Has anyone ever questioned your transcript?

I am somewhat concerned about potential employers reviewing my transcript from COSC and seeing all the CLEP, DANTES, GRE and ECE exams vs traditional classes (whether they be DL or B&M classes).

My questions are:
1) Have any of you ever been questioned by an employer regarding the test vs. class credit earning method?
2) Do any of you have a feel for whether this was cause for concern among potential employers in evaluating your credits or degree?
3) Do you have any tips on discussing the value of testing out vs. sitting in class to temper any potential skeptism among employers evaluating your degree?

 

Reply

I think that you are jumping the gun too fast. You’re making an assumption before it is even a matter of fact. Most employers will look over an applicant’s employment history and educational credentials. As long as the degree is an accredited source recognized by the United States Department of Education, and either nationally or regionally accredited, this would be sufficient.

There are always going to be some that will always have their own personal views and biases. This would be no different from a student that graduates from a brick and mortar school (traditional) v. Internet (Online or Distance Education). Be proud of the fact that you are attending a regionally accredited school, and tell of your ability to learn new information fast. I would think this would be an asset as opposed to a problem for you.

In conclusion, consider that if you are applying for a real professional job i.e. lawyer, doctor, or similar profession, that school name is going to be more important and there you will find more of a problem with your degree being accepted v. a Harvard, Princeton, or Yale. This would be true for people who have not graduated from these institutions. You need to realize that there will be biases, judgments, and people who will have preconceived notions, but that if that is the case, you will want to be with a place that you can use your abilities and talents, and foster on the person you truly are. Good luck to you!

* You did not indicate whether you had graduated from this school. I think what would be more credible and sufficient is for you to have on your transcript Degree / Major. Date of Graduation. The examinations and quizzes are recognized by the United States Department of Education and in academic circles. I would suspect the most important information to the employer, is that you graduated from an accredited school and having an actual degree. *

* To be honest, the transcript will do very little for you employment wise, if you have not graduated with a degree. It would help if we knew what your status was with regard to graduate or not. I also would not furnish the transcript, unless requested by the employer. In other words, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). Don't give too much information unless needed. You're not doing anything wrong by doing this, as you should research the company, and then answer what is needed. That is my honest opinion and assessment. *

 

I've never had an employer or potential employer ask for my transcript.
Jack

 

Same here. However I once had an employer request that I bring in mydiploma and he photo copied it when I was starting a new job. I wonderif they are checked my education background in my other jobs. I think they just probably call or email the school asking if the person graduated from the school, but I not 100% sure about that.

 

No one has ever asked for mine

 

I have had Houston Public Library ask,but that is normal. I have had to produce one for my college I teach for. But in the real world, no one has ever ask for a transcript

 

I check potential employees' transcripts. But just to see if the degree they listed on their resume matches. I also check it against the diploma mill list.
Mine was checked to get this job.

 

In the United States, it's rare for employers to ask for your transcripts or diploma except if the business of the employer is education. Colleges and technical schools usually request a prospective employee to arrange to forward official transcripts to their HR.
My answer to your question is: hardly ever.

 

I changed jobs back in May of this year. I had been working for the past eighteen years for a non-profit medical malpractice insurance company in the Pacific Northwest. A large multi-specialty medical clinic, who knew me very well, hired me away to be their director of risk management and to run their malpractice captive insurer.

The clinic does a background and criminal check on every new employee as part of our 'corporate compliance' program, but a more in-depth check on senior management level staff, such as me. I did have to produce my graduation letter and transcript for my MBA from Heriot-Watt and I believe the background check agency contacted Scotland to confirm that. I offered to cough up my BSc\MSc in chemistry from 20+ years ago, but they said that was not necessary.

This was the first time in my professional career that I have ever had to produce a transcript.

 

If you are applying to a Federal Government position, and if it is a certain position with a positive education requirement you will have to furnish official transcripts. Secondly, if you apply for any position and want to document your education formally you will need to furnish official transcripts. Normally these won't matter except for some positions that require a number of hours in a specific subject area for qualification. I was required to furnish official transcripts and these were verified for the specific requirements. I wasn't asked anything about the class material just whether I had the classes or not.

 

Again, I must be the exception.

For reimbursement, I had to supply syllabi, grade reports, etc. Then a copy of the degree.

