School says they won't give me any credit for classes I've taken and passed there.

Paying for College
1

I’m in the military and am currently going through a program for the Army that is provided by University of the Incarnate Word for credentialing purposes. 9 months into the program at this point and coming to the end in a few months, I get an email from UIW saying that because they don’t have a transcript from a college that I enrolled in 14 years ago that they will not issue my degree or give me credit for any of the courses that I’ve taken and passed over the past 9 months. In all honesty back in 2002 I wasn’t ready for school and did register for a couple classes but stopped going almost immediately once classes started and I didn’t withdraw from them. I contacted my old school and they won’t issue a transcript unless I pay them $1600+ that they say I have for a balance from back then.

I’m a little dumbfounded that a school can say without a transcript from an old school, that I’m not even asking them to consider a transfer of any credits from, that they can basically say that all my grades from the courses I’ve taken with them would be essentially cancelled. Has anyone ever heard of this before? It just doesn’t sound right that they can take payment, albeit from the government, and essentially offer nothing in return over a 14 year old transcript that has nothing to do with the courses that I’ve taken at their school.

2

Yes. They can say that and most (if not all) schools have this policy. You can’t just start over if you owe a school money.

I think you should try to work out an arrangement with the first school.

3

Yep…if you have a balance due, you need to pay it…or the school will NOT issue a transcript to you.

4

There is money involved. You registered for classes, stopped going, but didn’t withdraw by the deadline where you could have gotten a refund. These things follow you. Now they are throwing you a curveball.

You need to square things up with the old school, pay your debt and then give the transcript to your new school.
You don’t want the old school to let the bill go to collections and your wages to get garnished.

5

It’s a miracle that after 14 years, they haven’t sent you to collections, and tacked on interest and collections fees.

Pay the bill.

6

It’s kind of an agreement schools have with each other. If you owe another school money, the new school won’t play ball with you until you pay your debt.

7

Were you admitted as a matriculated student to this program? If so, how did that happen wothout a transcript from your first school?