What's Parchment for college applications?

My counselor mentioned Parchment in our last meeting, what exactly is it and how is it helpful for college applications? Is it an alternative to sending transcripts and other documents?

Parchment is a digital credential service that facilitates the exchange of documents, such as transcripts, between high schools and colleges. It streamlines the process of sending transcripts to colleges as part of your application. By using Parchment, your high school can submit your transcripts electronically to the colleges you're applying to, making it more efficient and secure than mailing paper transcripts.

You would create an account on the Parchment platform, and from there, you can request your transcript to be sent to the colleges of your choice. The service does charge a small fee for sending transcripts, but it saves time and ensures your documents are delivered to the admissions offices. It is indeed an alternative to traditional methods of sending transcripts. Parchment is particularly helpful for colleges that prefer or require electronic submission of transcripts, as it simplifies the process and ensures accurate delivery of your academic records.