Harvard GSAS application, study abroad transcripts?

[lotuspetal7]

I just hit "submit" on my Harvard application, the last of the six! Would be feeling great but I discovered a possible issue at the last minute.

I studied abroad for a year. All course names and grades from study abroad DO appear on my home institution transcript. I thought I had checked with every school I'm applying to about whether my home institution transcript would be sufficient, but at the last minute I realized I may not have asked Harvard and the instructions say official transcripts are required from every institution attended. No exception mentioned for study abroad programs. (All the other schools did say it was OK as long as the grades were on the home institution transcript.)

I contacted my study abroad institution's transcript office to see if they could rush a transcript for me, and sure enough they are out on winter break. The Harvard deadline is this Saturday so there was nothing I could do by then, and I had to just submit the application hoping for the best.

What are the chances that my application will actually not be reviewed because of this issue? Anyone have any idea? I hope that if it's a problem they'll just inform me I'm missing a required document. My application is otherwise extremely well prepared, and the program to which I'm applying (Regional Studies East Asia) is a small program that receives only about 120 applications a year. I hope they won't throw my application out!

The Harvard instructions and application are slightly messy compared to some such as Yale's. (for one thing the application inspector on the financial aid app was all messed up and apparently not updated from last year's application!) Study abroad transcripts are not specifically addressed, and where you list every institution you have attended, there is a place under each institution where they ask "Have you uploaded a transcript?" You can say "no" here and still have your application pass the inspector. So it's a bit confusing, and I'm not completely sure whether it's even a problem or not. I did do a web search and found an FAQ page for the Harvard Graduate School of Education where they state that study abroad transcripts are required even if grades appear on the home institution transcript. Don't know whether all rules would be the same between the GSE and the GSAS, though I guess they probably are... :-(

[gellert]

I'd say have the study abroad place rush a transcript (overnight if it's a program based in the US) as soon as their winter break is over. Transcript arrival is an issue that is out of your control, and schools know that. I think if your transcript is a little late, they'll be understanding.

However, the one issue I can see with this is that the postmark on the rushed transcript will be after the deadline. Therefore I'd recommend calling Harvard after the GSAS office reopens on 3 January and telling them of the situation, and telling them that the transcript is being rush ordered. Good luck!

[lotuspetal7]

oh dear. If I were going to do that I should have scanned and uploaded a transcript online before submitting my application. And I already submitted it. So they will realize I was going on the assumption that my home institution transcript is enough. I guess all I can do now is wait to see if I'm told differently... s***.

Edited December 27, 2011 by lotuspetal7

[gellert]

^ Oh, don't get me wrong, I think you should own up to that. They'll figure it out either way, but it's better to just say hey, look, I made this mistake and now I'm trying to fix it. A bit belatedly, but I'm trying.

It's the best you can do at this point.

[lotuspetal7]

OK. Thanks so much for the advice. You think it's important to call as opposed to emailing? I'll be out of the country in early January so calling will be inconvenient.

Edited December 27, 2011 by lotuspetal7

[gellert]

No, I don't think it really matters. E-mailing first is actually preferred by some programs, though I don't recall Harvard ever explicitly specifying on that point.

[lotuspetal7]

OK, I'll do that then. Thank you so much!