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Applying to college is a lengthy and stressful process involving recommendations, standardized test scores, essays and high school transcripts. Admissions teams analyze these materials to determine your candidacy for admission to their school. The consequences of missing a credential, like your transcripts, depend on the reason for its absence. Policies and requirements vary greatly by school, so always call the individual admissions office to determine the necessary requirements.
Colleges understand that some home-schooled students simply do not have transcripts. Procedures vary by school, but the office of admissions will likely request an educational portfolio. The school may, or may not, have its own home-schooled applicant form for such instances. Call the admissions office and ask what information, specifically, they want regarding your high school education. The admissions office will substitute this portfolio for your high school transcripts and your application will proceed through the review process as any other application.
In absence of a high school or college transcripts, some schools will require proof of your high school graduation or its equivalent, such as a GED degree. The office of admissions will request these documents in written form or by email before reviewing your application. Certain schools will reject your application without proof of graduation, even if you’ve already completed college credits.
A college can request additional standardized testing in the absence of high school or college transcripts. The admissions staff wants evidence of your proficiency in traditional academic subjects and may require subject AP exam results or subject SAT II scores. Again, every institution differs, but some will accept these scores in lieu of transcripts. The admissions staff will review these scores and render a decision based, in part, on your test results.
Colleges and universities will request your transcripts, or some other evaluative equivalent, at least once during the application process via email or written letter. Failing to provide the requested materials or the equivalent by the application deadline will likely result in rejection. Colleges that accept students year round will generally be more flexible about the deadline, and sometimes the requirements, as well.
College transcripts are the closest thing a student has to a permanent record. They detail your academic history, including your grades, the courses you have completed, and whether or not you graduated. They may also list additional information, such as a history of academic probation, honor code violations, or awards for your school performance.
Your transcripts can unlock academic doors. They’re key to transferring credits from one university to another and are the best way to verify your prior academic performance. Yet many students struggle to get their transcripts and don’t know how to ensure that their previous work follows them from one institution to another. If you’ve found yourself struggling to navigate this process yourself, here’s everything you need to know about transcripts before applying to a college degree program.
A college transcript is a detailed record of your previous schoolwork. It includes:
Unofficial transcripts are free, and list the classes you’ve taken and the grades you’ve received. You usually have to pay a fee for official transcripts, which come directly from your school’s registrar. Most schools will not let you enroll without an official transcript.
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You can view an unofficial copy of your transcript by logging into your student account and printing out your history. This transcript is free. It can be helpful as you begin the application process, particularly if the school to which you apply wants a list of recent courses or needs to know your GPA before it receives your transcript. Your unofficial transcript may also help you assess whether you meet certain prerequisites for the classes you hope to take or the program in which you want to enroll.
Most universities won’t accept an unofficial transcript. There are numerous reasons for this, including that an unofficial transcript may be incomplete. It’s also possible to forge an unofficial transcript. So at some point during the application and admission process, you’ll need to supply an official document. Each school’s rules for this vary slightly. Some only require an official transcript upon admission, while others want the transcript to be sent when you apply.
To get an official copy of your transcript, contact your school’s registrar. In most cases, you don’t even have to call or go in person; the registrar’s office may have an online form for requesting your transcript. You can usually pay the transcript fee online too. If the school does not offer such a form, you may need to download and print the right document, then send a check.
The process can take several weeks, so plan ahead. If you’re working under a tight deadline, contact the school to ask about transcript processing times. In some cases, you may be able to expedite the process by paying a transcript rush fee.
If the school you attended has closed, you can still get a copy of your transcript. Each state has its own rules for accessing these transcripts, so check with the governing body that oversees your state’s colleges. In Oklahoma, students can view a list of closed colleges on the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education website. Each school lists the process for getting a transcript. Other states, such as Illinois, maintain transcripts at the office of the State Board of Higher Education.
Students who attended college many years ago or who did not get good grades the first time may wonder whether they need a transcript. Some may even prefer to get a fresh start rather than transferring bad grades to a new school.
The truth is that even if your grades aren’t great, you need a transcript. Even a single transfer credit can help expedite your graduation. Perhaps more importantly, most schools require you to submit all relevant transcripts. It may even be an honor code violation to exclude a school.
In most cases, you cannot pick up a copy of your transcript and take it to your new university. Instead, you’ll need your old school to directly send transcripts to the new school. This process can take some time, especially if you’re seeking a transcript from a larger school or your transcripts are very old. So contact each school as early in the application process as possible.
Most schools ask you to provide a specific address to which to send your transcript. Your new school’s registrar can provide this information. Contact them before completing a transcript request, because sending a transcript to the wrong office can delay the process or incur additional expenses. Contact SNU’s Registrar Services or Admissions Office for help accessing transcripts or sending grades from previous schools.
Applying for college can be stressful and time-consuming, especially if you previously attended several schools. You don’t have to become a transcript expert to navigate the process. Just follow this simple to-do list:
SNU is committed to student success from day one. We work with each incoming learner to maximize transfer credits. We also understand that college courses may not reflect your true mastery of a subject. We offer credit for prior learning, including military service, workplace certifications, and other experiences. Our prior learning assessment is a comprehensive measure of the things you’ve learned before coming to SNU. You can get up to a year’s worth of academic credit through this process.
We know that navigating the college transfer process can be stressful. Let us help. Contact us for assistance securing and reviewing your transcripts so you can start your degree program as quickly as possible.