1. Locate the credit hours per course: Your transcript will list each course you've taken. Next to (or sometimes below) the course name and grade, you'll find a number indicating the credit hours (or units) awarded for that course. These might be abbreviated as "cr," "hrs," "units," or similar.
2. Sum the credit hours: Add up all the credit hours for every course listed on your transcript. This can be done manually with a calculator or, if your transcript is in a digital format, you might be able to use a spreadsheet program to quickly sum the column of credit hours.
3. Consider transfer credits: If you've transferred credits from another institution, make sure to include those transferred credit hours in your total. They should be listed separately or integrated into your overall course history.
4. Check for discrepancies: Double-check your calculations. A small error can significantly alter the result.
Example:
Let's say your transcript shows the following:
* Course A: 3 credits
* Course B: 4 credits
* Course C: 3 credits
* Course D: 1 credit
Your total credits would be 3 + 4 + 3 + 1 = 11 credits.
If your transcript provides a summary at the bottom stating "Total Credits Earned," you can use that as a verification. But it's always good practice to double-check the calculation yourself.