Transcript Says "CORRESPONDENCE" Issue Please Help!!!

I recently completed an online course at LSU called "Advanced Accounting" ACCT 4022.

I requested and have received a copy of my transcript from the LSU Office of the University Registrar.

The transcript that I received shows that I took the Advanced Accounting course with the word "CORRESPONDENCE" above it.

This is a HUGE issue for me as you will see below.
I need the transcript to say "ONLINE" and not "CORRESPONDENCE"

The ACCT 4022 course is described on the LSU web page at the following two links:

http://www.is.lsu.edu/courselist.asp?cat=Accounting&nid=102&pg=
LSU Independent and Distance Learning

Please note that he first link above has the following as the course description:
"* This course is available online, as well as through traditional correspondence."

Also the fact sheet for this course states the following:

All studyguide materials for this course are available in an online format.

The error on my transcript is that the course that I completed is shown as a "correspondence" course and not an "online" course.

This difference may seem minor but is critical for my qualification to take the Delaware CPA exam.

The Delaware CPA exam requirements allow online courses but does not allow correspondence courses.
(See Below)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

* Courses earned at a community college or 2-year degree granting institution are acceptable.
* On-line courses are acceptable when a applicant receives credit for the courses at a regionally accredited U.S. university.
* On-line courses are NOT acceptable from International schools. These courses must appear on an official transcript.
* Correspondence, CPA Review and/or CLEP course are not acceptable.

A link to this requirement is below:
http://www.nasba.org/862571B900737CED/0/00AD8938140186B1862571B900744247/$file/DEFT&IA.pdf

Anyone have any suggestions on how to resolve this issue?

 

Talk to the state licensing people and explain the situation to them, then if necessary talk to someone at the university. This does not seem to be an insurmountable problem. LSU has probably stamped ‘CORRESPONDENCE’ on their transcripts for years – well before they were offered online. This assumes of course that you took the course online.

 

I would start by getting in touch with the LSU records department and telling them pretty much exactly what you told us. That you intend to use this class to satisfy a requirement, and that, while the semantic issue of "Correspondence" vs. "Online" might seem insignificant to them, it's actually critical in your case.

In my experience with higher ed (online or B&M), you very often have to really ride them to get certain things done. Make the phone calls. Seek out the person who can help you or who knows what you need to know. Don't be passive and just expect them to get things right. Get in there and make things right. It's a lot of red tape and it's a pain in the butt, but it's what you gotta do.

Heck, maybe they really did make a mistake and your transcript should say "Online." Or maybe their policy is that both online and correspondence classes get the same label, in which case you'll probably have to get them to write you an official signed letter that you can present to the CPA folks, explaining that, despite the transcript, your class really was an online class.

Good luck!

JJ

 

I wonder why the CPA exam makes the distinction between the two? I know the formats are slightly different but if they OK online it's not like correspondence is that much different. Hopefully you can get it sorted out!

 

I would provide copies of the course syllabi to Delaware that showed the courses were really online. That might be enough documentation for them.

 

bazonkers makes a good point. I agree that this kind of discrimination is likely nothing more than bureaucratic nonsense. I'm sorry that the OP must spend so much valuable time on this issue.

 

You should contact the delaware office and see what they say...I dont think this could be an issue, plus what difference does it make if the course is by corresp. or online?

 

Well, there goes THAT plan! LOL!

I was going to take a couple of LSU online courses to fill in some gaps. But since they actually brand them CORRESPONDENCE, I think I'll look elsewhere! I guess they brand them this way because they are so cheap, to discourage people from taking them unless it is a last resort. Too bad! The price is definitely right.

 

Why don't you try the UCLA extension online accounting courses? They cost around $500 per course....

 

At some institutions, there is a difference between an online course and a correspondence or independent study course that uses an online format.