Frequently Asked Questions

Mastery.org is the company behind the Mastery Transcript® and the consortium of schools that use it. We were formerly the nonprofit Mastery Transcript Consortium, now under new ownership after moving on from ETS.

The tools stay the same. Pricing stays the same for existing members. The community, symposium, and events continue. Mastery.org helps schools show what students can actually do, and helps colleges read that evidence with confidence.

Membership is open to schools and learning organizations moving toward competency-based models, including public, private, charter, parochial, international, and out-of-school time programs. Members are aligned around mastery learning and a shared commitment to credit based on demonstrated skills.

Mastery.org has a sliding scale for annual member dues starting as low as $1,500 for very small schools and organizations. Connect with us for more details.

Both the Mastery Transcript and the MTC Learning Record (MLR) give learners the agency to show what they know and can do. Learners upload evidence of their work to demonstrate mastery of targeted competencies. The Mastery Transcript is a full replacement for the traditional high school transcript; it is appropriate for schools that have shifted away from traditional grading practices. (Applicants using the Mastery Transcript have now been accepted by 1,018 colleges and universities.) The MLR can be issued as a supplement to the traditional transcript; it can also be used by out-of-school time organizations to document the skills and competencies learners develop in those settings. This video provides a more detailed comparison.

Mastery.org works with admissions leaders who provide feedback, thought leadership, and advocacy. We continue to seek input from college admission readers for both the MTC Learning Record and the Mastery Transcript. When learners indicate where they plan to apply to college, our team contacts each admission office that will have applicants with MLRs or Mastery Transcripts. We help ensure that admission readers understand the records and are prepared to review applicants who use them.

Yes, they already are. 1,018 colleges and universities accept the Mastery Transcript, and more than 3,000 students have been admitted with a Mastery Transcript or MTC Learning Record. No admissions office we have contacted has said it cannot use the Mastery Transcript in its review process.

Yes. Members frequently highlight learner development of durable, transferable skills as a best practice in education, while noting that the format of traditional transcripts does not adequately represent them. A competency-based learning record provides learning organizations with the flexibility and freedom to facilitate a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum that will best prepare learners for a complex and interconnected world.

Members have access to the competency-based record, the Mastery Transcript or MTC Learning Record, that best fits their learning model. Members also have access to the Competency Library, which houses competency frameworks from other member schools, and the Progress Tracker, which supports feedback and evidence collection throughout a learner's school career.

In addition to our Privacy Policy, Mastery.org's data policies and security standards can be found in our published security document.

We welcome your questions, and would also be happy to meet and learn more about your school or organization. Connect with us and we'll be in touch.