Certificates - Is it just me?

So I just finished up a certificate program in Accounting through UC Extension (5 courses over the last year) and received a certificate printed on one of those cheap-o forms you can pick up at the office supply store. To make it worse, my name was misspelled.

Is it just me or should a certificate be something nice to frame? Are there good schools who grant a certificate with the college seal, etc.? I thought UC would have been like that, but apparently not!

I hate to sound so picky, but I guess I was expecting something that I could frame. At least it's now a bullet point on my resume, but geez!

Had to vent - sorry.

 

I hear you! I'm finishing up a "Certificate of Post-baccalaureate Major" for students who have a degree in another field. I have to take all the courses within the field plus an additional 3 semester hours within the field. In other words, an additional course within the field beyond what the traditional degree students take. When I asked the registrar what the certificate looks like, she smiled at me like I was an idiot and said, "There is no ACTUAL certificate -- only a footnote on your transcript that you've met all the within-field requirements for the major." After thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of hard work, you'd think they'd award me something more than a mere footnote on the transcript. I've received more recognition for one-day training sessions. Meanwhile, traditional degree students are lavished with pomp and circumstance and they receive a very attractive diploma and individual recognition on the web. Jeez.

 

Wow, nice of them to spare a little printing ink.

IMHO you had a reasonable expectation of at least a certificate to present to an employer, if requested, rather than a need to point out a footnote on a transcript. Maybe they should consider renaming the program "Footnote of Post-baccalaureate Major".

Kit

 

UF does the same thing. EBS OTOH, had great certificates.

 

You know what? I've been thinking about your situation. Here's what I'd do: Send it back and demand they spell your name correctly. Better yet (and I'm serious about this) go to Kinko's and have them design one for you. I don't consider that to be one bit unethical. Just don't sign it or have anybody else outside the university sign it. Most colleges have links on their web sites that allow people to download their seals and logos. Download that publication-quality seal and take it with you to Kinko's on a disk. Then hang that sucker proudly on your mantle. You've earned it legitimately.

 

ABSOLUTELY!

And while you're at it, have 'em work you up a nice Doctor of Arts or something...

 

NOTE: I see jugador had much my idea -- or, who knows, maybe he got it from me from the last time I pontificated about this around here -- and posted it, above, while I was drafting the below. Fine. I'm still posting mine, though... if for no other reason than that it's cathartic!


I said something like this once before and got all jumped-on by those who are document purists...

...but I would not hesitate to use my desktop publishing software and my Old English (and other complementary) fonts to create an elegant, word-for-word copy of the printed-on-cheap-certificate-stock certificate; then print it onto nice parchment paper; and then send it back to the university with a check for $50 and a request that they get all the proper persons to sign it where they're supposed to, then affix the seal, then send it back to me.

If the bastards refused, then I'd use my considerable forgery (but only used for good) skills to create a nice word-for-word copy on nice parchment paper, with signatures scanned/copied from the cheap version, and a seal of my own creation bearing the university's logo. Then I'd frame it, and on the back I'd glue the actual and cheap-looking certificate, along with a note "to whom it may concern" that the one on the back is the real one, and that the one on the front is of my creation because the real one, as can be clearly seen, was too damned cheap-looking to hang on any self-respecting person's wall; and that the SOBs from the university wouldn't sign and seal a more presentable word-for-duplicate even though I offered to pay 'em for it, and so I said to hell with 'em and made my own and I don't care what anyone thinks about it. After it's not like I'd be claiming anything on the face of the new certificate that wasn't true, accurate, and on the face of the old one.

If I'm gonna' pony-up the bucks and do the coursework and earn the credential, then bygod I'd better get proof of it to hang on my wall that doesn't look like a first grader's "Excellent Reader" certificate printed on cheap certificate stock from a local office supply store on a first grade teacher's inkjet printer. If the university won't do it for me, and/or if it won't just sign and seal what I do myself (as long as it's word-for-word accurate), then bygod I'll just take the matter into my own hands, as long as everything written on the certificate is unchanged from what the original said; and as long as there's disclosure somewhere... like on the back of the framed certificate, as I described above.

Of course, I'm sure someone here will chime-in and tell me how wrong/unethical it is... yet again... but I won't care this time any more than I did the last time.

This subject, in case everyone hasn't noticed, really frosts me. Colleges and universities that cheap-out on the certificate or diploma part of things should be ashamed of themselves!

Or so it is my opinon.

 

At the very least, I would make them issue you a new certificate with your name spelled correctly. That is inexcusable, considering the money you spent.

I think colleges and univeristies miss a golden PR or marketing opportunity when they skimp on the certficate or degree. If people are more willing to hand their credential on the wall, more people will take notice of it and perhaps consider attending themselves.

Anyway, I would send it back to them with a NastyGram demanding they send you a proper certificate, with your name spelled correctly this time, and oh by-the-way, how about sending a cert that doesn't look like it was created at Arts n' Crafts day down at the local Senior Citizens Center.

