Guard your transcript like a credit report

May 25, 5:57 PMLA Grad School ExaminerJanelle Jalbert

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As a student at any level, you must be proactive and aware of everything that is going on regarding your academic profile. That includes knowing and regularly reviewing transcripts. The best analogy is to view your transcript like a credit report that must be regularly reviewed for accuracy as the story below illustrates:

Though a recent case in Las Vegas was linked to high school transcripts and potential for undergraduate admission, Emily Richmond of The Las Vegas Sun (4/30/09) reported that the Clark County School District "is investigating irregularities in the academic records of 32 Western High School seniors to determine whether they were given credit for classes they didn't take." District officials are "trying to determine whether the problems are the result of human error, incompetence, or fraud." In the investigation, "academic records of Western's freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are also being scrutinized." Superintendent Walt Ruffles said that the 32 seniors whose records are in question "were unaware they lacked the requisite academic credits until the investigation was launched." The Las Vegas Sun notes, "About 25 of the students are making up missing classes through the district's individualized study program and might graduate with their classmates in June."

It is common to find those about to graduate and those about to apply for advanced studies shocked by issues their transcripts present. Again, guard your transcripts like your credit report.

Tip 1 - Understand what numbers are used on your transcripts to identify you as a student. Some schools insist on using Social Security Numbers, though this was never an intended use. Having transcripts floating around for job interviews and grad school applications could put you at an increased risk for identity theft.

Tip 2 - Be sure to review all transfer credits and credit summaries as soon as the school has processed them. Too many times, students simply assume that all the credits were added and put in the correct areas. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to keep your grad school honest and your transcript correct.

Tip 3 - Review your transcript after each grading period. It is common for information to be entered incorrectly when instructors are dealing with large spreadsheets and hard deadlines to get grades submitted.

Tip 4 - If you find a problem, discuss it in person, if at all possible. Some schools such as Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara are structured to be virtual and will not discuss sensitive information over phone or email without a specific authorization being completed during the admissions process. It will be to your advantage to use your presence, in a professional and pleasant way, to compel an overworked registrar or records clerk to take care of your issue because they have to look you in the eye as you patiently agree to way to see results. 

Tip 5 - If you are providing unofficial transcripts to potential employers, you may want to black out your ID numbers until the decision process has move on to a more concrete level.  You can then submit official, sealed transcripts.

Your transcript encapsulates your entire academic background and is the document most referenced for program admissions, employment, and scholarship/grant opportunities. Do yourself a favor, and treat your transcript as you would treat your credit report to avoid headaches down the line.

For more information regarding topics of interest for grad students, check out:

4 tips for grad students balancing studies and families

The shelter of grad school in a challenging economy

Janelle is the founder of Edusistance, LLC and the creator of The Race to College Success program, assisting students of all backgrounds to gain access to higher education.  You can contact Janelle via email.  Fee free to make comments and suggest topics that you would like to see discussed.