<p>I read here some days ago that it really is worthwhile to call to verify that the admissions offices have received all the transcripts, recs, etc. I didn't pay too much attention, because our school sends a postcard along with what they send, to verify that materials are indeed received. And I had a green return receipt requested card proving that the stuff my S sent got there too. But I just figured it wouldn't hurt, since some recs were sent separately, so I called yesterday....</p>
<p>And indeed there was a problem. They had everything except the application! But that meant they also lacked the essays and other supplementary materials that S sent. Luckily, I was able to say that I know you got it on such and such a date, based on the return card. They said it surely should have been processed by now, which got me worried. They were very nice, began a search, and by today they called to say they had found it. It would be processed, and the supervisor who helped me said she would be sure that the rep for our area would be alerted that the file was now ready for review.</p>
<p>So - you can never be too sure! I imagine it would have turned up at some point, but how quickly? Might S have missed the EA decision round? </p>
<p>Thanks, folks, for another good CC tip! And my advice - check, no matter what!!!!</p>
<p>Well, we got quite a scare today. S got his report card in the mail, but his transcript had already been sent to his EA college, together with his grades for the first quarter. And there, in black and white was a C for Spanish, with comments from the teacher that S was "a pleasure to have in class; a good student." What??? Not good for my bp or S's morale. S went through his homework and sent an email to the teacher pointing out the 90+s and 100s he got on various quizzes. Luckily, the teacher read the email and wrote back the C was a mistake, she'll fix it tomorrow. But now, an amended transcript has to be sent to the college, and Thanksgiving is a-coming and tomorrow is half-day. We were hoping to get a decision earlier than DEc. 15, and now we're hoping the college has not yet begun to review apps.<br>
S now wishes he had checked his transcript before the GC sent it out.</p>
<p>Oh, Marite, what a shock that must have been for both of you! I'm so glad that the teacher was quick on the draw in reading emails. Will they be faxing the ammended transcript? You might also offer to pay to have it sent Federal Express. And Wish, I'm glad that you shared your experience as well. It would be awful to just be waiting thinking everything is OK, and then discover that it wasn't!</p>
<p>Oh, Marite, if it isn't one thng it is another. At S's school they don't give quarter grades, but they make an exception for seniors applying ED or EA. We saw the grades, but not the form the school sends. Now I am hoping that the counselors recorded them accurately! </p>
<p>My S commented yesterday that a friend of his is applying to Colorado State, and is doing an immediate admission. Apparently you bring all your stuff to a rep, who interviews you, reviews the materials and gives you an immediate acceptance, assuming they indeed want you to enroll. I can think of many problems with such a system, but S, who interviews really well, thinks it would be great. A timesaver in many ways, eliminating all the "how should we apply/did they get all the stuff" worries.</p>
<p>Marite: one thing you may want to consider is to get a copy of his corrected, unofficial transcript and send it your self with some explanation that a corrected official one will follow. Or you can get official transcript in a sealed envelope (our school does it, they put a stamp on the flap that says official if sealed) and FedEx it your self.</p>
<p>Ouch. I think it will have to go by fax with official transcript to follow. I doubt the school has Fedex envelopes. Sigh. But thanks for reminding me about a quick way to get the transcript to the college. On my way to S's room to tell him about this. Thanks!</p>
<p>I can only hope the GC is in tomorrow! Sometimes he's out.<br>
I've told S to email the admission office to let them know that an amended transcript is on the way. Once he talks to his teacher, he'll be able to let the college know the grade that should have been recorded. Then we hope the college will take this new information into account, or at least wait until a new transcript is received. </p>
<p>Truth to tell, we've never seen a transcript. The reports are on regular size paper. We'll just have to trust that the admission office knows how to handle this. If my S emails the new grade, I hope the office will know that something will be coming in the mail after Thanksgiving. Even Fedex would not work, with Thanksgiving being the day after tomorrow. Sigh.</p>
<p>We had a similar foul up last year. One of D's teachers suffered a stroke early in the semester and had to take the rest of the term off to recover. They hired a substitute to finish teaching the class, but for some reason that is beyond me, the school left it to the original teacher, who was still at home, to assign the final grades. She had still not fully recovered her wits and in her confusion gave every kid in the class a C.</p>
<p>I was furious with the school. Furious for making the poor sick teacher do the grades when she was clearly not ready, and furious for them messing up D's transcript at a critical time. We got it sorted out in plenty of time, but it never should have happened.</p>
<p>The teacher has since fully recovered and returned to work. And I learned to keep a sharp eye on what the school is doing with the transcripts.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing that story. It shows that foul-ups can be remedied. I'd never seen my S so befuddled or so near to tears before as he always thought he was doing well in Spanish. Thank goodness some teachers seem as glued to their computers as I am!</p>
<p>Isn't it a great time for your D to be in Cambridge? First the Sox, then the Game...</p>
<p>Marite,
I'm sure the e-mail from S and then school will suffice. Its amazing how many teachers are not computer savvy and have trouble posting grades. (In mid school, my S would spend math period helping a teacher post grades).