Geez...even degree mills take some PRIDE in the appearance of their diplomas!

 

I just looked at a certificate I earned several years ago from California State Polytechnic University, Pomoma.
It is printed on parchment, has a Cal Poly seal, and original signatures. I am happy with it.

 

And that is why I always ask to see a sample Diploma/Certificate before enrolling in anything. No sample, no dinero. See, I'm not as weird as I thought.

 

I found this on the internet while looking for info on certificates at the University of Washington Extension. Some guy scanned a certificate he earned in Java.

http://www.commercialventvac.com/~jeffs/java_diploma.jpg

This one is tiny but it's from UC Santa Cruz Extension.

http://www.eliprograms.org/assets/images/ucsc_ext_cert.jpg

And finally, UC Berkely Extension

http://www.energobalance.at/images/certificate/Bilder/berkely_jpg.jpg

Any others?

 

Of all the certificates, diplomas, degrees, etc., that I've accumulated over the years, one of the most impressive looking, IMO, is my certificate from the Boston Police Mounted Academy for completing the Basic Mounted Police Training Course.

That's appropriate, since that was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. Going through Fort Benning was extremely tough, but at least I had control over my own body. Try maintaining control of a 1500lb animal on a busy city street, and a Drill Sergeant screaming at you is a piece of cake in comparison.

 

Maybe it's budget cuts. I did a certificate program through UC Berkeley almost 10 years ago. The certificate was on parchment, with the university seal, and is, frankly, nicer than my diploma from same.

 

Thanks for the replies on this. Apparantly, I'm not the only one! Now I don't feel so 'picky' about this!

I'm pretty well convinced now that 'Certificates' seem to be a way for some campuses to generate additional revenue from students that don't intent to pursue a complete degree program.

This probably goes back to a recent topic on certificates, but my guess is that an 'extension' program certificate may not be as 'valued' as an academic (for credit) based certificate. Maybe you have to pay more for the program before you can get it on parchment!

I was looking at a couple other certificate programs (i.e., Villanova and eCornell). Look like some good programs at fantastic schools - I hope I just don't end up with a cheap looking recognition of my work. eCornell actually shows a picture of the certificate on their website.

I like the idea of asking for a copy of a certificate before enrolling.

 

I also agree that a certificate should look at least on the same level of quality as a degree from the university. I most likely will pursue a grad certificate in taxation to complement my undergrad accounting degree and my MBA (in progress) just to have a more thorough understanding of accounting and taxation (I also plan on sitting for the CPA exam in about a year and a half when I return from Iraq), and I also would be disappointed/aggravated if I were to receive a cheap looking certificate. As others have said, send it back and demand they get your name right, and let them know that the perceived quality of their certificate is poor. Ask them if the quality of the certificate has anything to do with how they feel about their certificate programs.


William

 

Confucius says (paraphrasing): Let a certificate be a certificate!
This is an obvious case of the rectification of names. If you do a worthy certificate
you should get a worthy certificate. How gauche on the part of the schools!

Bruce's point applies to me, mutatis mutandis. I got the Brainbench basic arithmetic certificate. (To say my weak point is maths is an understatement of Brobdingnagian proportions.) It is framed and on my office wall. My diplomas are not displayed except for the latest--and it is cockeyed in its frame, which figures. The crucifix and the portrait of Marshal Jozef Pilsudski are in good order, however.

 

Mike:

I have a UC Extention certificate too and I agree they should make them look a little nicer. I think they print them on a basic laserjet printer. Although, my instructor went out and bought us a dollar store frame to put it in. His intentions were good but it felt insulting.

 

I have about 4 score or so certificates and diplomas in my files, and up until recently, had a wall for the 6 or 7 of the most important of them, such as the certificate of investiture.

About a month ago, I looked around the apartment and noticed what a great job my wife had done of finding African masks, linocuts from brass rubbings of memorial figurines, and other much more interesting decorations for our walls. So I took down all of the certificates, certifications, diplomas, et al. and put up a few more of the things my wife had found over the years.

What a vast improvement!

That said -- yes, I do believe the institution should make an effort for the certificate to be frameworthy -- whether or not it ends up stored in a folder. If it goes in a folder -- it should be out of utility or issues with wall real estate -- not because it looks tacky.

(The most impressive looking certificate I own is my certificate of marriage. The BC government knows how to print a certificate!)

 

Yes - I was quite surprised. This was a certificate from the University of California after all (UCDavis)!

As a side note, I took the suggestion of requesting a copy of the actual certificate from a couple of programs. Some have been quite responsive. In fact, eCornell faxed me a copy of what they generally provide (great customer service). And a couple including Villanova actually send you a framed certificate upon completion of their master certificate program.

I just wanted something nice to show on the wall for all my effort - is that so wrong!!?!