So I have submitted 3 applications through the common app, all EA because I’m trying to maximize my scholarship chances. I approached my counselor over a month in advance and asked about submitting transcripts through the common app. He said he needed written consent from my parents that he could upload them online, and I gave him the paper. It was all ready well in advance. I saw that my counselor submitted the required report in the middle of October. Now, after the deadlines have passed, one of the schools I applied to is telling me they don’t have my transcripts.
Today was supposed to be a day off for seniors since the sophomores are taking the pre ACT. I just went to a scholarship presentation this morning and drove home. Then I saw the email saying my transcripts we’re missing so I drove all the way back to the school to see my counselor in person. I’ve had multiple problems communicating with him through email so I thought it would be better to talk to him face to face. The secretary told me he was cleaning up from the pre ACT and she didn’t know when he would be back, but she thought it would be soon. I waited for almost 45 minutes and no one showed up. The secretary even left for the day.
I don’t know what to do. I was so stressed to finish these applications early so I’d have the best chance at scholarship consideration. Now I’m worried I’m going to lose that because my counselor can’t follow through with what he says he’ll do. One of the colleges has extended their deadline to November 15 but I know for a fact the other two haven’t, and I’m assuming that transcripts missing for one school means they’re missing for all of them.
I’m really, really frustrated right now, and very anxious. If anyone has any advice for me at all, please let me know.
Email him and let him know the schools say the materials are missing. Ask if he needs anything more from you, and if he can please upload them ASAP. Stop in tomorrow if he doesn’t reply. Many schools know the counselors are often late, and usually don’t hold it against students. So be polite, don’t lose your cool.
We had issues with the school struggling with electronic uploads as well.
Our Solution: We looked up the mailing address for transcripts for each school ourselves, made pre-addressed envelopes, and handed them to the counselor with a request to simply send paper transcripts through the snail mail. Worked great. Since we’d done all the work, the counselor was great about getting the transcripts in the mail on the same day we delivered the envelopes.
Also, it sounds like you haven’t been checking on your application statuses up until recently. I’d log into your school’s portals or contact your admission counselors asap and make sure they’ve received everything else as well, test scores, recommendation letters, etc. Most schools provide online checklists with the dates they receive these supplements and a list of what they are still missing.
Definitely keep trying to make contact with your school counselor until the issue has been resolved.
Sorry for the late reply… Thank you both for responding! The issue has been resolved, fortunately. The school had the transcripts, but they hadn’t processed them yet. For some reason, they were also quite late in providing a login for me to check my app status, so that’s why I hadn’t done that yet. Again, thank you!