Transcript Woes

[katerific]

Hey guys!

So I'm checking out the instructions (on multiple school websites) on how to submit transcripts. It seems that for a lot of the schools I'm applying to, they don't require sealed, official transcripts, but they do ask for transcripts (printed by the university) to be scanned (not typed up) and uploaded to the application.

At my uni, they really prefer people to use this secure online system where they directly email the transcript to someone/a department/an address, and it's super official. I guess I shouldn't do that, then.

But regarding the printed transcripts, I'm a little confused as to what I should do. Now, we can order an "academic record summary" (ie unofficial transcript), but it's only supposed to be used within the university, technically. Oh, and it has this big, ugly watermark that says UNOFFICIAL. We can also buy a sealed, official transcript.... But to me, it'd be weird to tamper with an "official document"... granted, I'm only scanning it, but it's not supposed to leave the sealed envelope.

Oh, and another school also says they accept an original transcript OR "university generated web printouts." Wha??

I'm like, amazed at how informal all of this seems. I'm not sure what to do because I want to be formal, but the system seems to be set up to make it easier. But I don't want to risk sending in something that looks really sketch. We do have online "degree progress reports," but I feel like those look just as informal as a typed-up list by a student.

What do you guys think? Am I overthinking this because I'm freaking out over grad school applications?! Probably. But has anyone else been a little confused by something similar?

[alleycat393]

Are you studying in the UK now? I had similar problems with transcripts because my uni allows us access to our transcripts online and we're meant to print those off and send them ourselves to other UK unis that we're applying to. Waht I ended up doing for the US unis is printing off my transcripts from online and getting them verified and sent off by my uni registrar. That way I just printed them off my online academic records account and my uni stamped them and sent them off as official. Hope that helps!

[newms]

I think you can scan the official documents. That's what I did since my UG doesn't have the 'unofficial' ones, just the sealed official ones with a big stamp 'PLEASE DO NOT RETURN TO STUDENTS' on it. Or you could go with what alleycat393 suggests, if that's an option. In either case, they need to see something official. If they admit you, then you'll send the sealed official ones.

[hahahut]

I am sure it is meant to make it easier. You just give unofficial one for now. But after they admit you, you have to send in the official one to verify what you have claimed.

[alleycat393]

ooo not so sure it's as simple as that ^. Two unis I applied to were determined that the transcript be sent to them directly by my home uni.

[adaptations]

ooo not so sure it's as simple as that ^. Two unis I applied to were determined that the transcript be sent to them directly by my home uni.

All schools have different requirements, as the original poster noted.

I would have the official hard copies sent directly from schools when that is requested, but you can also have an official transcript sent directly to you, which you can then scan and upload as needed. I know it's confusing with all the different requirements, but just try to follow each schools requests and don't over-think it.

[rising_star]

Hey guys!

So I'm checking out the instructions (on multiple school websites) on how to submit transcripts. It seems that for a lot of the schools I'm applying to, they don't require sealed, official transcripts, but they do ask for transcripts (printed by the university) to be scanned (not typed up) and uploaded to the application.

At my uni, they really prefer people to use this secure online system where they directly email the transcript to someone/a department/an address, and it's super official. I guess I shouldn't do that, then.

Get an official transcript from your school. Open it. Scan it (all pages, all sides). Upload the scanned document to the applications.