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NEW YORK, Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mastery.org, a leader in competency-based education and learning records, announced that more than 1,000 colleges and universities now accept the Mastery Transcript, an academic record that goes beyond grades, courses and GPAs to demonstrate student knowledge, skills, and achievement through authentic work.
The milestone demonstrates strong growth since 2024, when approximately 500 institutions recognized the Mastery Transcript. The 1,011 accepting institutions now span public and private colleges and universities of all sizes, including all eight Ivy League schools, reflecting growing recognition of competency-based records in higher education admissions.
“Grades have been inflating for years, and AI has made it harder to know whose work you’re looking at,” said Matt Sornson, CEO and co-founder of Mastery.org. “Admissions officers want evidence they can trust. A record built on work that teachers have actually seen and assessed gives them that, and 1,011 colleges and universities have now said they’ll accept it.”
The Mastery Transcript goes beyond traditional grades to show what students actually know and can do through examples of their work. Schools define the competencies they value, and teachers evaluate student work to verify demonstrated skills. Admissions officers can quickly see an applicant’s strengths through an interactive profile, then explore the supporting evidence with a click. Schools can also include traditional grades alongside competencies, making it easier to adopt the Mastery Transcript without abandoning familiar measures.
The growing acceptance comes at a pivotal moment for education. Generative AI is fundamentally reshaping the sector and forcing administrators, educators, students and parents to reconsider the value of traditional measures. Competency-based records offer a way to make students' thinking, development and accomplishments more accessible, creating a more holistic view of students.
Mastery.org builds on nearly a decade of work by the Mastery Transcript Consortium to help schools recognize and communicate what students know and can do beyond traditional grades. Led by Matt Sornson, formerly of Clearbit and HubSpot, and Aaron Rasmussen, co-founder of MasterClass and Outlier.org, Mastery.org is expanding access to evidence-based assessment and learning records across public, charter, and independent schools.
College admissions counselors across the country are lining up behind the Mastery Transcript. Karen Richardson, Dean of Admission at Princeton University says. “The Mastery Transcript is a great thing. It helps us understand student stories in a deeper way.” Mark Hatch, VP for Enrollment Emeritus for Colorado College says, “There’s an authentic voice that we were not getting in our applications. The Mastery Transcript gives us a deeper sense of students’ abilities and their potential.”
Mastery.org's college acceptance directory currently includes 1,011 institutions, including more than 100 in New York, 36 in Florida, 30 in Georgia, more than 40 in Pennsylvania and 20 in Texas.
Schools, counselors and families can explore the college acceptance directory and view the Mastery Transcript tour.
About Mastery.org
Mastery.org helps schools recognize, measure and communicate student learning through evidence of mastery. It supports competency-based records and educator tools — including Mastery Transcripts and progress trackers — that connect authentic student work to demonstrated knowledge and skills. Mastery.org works with schools and learning organizations committed to competency-based education, durable skills and more meaningful records of student growth. Learn more at Mastery.org.
Media Contact
Erin Clinton Haworth
erin@clintonhaworthcollective.com | 201.602.0881