For promotion / raise time - I had to supply my GPA with my class breakdown. They said they base a raise on GPA (Which I have never heard of). There was one part time employee taking the same 12 units as I (I worked full time). She had a 4.0, I got a 3.8, so she was given a higher raise than me. I still think this is wrong, since I was a full time employee, and she was part time, but the explaination they gave.

Also, when applying for a position, they will give you credit for indivudual classes in that area (for example, a contracts position, they will go through a transcript and take all the relevant courses for a contract type class, and apply that to your position. The degree will not help.

So, in a nutshell, yes I have been asked.

Also, the policy needed to be changed when I arrived, since the policy excluded classes for reimbursement for classes earned online, if a local university offered the class.

 

The only type of employer(s) that should be requesting your college transcripts are those of an educational institution.

Other than that.....it is none of anyones business. It is your legal right to not provide your transcripts to any business or company.

 

That is absolutely correct, but it is also the company's legal right to not hire you because you would not provide a transcript copy or degree. As an example, most physicians have to provide copies of degrees and transcripts, which are then verified as part of the credentialing process in getting hired at a clinic or hospital. You could refuse to provide them, but no one would hire you.

So there are some occupations where providing copies of degrees or transcripts is an accepted, if not mandatory, way of doing business.

 

Hmmmmmm.....You brought up a very interesting point. My current boyfriend has a BA in History form one of the top three schools inCanada(McGill). He also has an LLB and an MPA from York, which is apretty good Canadian school , but no where near the same level as McGill. I asked him about this and he told me that he was asked my a few employers to show his MPA and LLB transcripts, but never once was he asked to show his BA transcripts. This has made me wonder if employer even care about your undergrad, if you hold one or more advanced
professional degrees?

 

I suspect you are absolutely correct. Lord knows it is not as if I use my ancient chemistry knowledge every day as a risk manager!

 

My present transcript from a state school in SC lists my CLEP English as:

English 101, Composition, ECL, 3
English 102, Composition and Literature, ECL, 3

where "ECL" is the grade. My other CLEPS are listed in a similar manner. I've never given a moment of thought to whether employers will have a problem with the "ECL" part.

 

Well of course in a medical field you would need to provide that type of information, as well as an educational institution.

I was referring to the norm, of getting a job. Such as management at a retail company rather than getting a job as a doctor or an instructor at a college.

But in the average world of business, etc... provide a copy of the degree (if the push enough)......but this providing copies of transcripts to get job in the business/retail world - the heck with that.

What these businesses do not realize is that transcripts cost money....more money at some colleges than others, plus the time it takes to get from point A to point B.
Which becomes a hassle.
IMO if they cannot verify a degree with the educational instutuion you received that fine degree from......then they have problems!

 

In my 36 years in business, I've yet to get a question on one of my transcripts. First, while positions in academe typically require submission of transcripts, that occurs infrequently in the commercial and industrial world (except, perhaps for scientific jobs). As part of the verification process, most employers today will accept a) a photocopy of the applicant's highest level degree, or b) a university registrar's letter certifying that the applicant indeed graduated in a certain year attaining a certain degree. Rarely is a transcript requested or required. In my own case, when I've applied for adjunct teaching positions, I have indeed submitted transcripts, but never for a management or executive position in the business world--just registrar letters or copies of degrees.

David April
BA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
MBA, Boston College
ACM, Boston, College
DBA, California Pacific University

 

I work as a personnel officer for a large school district and I hire hundreds of employees each year. While we require applicants to provide official transcripts, the main thing we are looking for is 1) that it is from an accredited school and 2) that it indicates 'degree conferred' .

I have also worked as VP of HR in the private sector and, in that case, we were confirming the same information -- but without transcripts. Keep in mind that, while more and more companies are verifying education, as long as a degree can be verified from an accredited program, you probably won't have any problem.

That said, most employers will require proof of satisfactory grades if they are paying for your education through a tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance program. You can't blame them for that. After all, it is their money and they will want to ensure that their investment is being used wisely.

 

I just returned from the UK and discovered from a couple of managers (one civil service and one commercial) that it is becoming standard practice to verify an applicants degree prior to hiring them. Apparently it is not uncommon to find that an applicant does not have the degree claimed. And once hired it is difficult to fire them.