Transcripts Question

[Dr. Old Bill]

Hey all. I won't have to cross this bridge until the fall, but thinking ahead...

If you have an A.A., a B.A., and an M.A., all from different institutions, are you expected to send all three sets of transcripts to every potential program? I know this was the case when I just had the A.A. and the B.A., but I'm wondering if the inclusion of an M.A. transcript can remove the need to send my A.A. grades. Thoughts? Has anyone successfully eschewed the A.A. transcript and lived to tell the tale? It might be a little risky, but given the cost of transcripts, it's worth asking the question to save $150 or so.

[EmmaJava]

20 minutes ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Hey all. I won't have to cross this bridge until the fall, but thinking ahead...

If you have an A.A., a B.A., and an M.A., all from different institutions, are you expected to send all three sets of transcripts to every potential program? I know this was the case when I just had the A.A. and the B.A., but I'm wondering if the inclusion of an M.A. transcript can remove the need to send my A.A. grades. Thoughts? Has anyone successfully eschewed the A.A. transcript and lived to tell the tale? It might be a little risky, but given the cost of transcripts, it's worth asking the question to save $150 or so.

Yes, indeed - I think you need to send from all institutions and not let the MA "speak for itself," so to speak. I know this because I have MA and BA grades on one transcript and another masters transcripted from another institution, but one adcomm in particular thought I had just submitted the MA transcript and so they came back to me asking for "the other one" with my BA grades. Even though there wasn't "another one," it is clear that they wanted to see each degree transcripted separately. 

And yes, it costs a fortune, don't I know it...

[Villain Elle]

They're going to want everything, AA included. In my experience from this year, most schools (except for 1 out of 14) want uploaded scans of all transcripts. Only if you enroll do most schools want the official transcripts mailed directly to them. So you only have to order twice--ones for yourself to scan and the official ones to go directly to the school. (Unless I was just lucky this year???)

[Dr. Old Bill]

15 minutes ago, Villain Elle said:

They're going to want everything, AA included. In my experience from this year, most schools (except for 1 out of 14) want uploaded scans of all transcripts. Only if you enroll do most schools want the official transcripts mailed directly to them. So you only have to order twice--ones for yourself to scan and the official ones to go directly to the school. (Unless I was just lucky this year???)

Thanks Villain Elle (and thanks EmmaJava for your earlier post as well). I seem to remember in the last cycle that most of the programs I applied to wanted official copies sent up front -- not scans. I might be misremembering, and I hope that is the case. Fortunately I should have a scan of my A.A. kicking around already, so that could save me a bit of money.

[NowMoreSerious]

Yep, I want to 2 different community colleges, BA, and MA from same school, and I had to send all transcripts..everything to every college.  It was a pain in the ass, but luckily many schools will accepts non-officials.  

[HumanCylinder]

I would say that about 1/2 of the 15 schools I applied to wanted the officials to be sent in addition to scanned uploads.  Maybe a little less than half. 

[klader]

I think the only exception is certain study abroad programs? I did a summer program where the foreign university transferred 4 credits to my home university and I didn't even have an official transcript (just a competition letter).

I had been freaking out about what to do about it, and my professors advised me to just leave it out and see if they asked, which they didn't. But ymmv.

[MeNotMe]

Yup, everything. Don't let me be the eleventy-billionth person to say this, but I have attended five institutions, with degrees from three and 6 units from each of two others, one of which was UMD (long story, ay yi yi). Every school to which I applied (all eight) wanted all five sets. That's 40 sets! Maybe I should have gone into math, amirite?

So, yes. Are you any closer to a list of schools, other than (I think you said within eight hours of your present location?) what you have mentioned?

I think you handled it intelligently, WT, even if you didn't always think the MA first was also best. I could never have tackled a PhD without first doing my Master's. Best of luck as you sally forth toward your dreams. 

[sarabethke]

A few schools I applied to only needed official copies upon admission. It sucks that all your schools charge for transcripts! Only my MA charged to send them and Baylor (where I did my BA) has never charged me for any. I had about 6 credits from a community college, I didn't include it, and no one ever asked about it.

[renea]

Some schools I applied to needed official copies, others would take unofficial scans. It never hurts to ask, because even some of my programs that said explicitly on the application and website that you had to send an official copy said it would be fine to just scan it after I emailed them. The only thing I managed to avoid sending in was my community college transcripts. I simply explained that I was not enrolled as a student, but took those classes as part of a Dual credit program of the school- so even though they transferred they were treated like an AP score report. After that all of my programs said it was no longer necessary to send in. Luckily my undergraduate school will let me send transcripts for free- I know other schools though can charge steep rates for just printing off a letter, so my sympathies. 

[Dr. Old Bill]

Thanks everyone!

As I recall, my A.A. institution charged/charges $12 per transcript, while my B.A. institution charged/charges $15. Not sure about my M.A. institution, but if it's in the same ballpark, then that's $40 per application for the programs that won't accept scanned copies.

[sarabethke]

1 hour ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Thanks everyone!

As I recall, my A.A. institution charged/charges $12 per transcript, while my B.A. institution charged/charges $15. Not sure about my M.A. institution, but if it's in the same ballpark, then that's $40 per application for the programs that won't accept scanned copies.

Yeah my MA institution charges $15 for transcript...even if you order an e-transcript (WHAT?!?!)

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

I've never had to mention any of my time at a community college - (which is great because my gpa was probably below 2.5). BUT my BA has the transfer credits (without the grades) on it so maybe that accounts for it?

[Dr. Old Bill]

7 hours ago, BowTiesAreCool said:

I've never had to mention any of my time at a community college - (which is great because my gpa was probably below 2.5). BUT my BA has the transfer credits (without the grades) on it so maybe that accounts for it?

Aha! Yes, you have put your finger on part of my question -- my B.A. transcript includes all of the transfer courses as well...just no grades. I'll probably err on the side of caution and send my A.A. transcripts everywhere anyhow (though I wonder how an A.A. from a community college would be perceived by an adcom...hmm...), but it's an interesting question, since the B.A. transcript verifies the courses etc.

[empress-marmot]

8 hours ago, Wyatt's Terps said:

Aha! Yes, you have put your finger on part of my question -- my B.A. transcript includes all of the transfer courses as well...just no grades. I'll probably err on the side of caution and send my A.A. transcripts everywhere anyhow (though I wonder how an A.A. from a community college would be perceived by an adcom...hmm...), but it's an interesting question, since the B.A. transcript verifies the courses etc.

In my case, the adcomm's going to see that I went to community college for ten years without graduating, due to my enrolling in a music class for college credit in third grade, then dual credit courses through high school. Oops. 

I'm probably going to contact the departments and clarify whether I have to send official transcripts, though. A couple emails might save me a hundred dollars or so. 

[Dr. Old Bill]

Incidentally, I was just looking at UCLA's Graduate English program (I completely neglected it last time around, and can't recall why, since I love L.A.), and came across this blurb:

Official transcripts - An official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work must be sent directly to the English department (see address below), in addition to copies of these transcripts which must be uploaded into the online application system. NOTE: Transcripts from community colleges and short-term study abroad programs are not necessary, as the coursework will be reflected on your undergraduate transcript.

So I suppose there's a positive and a negative there -- positive that they don't need the A.A. transcript, but negative that they want official copies only... I guess the big, obvious bow around this whole thread is that each program has different expectations and requirements. I'll just assume everywhere wants my A.A. transcript unless otherwise stated.