Admissions·United States· 9 min read

Self-Reported Scores and the SRAR/STARS, Explained

How self-reported grades and test scores work for US college applications — the SRAR/STARS system, Common App Courses & Grades, and when official records must follow.

Last updated 7 July 2026

Key facts

What it is: Self-reporting your grades/scores in the application; official documents follow later
SRAR / STARS: Standalone system (SRAR/SSAR rebranded STARS in 2025) some universities require for review
Common App tool: Courses & Grades — a separate self-report feature inside Common App
Test scores: Self-reported scores aid review; official scores sent from College Board / ACT when enrolling
Official transcript: Typically required from enrolling students; checked against self-reports — verify per college
NCAA note: Eligibility Center needs an official certified transcript, not a self-reported record

What "self-reporting" means in US admissions

Many US universities let you type your own high-school courses, grades, and (where relevant) test scores into the application instead of sending an official transcript up front. This is called self-reporting. The college reads your self-reported record during review and only asks for the official documents later — usually after you are admitted and decide to enroll.

Self-reporting speeds up processing and lowers cost for applicants, but it puts the burden of accuracy on you. What you enter is treated as a truthful account of your record, so it must match what your school's official transcript will later show.

Three different self-report mechanisms show up most often: a standalone system called the SRAR (now STARS), the Common App's built-in Courses & Grades section, and self-reported SAT/ACT scores. They overlap in spirit but are separate tools with separate rules.

Self-reporting = you enter your academics; official documents come later
Accuracy is your responsibility — mismatches can cause problems after admission
Three common tools: SRAR/STARS, Common App Courses & Grades, self-reported test scores

The SRAR / STARS system

The Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) is a separate online system where you re-enter your high-school transcript course by course and term by term. In 2025 it was rebranded the Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS); many schools still call it "SRAR," and some public universities historically used a similar tool named the SSAR. Whatever the label, the task is the same: you build a digital copy of your transcript.

Certain public and selective private universities require the SRAR/STARS instead of an official transcript for the review stage. Each participating college links its application to the system and tells you whether it is required, recommended, or not used — so always follow that specific college's admissions page.

Because you are transcribing a real transcript, precision matters: enter courses in the same order, use the same grades and the same grading scale, and include every term. Keep your actual transcript beside you while you type, and expect to update it once new grades post.

SRAR/SSAR was rebranded STARS in 2025 (the underlying accounts and data carried over)
You re-key your transcript course-by-course into a linked online system
Required at some universities, not used at others — check each college's page

Common App Courses & Grades vs the SRAR

The Common App has its own self-report feature, the Courses & Grades section, where you list courses and grades directly inside your Common App account. This is a different tool from the standalone SRAR/STARS. Some Common App member colleges require Courses & Grades, some make it optional, and many do not use it at all.

So you can encounter three situations: a college that wants the standalone SRAR/STARS, a college that wants the Common App's Courses & Grades, or a college that just wants a counselor-sent transcript with nothing self-reported. A single application season can involve more than one of these depending on your list.

The practical rule is to open each college's requirements checklist and do exactly what it asks. Do not assume that finishing one self-report tool satisfies another — they are maintained separately and a college reads only the one it has chosen.

Common App Courses & Grades is built into Common App — not the same as SRAR/STARS
Some colleges require it, some make it optional, many skip it
Complete whichever tool each specific college names on its checklist

Self-reporting SAT and ACT scores

Separate from grades, many colleges let you self-report SAT or ACT scores on the application (and some, in test-optional cycles, do not require scores at all). Self-reported scores are not official: they help the reader while you are being evaluated, but they do not replace an official score report.

If you are admitted and enroll at a college that used your self-reported scores, that college will typically require an official score report sent directly from the testing agency — the College Board for the SAT or ACT for the ACT — to confirm what you reported. Whether a college accepts self-reported scores at all, and by when official scores are due, is set by each college.

Because fees, deadlines, and score-send policies change, confirm the current rules on the College Board and ACT websites and on each college's admissions page before you rely on any figure or timeline.

Self-reported scores aid review but are not official
Enrolling students usually must send an official report from the College Board / ACT
Verify score-send policies and deadlines on each college's admissions page

When official records must follow — and NCAA athletes

Self-reporting is only the first stage. Universities that used a self-reported record almost always require an official, sealed final transcript from your school before you can enroll, and they compare it against what you reported. Institutions such as Virginia Tech and the University of Pittsburgh state on their sites that the self-reported record is used for review, with the official transcript required from enrolling students after graduation.

A discrepancy between your self-reported entries and your official transcript can jeopardize your offer, so honesty and care are essential (see the guide on senior-year grades and rescinded offers). Enter your record truthfully and update it when grades change.

Recruited athletes have an extra layer: the NCAA Eligibility Center certifies eligibility from an official transcript sent by the high school — a self-reported academic record does not satisfy the Eligibility Center. If you are pursuing NCAA Division I or II athletics, follow the Eligibility Center's own transcript rules in addition to each college's self-report requirements.

Enrolling students typically must send an official final transcript, checked against self-reports
A mismatch can put your admission at risk — report accurately
NCAA Eligibility Center requires an official (certified) transcript, not a self-reported one

Frequently asked questions

Is the SRAR the same as the Common App Courses & Grades section?

No. The SRAR/STARS is a separate standalone system some universities link to, while Courses & Grades is a self-report feature built into the Common App. A college uses one, the other, or neither — do exactly what each college's requirements checklist says.

Do I still have to send an official transcript if I self-report my grades?

Usually yes, once you are admitted and decide to enroll. Universities that use a self-reported record for review typically require an official, sealed final transcript before enrollment and compare it to what you reported. Confirm the timing on your college's admissions page.

Are self-reported SAT or ACT scores good enough on their own?

They help during review but are not official. Colleges that accept self-reported scores generally require an official report sent from the College Board (SAT) or ACT (ACT) once you enroll. Whether a college accepts self-reported scores at all is set by that college — verify on its admissions page.

What if I make a mistake entering my grades?

Enter your record exactly as your official transcript shows it, using the same grades and grading scale, and update it when new grades post. A discrepancy between your self-reported entries and the official transcript can put your offer at risk, so accuracy matters more than speed.

Does the SRAR work for recruited college athletes?

The NCAA Eligibility Center certifies academic eligibility from an official transcript sent by the high school, not from a self-reported record. If you are recruited for NCAA Division I or II, follow the Eligibility Center's transcript rules in addition to each college's self-report requirement.

How do I know whether a college wants the SRAR, Courses & Grades, or neither?

Each college states this on its admissions requirements page and application checklist. Requirements vary widely, so check every school on your list individually and complete only the tool that school names — finishing one does not satisfy another.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: Common App — How do colleges use my self-reported transcript (Member Support); Common App — Self-reporting SAT and ACT scores; Virginia Tech — Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record System / STARS (official); University of Pittsburgh — What is STARS/SRAR (official); NCAA Eligibility Center — Transcripts (official).

Last verified: 7 July 2026.