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I have an unusual situation, and I'm looking for suggestions about how to handle it. Sorry this may get a little long.
I have discovered an error on my undergraduate transcript and the registrar's office refuses to correct it. It is an problem, because graduate schools refuse to accept my transcript as is, and my federal job applications are marked 'incomplete'.
My transcript shows that I was a 'transfer' student from two different universities during my undergraduate career. Problem is, I wasn't. I did transfer some some course credit from a junior college. So one of the notations is correct.
However the second notation is not correct. I was a foreign exchange student but not a transfer student. Everyone seems to be in agreement about the distinction--my college department, the university abroad, the admissions office. Even the registrar's office acknowledges that foreign exchange and transfer are two different things. And they acknowledge that printing a notation at the top of my transcript declaring me to be a transfer student is a problem since I am not able to obtain a transcript from that university--having never been actually enrolled there. But still they refuse to eliminate the notation, saying 'that's the way they've always done it'.
As it stands, the university is already contradictory--the first transfer notation includes only the name of the other school, the dates attended, and number of credits transferred. The second, the inaccurate one, has the notation at the top with this same information, but they also then list the courses and my letter grades in the proper spot for the semester that I was abroad. But it doesn't really help me because the transfer notation is at the top in big bold letters with asterisks all around it. They offered to take the letter grades off, but not the notation--of course that just makes the situation worse, not better.
I would like to take this to a higher level but I'm not sure where. Perhaps the association that accredits the university? Or the state board of regents? Surely these entities would have something to say about an institution in their organization that prints false student records or uses terms contrary to how the rest of the academic world uses them.
If they claim that is the way that they have always done it, then ask how students in your situation handled it. Can you talk directly to the Registrar? Or Provost? Dean of students or vice president, perhaps? The school you graduated from needs to contact the grad school(s) that you applied to and straighten out the situation.
Well the Registrar has confirmed that yes, this is a problem for every student who ever studied abroad. Apparently they just don't care about ruining future plans of their students. I haven't talked directly to any other alumni about how they may have resolved the problem--all the alumni I know haven't applied to grad school or fed jobs, that I know of.
I did talk directly to the registrar. Initially she seemed cooperative and told me she would take care of it, and then later said she couldn't. Then she said I could get a letter from my department dean and the foreign university requesting the inaccurate notation be removed. I did that, and then she said those letters wouldn't help, she still couldn't change my records. I guess she was bluffing or stalling when she'd told me that.
I have talked to the admissions office and they simply referred me back to the registrar's office. I suppose I could write a letter to the university president. I have a feeling he'll just refer me back to the registrar. I looked up the Dean of Student Life and it doesn't look like they would be involved in such issues.
I just wish I'd become aware of this problem sooner than fifteen years later (and how I managed to get by with this problem is a wonder). It would probably be a lot easier if I was only a year or two out of school.
That's how exchanges work. I was enrolled at the university here in the united states. The courses I took had names and course numbers using the system established by my home university, not the university abroad. I paid tuition and fees at my home university. I only attended classes at the university campus overseas. It's no different than if I had attended classes at a satellite campus in another city here in the US.
To be a transfer student, I would have had to apply to that university overseas and be accepted as a student. And then if I wanted to return to my university in the US, I would have had to complete forms to have those credits accepted. I did not do these things. As I said, the difference between exchange student and a transfer student is pretty universally understood. At least in the academic world.
Oh, I understand. You did a study abroad. My son did that and took three classes at an English University. He was also an exchange student. While he was in England another student was taking his place at his college in Virginia.
Did you ask the Registrar for the written policy regarding exchange students and how study abroad classes are supposed to be notated on the transcripts? Perhaps he/she is unclear about the policy itself.
That's a good point, I will try to get something in writing from them. At least it will help in communicating with other entities what the issue is. Thus far I've only been talking to them on the phone.
That's how exchanges work. I was enrolled at the university here in the united states. The courses I took had names and course numbers using the system established by my home university, not the university abroad. I paid tuition and fees at my home university. I only attended classes at the university campus overseas. It's no different than if I had attended classes at a satellite campus in another city here in the US.
To be a transfer student, I would have had to apply to that university overseas and be accepted as a student. And then if I wanted to return to my university in the US, I would have had to complete forms to have those credits accepted. I did not do these things. As I said, the difference between exchange student and a transfer student is pretty universally understood. At least in the academic world.
My daughter did a study abroad as part of her graduate studies and paid tuition at her home college yet had to apply and be accepted to the host university. The courses there had to equate to what she would have studied in the States. She had no difficulties and her transcript clearly states what credit was awarded. So was she an exchange, transfer, or blend? Toobusytoday gave you a good suggestion.
I happen to be in academia, attended, and now teach at a "satellite" campus. Transcripts do not specify main/satellite campus, only credit earned. So if your analogy is correct, you would not be having the issues 15 years later. Much luck to you in your endeavors.
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