Transcripts, Counselor Letters & Mid-Year Reports: What Your High School Sends

By the Dormbound team · Updated

The five documents colleges expect from your high school or testing agency, who sends each one, and when to ask.

Your application isn't only what you submit. Your high school sends documents too, and a missing transcript is one of the most common reasons an application sits incomplete. Ask your school counselor at least two weeks before each deadline.

What gets sent, and by whom

  1. 1

    Transcriptfrom your school

    Your counselor or registrar sends it (Common App, Naviance, Scoir, or Parchment). Ask at least two weeks before the deadline.

  2. 2

    Counselor letter & school reportfrom your school

    Your counselor’s recommendation and your school’s profile. Give them your brag sheet early.

  3. 3

    Official test scoresyou send

    Send from your College Board or ACT account. Some colleges accept self-reported scores until you enroll.

  4. 4

    Mid-year reportfrom your school

    First-semester senior grades, sent in January–February. Strong senior grades matter, especially after a deferral.

  5. 5

    Final transcriptfrom your school

    Only for the college you’re attending, after graduation. Admission can be cancelled without it.

When to ask

  • Transcript and counselor letter: two weeks or more before each deadline — earlier for November 1 deadlines.
  • Mid-year report: first-semester senior grades, usually sent in late January or February.
  • Final transcript: after graduation, only to the college you're attending — admission can be cancelled without it.

Then check each college's applicant portal a week or two later to confirm everything arrived.