In a twisted way, almost better a C posted than a B, 'cuz clearly that was not grade earned.</p>
<p>Is it usual for ED/EA schools to ask for first marking period grades? I don't think those would've been on the transcript sent out for my S last year, as it went out before they were posted. The school didn't see any senior grades till after the ED decision, as far a I know.</p>
<p>Garland:
I understood from what my S told me that the first quarter report was sent last Monday to his EA school (grades were available as of Friday before but the report did not reach us until yesterday).
I've had conflicting advice for my S as he is graduating early but has taken college courses. One adcom said he ought to apply RD in order to give the adcom more info to work with; another said that since he had already taken so many college courses, there was no point waiting to apply RD ad that there was already enough info. He's applying EA to the former.
I'm sure things will be straightened out before the day is over. But for RD schools, S will make sure to scrutinize his transcript! this is the first time an error was made, and it had to be now, when it matters and time is of the essence. :(</p>
<p>It's scary to think that any of the grades might have been a mistake over the years. As bookworm said, who would know unless the student is tracking THAT closely or the grade is an obvious mistake (a C). </p>
<p>Garland, at our school the Q1 grades are not sent automatically. But, if the student wants to send a copy of their Q1 report (unofficially) to the college, they can. If the college wants to validate the transcript, the school will do so upon request from the college. Remember, my son had a VALID C on last year's transcript....so the Q1 report was important as it showed that he had learnd his lesson about risking grades.</p>
<p>Marite, can your son send an email to his regional admissions director giving him/her a heads up on the upcoming transcript? Or, maybe a phone call is better as I have no idea how adcoms keep up with all of the email from the anxious applicants. </p>
<p>Better make sure they mark the revised transcript as "Early Action" so that it will be prioritized accordingly. Do they use old fashioned paper fax machines or fax/image (fax to email/server) programs?</p>
<p>I actually like using email, as there is a paper trail, so to speak, at both ends. If the email were to be discarded, unread, or misfiled, my S would still have it on his computer, ready to be printed out again. My S will be sending out an email as soon as he learns his correct grade from his teacher and manages to talk to his GC. I hope the GC is available this morning! If not, I hope that my S's app will get another look once the corrected transcript is in.
Last year Soozie had mentioned making sure to read the school profile and transcript before these are sent out. We did not. S will make sure to check his transcript next time.</p>
<p>As for your other questions, I do not often go into the school or talk to the GC. Since my S has needed so much accommodation in order to come up with a workable schedule, I feel he is using quite a bit of the GC's time already. I don't know what kind of equipment they use. But even if a letter is sent out snail mail, it should arrive early next week. </p>
<p>Thank you all for your concern. I've benefitted from the suggestions that were made. Will let you know what transpires when S comes home in a couple of hours.</p>