What is a CCT?

February 8 2011, 9:03am

To be completely honest and frank with you, before I started at OrgSync, I had never heard of nor seen a Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT) in my life. I, like many other college students, were more familiar with my academic transcript that showcases my classroom experiences, without thinking about all the great experiences I had out of the classroom. Many of us don’t consider this now, but a CCT will soon become a standard document to verify and showcase your involvement outside of the classroom and distinguish yourself amongst future employers, graduate schools and post-graduate programs. A Co-Curricular Transcript is…. The CCT is an OFFICIAL document from a University that verifies a student’s out of classroom involvement and experiences. The document is an official record of a student’s most prominent co-curricular activities and accomplishments throughout their college career. However, unlike the academic transcript, which reveals everything about a student academically, a Co-Curricular Transcript is a carefully itemized selection of key moments and leadership achievements chosen by the student and advisor together.

What are the benefits of having a CCT?

Although on the surface the benefits of having a Co-Curricular Transcript may not stand out or make sense, however, here a few benefits to make you start thinking about the possibilities of having a CCT. Compliment your resume and cover letter A resume and cover letter are just not enough these days. Employers want candidates that are the cream of the crop and want hard evidence to back up who they say they are. Your resume, cover letter, ePortfolio and co-curricular transcript offer a complete view of who you are, what you bring to table and the experiences that got you here. Think of what a future employer or graduate school admission officer would conclude about you if they had all this information at their disposal. Keep a verified document on hand What’s better than presenting solid evidence about your accomplishments in school? You already have verified documentation of your academic work, which I’m guessing you keep on hand in case a future employer needs it or you decide to go back to school. You may never need this document, however you never know what the future may hold and what documentation you’ll need. Showcase leadership Obtaining a leadership position is one of the most memorable and learned experiences during college. Unfortunately, detailing the qualities, reflections and outcomes of a leadership position never show up on a resume. The opportunity a CCT provides is demonstrating the effect of having a leadership position and translating that to post graduate ambitions or opportunities. Reflect on experiences and learning outcomes The great part of having a CCT is being able to reflect on your involvement activities as they happen and have them documented simultaneously. Our My Involvement module was built to help you have a complete synopsis of your memberships in different organizations and activities, while allowing you to set specific learning outcomes and reflections for each. Most likely each event or membership doesn’t teach you something new, however your most important positions most likely do, and this is where you can talk about and reflect on your development. Does your campus currently offer a Co-Curricular Transcript? What are your opinions about it?