When entering a course in STARS, you must select the Course Length and enter the credit value as shown on your transcript (or as expected, if in progress).
How to Select the Course Length
Full Year
- Select if your transcript shows one final official grade for a full-year course.
- Also use if a one-semester course is considered equivalent to a full-year course.
Semester
- Use if your transcript shows final grades for fall and spring semesters.
- For one-semester courses, enter the grade in the appropriate semester field and leave the other blank.
Trimester
- Use if your school divides the year into three sessions: fall, winter, spring.
- Record grades for one, two, or three trimesters as shown on your transcript.
- If two trimesters are equivalent to one semester, you may select Semester instead.
Quarterly
- Use if your transcript shows grades for four quarters.
- Enter grades in the appropriate quarters. Leave the remaining fields blank if not applicable.
- If one grade covers two quarters, select Semester to record it.
Both Term and Final Grades?
- If your transcript shows term grades and a final full-year grade, you may select Full Year and record only the final grade.
How to Enter Course Credit
- For completed courses (grades 9–11), enter the credit value exactly as it appears on your transcript.
- For in-progress courses (usually 12th grade), enter the credit you expect to earn.
- Do not enter zero for in-progress courses.
- If your transcript does not list credits, leave the default value in STARS as-is.
Helpful Tips
Tip: Match the course length to how your school issues final grades — not how long the class lasted.
Tip: For in-progress courses, enter the expected credit — never zero.
Tip: Leave the default credit untouched only if your transcript does not include credit values.