Track Your Courses and Credits

In this video, you will create a spreadsheet to identify required classes and electives you are taking this semester and next semester.

To start, create a new spreadsheet in Google Sheets and give it a title.

Spreadsheets are made up of cells.

Each cell contains data.

And each cell has its own address called the cell reference that takes you to the correct row and column.

For example, the cell D2 is in column D, Row 2.

Create a column heading for your school’s required subjects.

Bold your heading so it stands out.

Wrap your text so that is doesn’t overlap into the next cell.

Add your school’s course requirements for this semester or trimester.

To find this information, ask your counselor or go on your high school’s website.

This lesson uses a semester term, but you can change it to the system your school uses.

Then, create another heading for the classes you are currently taking and bold it.

Look at your class schedule if you aren’t familiar wit h it yet.

Enter the names of your classes in your new column.

Create a column heading for your grades and bold it.

If your semester isn’t complete yet, add the grade you have now.

If you’re not sure, you can estimate.

Then, add a fourth column to determine whether your semester credit is complete yet.

Bold your heading.

You receive a credit for the semester if you finish that term satisfactorily with a passing grade.

To make your spreadsheet easier to update, use data validation to create a dropdown menu with the option to answer either “yes” or “no.” Data validation lets you add data to your spreadsheet without having to type it out.

It also helps prevent errors and makes the data easier to sort.

Select the cells in your "Credit Complete Column" and choose data validation.

Then, add a “list of items” for your “yes” or “no” answers.

Choose whether your class credit is complete or not.

Next, add a column heading for your required classes for next semester.

They might not change.

To save time, copy the requirements you already added, and paste them into your spreadsheet.

Add any new required classes for that term.

Then, move on to the next video to format your spreadsheet.

Now, it’s your turn: Add required classes to your spreadsheet, Add your current and next semester classes, and use data validation to show complete and incomplete credits.