If you are considering returning to college to finish your degree, or perhaps even pursuing graduate school, getting college transcripts is essential. The transcripts from your college will be required for some jobs and additional schooling even if you have received your degree.
The process of ordering college transcripts is relatively painless, no matter what your situation is. You will need to know how to obtain your college transcripts yourself since they are confidential.
Options for getting your college transcripts
Your college transcript serves as a permanent record of your academic achievement. All courses you take and credits you earn will be recorded by the schools you attend. Aside from the dates you attended these universities, you will also be provided with your cumulative grade point average (GPA).
In the event another school or job requires a copy of this information, it is recorded and available upon request.
There are several ways in which you can request your college transcripts, both official and unofficial. It will be easier to determine which transcripts you need if you understand the difference between official and unofficial transcripts.
The difference between official and unofficial
It is important to know the difference between an official and an unofficial college transcript. A college’s website usually has unofficial transcripts available. If the transcripts are not available on the website, you can request them from the school registrar.
There is no difference between an official transcript and an unofficial transcript. The main difference between the two is the absence of an official seal or signature. They cannot be accepted by an accredited institution without an official notary.
Unofficial transcripts are primarily used to determine where you stand academically. If you are applying for a new job or to another college, you can determine the prerequisites and share your GPA.
Transcripts that are sealed or signed by an official are considered to be official transcripts. Students do not receive these transcripts. The purpose is to prevent potential forgeries. The official transcripts of college students are sent directly to their colleges, universities, or employers.
Getting your college transcripts
There are several ways in which students can request official transcripts, including in person, by mail, or online.
There is usually a small fee associated with the order process and it may take a few days to weeks before the named party receives them. If a deadline looms, it’s best to plan in advance.
Another consideration is whether you owe any outstanding fees to the institution. Transcripts will not be released if your finances aren’t in good standing.
What You Need To Know Before Requesting A Transcript
Before ordering an official transcript, you should check your unofficial transcript on your institution’s official website. In this way, you can double-check the accuracy and completeness of all information.
Official college transcripts contain the same information as unofficial transcripts. Consider the case of an official transcript that contains an error. Consequently, the cost and time of correcting it would be considerable.
It is also important that all information on the transcript is current.
If there are issues with getting a transcript from your college or university, like any unpaid fines that you can’t currently afford to catch up on, or errors in grades that are taking longer to resolve than you would like there are options available to you. Consider reaching out to a company like ValidGrad to obtain a replica of your original transcript. The process of getting a new transcript can be extremely quick and easy. Check out our custom transcript options available today!