An Application Nightmare

[t_ruth]

A particular school required that transcripts, etc. be sent to the graduate school who would disseminate to the department. I kept calling and calling since the status showed they hadn't been received and was repeatedly told not to worry because they still hadn't sorted through mail from the holidays (I called like twice a week as they directed me to).

Yesterday my department's grad director called me to ask about the transcripts. I told her what the grad school told me and she investigated today.

Turns out they had them for a month filed under my maiden name and hadn't cross-referenced based on social security! I always give my maiden name when an application asks for names under which I might have been previously known, but I can't remember if this particular application asked that question. Thank goodness the grad director is so awesome and tracked everything down for me! It has made me miss some new student fellowship deadlines though, so it isn't all a happy ending (unless they waive the deadlines, which they might thanks to the work of said awesome grad director).

Lesson - if you received your degree(s) under your maiden name and your status checks are still showing missing transcripts, call and give them your social security and see if they can look them up that way.

[guenevere01]

Haha! That's awesome that we posted at the same time about the same issue! I seriously considered NOT changing my name 3 years ago when I got married for just this reason - people get so confused. I usually list all 4 of my names on stuff, too (First, Middle, Maiden, Married Last Name), but it never seems to help. Come on people!

[t_ruth]

I know! Crazy in this day and age. If they aren't careful these schools could have a class action law suit on their hands if this sort of thing makes a difference in admissions/fellowship decisions for women.

[guenevere01]

Oooh, hadn't thought of it making a difference for fellowships and such... Yikes!