide the cumulative GPA 9 through 11 as recorded on your transcript, but will not need to recalculate to a 4.0 scale. Enter the GPA as it appears on your transcript. If your school provides both a weighted and un-weighted GPA on the transcript, you should provide the weighted GPA.
If class rank is on the high school transcript, students should include it on the SRAR. However, class rank will not play a role in initial decision making.
If you intentionally misrepresent your SRAR, offers will be revoked at the sole discretion of Penn State, class schedules will be canceled, and housing contracts will be canceled.
Block courses are set for one unit per grade entry. If your course was for one semester, please indicate your final grade for that semester and you will be awarded a full credit for that course. If you provide grades for both grade options for a block level course, it will be worth two units.
A SRAR from a school with block scheduling will get flagged in the review process to make sure students are accurately representing their credits earned.
If both classes appear on your high school transcript, then they will need to be represented in SRAR.
Yes, the student is expected to complete SRAR. If the student is admitted and accepts the offer of admission, the student will be prompted to provide an additional final and complete high school transcript..
No, as long as all classes and grades are represented on one transcript.
SRAR submissions will be validated following submission of the final transcript. After accepting the offer of admission, for students receiving an offer of admission for the summer/fall starting semesters, students should have their final transcript sent after high school graduation as soon as possible.
If the senior grades are part of the student’s transcript at the time SRAR is completed, then yes, students may include any final senior year grades that are available. Keep in mind that Penn State’s recommended filing windows close November 1 for Early Action. Admission evaluations will be based on information available at the time of complete application material submission.
For those students choosing not to apply Early Action and for all domestic students, we recommend submission of a complete application, including all required materials, by December 1.
If you recognize that you made an error on their SRAR, you should send an email to admissions@psu.edu with the update to allow counselors to correct the record and document that you initiated the change to your SRAR. In this process, your SRAR may be re-opened to update your information.
If you accept an offer of admission to Penn State, please have a final high school transcript sent to Penn State as soon as possible following your graduation.
Adult learners, as defined by the University, are exempt from this requirement.
No, you should not round up. You will be expected to provide the information as it appears on your high school transcript.
If the dual enrollment courses are on your high school transcript, list them with Dual Enrollment as the course level. If they are not on your high school transcript, they can be listed in the College Information section of the application. If your Dual Enrollment/college course taken while in high school course is also an AP course, please choose AP for the course level.
Only upon approval and reopening of SRAR by Penn State admissions staff. Students should be aware that adding senior year grades or changing SRAR after submission, could result in a change to the expected decision date to allow for evaluation of the additional materials.