Won't have undergraduate transcript in time

[allaphoristic]

So I wasn't sure which subforum to put this under, but figured this was as good as any. 

 

I am graduating from my undergraduate institution 3 weeks before I begin my graduate classes. My undergraduate transcript will not be ready until one week before classes begin. 

 

I have talked to both my graduate advisor and the registrar at my graduate institution, and have been given conflicting answers as to how this will affect my registration for classes and the receipt of my financial aid. I have spoken to my undergrad registrar as well, and (as assumed) there is nothing they can do to get my that transcript earlier. I am technically not officially admitted until they have these final transcripts with a commencement date listed, and I am worried about, especially, not receiving my aid in time to pay tuition and fees. 

 

Has anyone been in this sort of situation before? How did it affect your registration and aid? Thanks!

[usernamefatigue]

Will your current school print you a letter stating that you have met the requirements to graduate? Would the other school accept that in the interim? The program I am taking will accept that because of situations like this. May be worth investigating.

[TakeruK]

My school accepted a letter saying all requirements were complete in lieu of a transcript at the start of the term. I started my program in Fall 2012 and they gave me until December 2012 to provide all transcripts indicating my previous degrees have been granted.

[rising_star]

Definitely ask if you can use a letter from your undergrad registrar that verifies that you've met all the requirements. Another option would be to use your diploma. This only works if you're at one of those schools that gives out the diploma at or right after graduation but, that would also demonstrate that you've met the requirements to graduate.

[TakeruK]

To add to rising_star's comment, to prove I finished my Masters, I actually used my diploma rather than pay for an official transcript to be mailed internationally However, since I finished my MSc requirements at the end of August 2012, my degree was not conferred until November 2012 (my MSc school does ceremonies in May and November), so I didn't get it until mid-November (which was why I needed the December 2012 extension, since their normal deadline is July 2012).

[qeta]

My graduate university also accepted a letter last year in lieu of transcripts. This seems to be a common enough occurrence: my undergraduate university in fact has an online portal (similar to a transcript request page) for requesting graduation verification letters.

[allaphoristic]

Thanks, everyone! Unfortunately, there is no summer graduation ceremony so I will be getting the diploma even later than the transcript, but I will definitely be investigating the letter option! 

[Marst]

For undergrad I got a letter with all my final grades, saying that I had satisfied all the requirements and that the degree ceremony would be at date X. However for masters, I will not get my results until after I have started. And in fact, my PhD place is conditional on achieving a certain mark in my masters dissertation. I will have to find out how that works some time soon.

Edited June 2, 2015 by Marst