<p>Is it legal for your HS to ask for your social security number to submit a HS transcript? Mine won't send a transcript to ANY school if I don't give my date of birth and SSN!</p>
<p>You do not have to give them your social security number. Colleges do not require a social security number, either.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would just ask them what they need it for. If they just need identification, give them an ID.</p>
<p>Have given out ss# on numerous documents now. Seems like it is asked for on all applications, recommendations, supplements, etc. even on the front of portfolios. It has been stated many times that ss# is the tool used by colleges to match and file all documents. Is this true? Is there any disadvantage to not giving it out?</p>
<p>Husband and I are very conservative about giving ours in this age of identity fraud. State driver's licenses are not using them anymore. There are constant warnings out there to not provide your ss# in order to protect yourself yet through this college application process I feel like sons # may as well be posted on the internet for the amount it has been distributed. How protected is this information? Should this be of concern for the future?</p>
<p>I'm old enough to remember a time when the police recommended that you etch your social security number into all of your belongings to make it easier to return them to you if they were stolen.</p>
<p>How quaint - making sure that anyone who steals your valuables also gets your social security number.</p>
<p>toledo,</p>
<p>Actually, high schools and colleges have the legal right to demand (and receive) your social security number. We wil not accept any student who refuses to supply their social security number...without that, how can we be sure we are reporting the correct information to all the necessary agencies?</p>
<p>Mom2Suns,</p>
<p>Schools take identity left very seriously...and there are many regulations which stipulate how the information can be used and how it must be safeguarded. For example...we are not permitted to send socials through email or interoffice mail. We must lock up all files that contain socials. If paperwork is received that contains a social, we must ensure that it is immediately placed "in hiding" so no one can "accidentily" see it sitting on someone's desk. </p>
<p>The social security number is truly the only identifying number that is not duplicated by anyone else. School ID numbers can be the same at different schools...they are not uniformly unique. Names are also not unique...and given the way some people change thier names, trying to match paperwork by name can be dangerous. I currently have 3 sets of students who have the same first name, middle initial and last name...and the names are not common like Smith or Jones, John or Mary.</p>
<p>My son was accepted at 5 universities without his ss #. They can identify you by name and birthdate. When you enroll, you are obligated to give them your #.</p>