Work with your kids to keep good records

[sisdparent]

I didn't realize this was a really good idea at the time we did it, but keeping good records can be very helpful for our College kids.

Liz was doing her Spring Registration this morning, which is when she was surprised to learn that there was a flag on her file. According to that some of her paperwork was missing and she wasn't going to get to register.

When she left for school, I set up a small 1/2" binder for her with her high school transcript, copies of all her scholarship letters, a copy of all of her letters from the University, with notes on who she talked to and copies of what she sent them and when, copies of receipts, test scores, her last testing, etc. (I have scanned copies of everything here and she scans and sends me copies of everything she does on her own.)

So, when she was told things were "missing", she pulled out her binder and showed them the receipts for each item with date and time sent and who she talked to. Most of it was resolved almost immediately except for a continuing problem with the high school not providing the university with a complete transcript.... and even for that she showed her documentation of who said they would do what and who talked to who with date and time.

And since she was able to show that she had submitted the "missing items", she was allowed to register while they go back over their records to check for errors. The only reason she called me was to get the correct current phone number for the administrator that hasn't sent her transcript.

It's not unusual for records to get mixed up or not updated, but she could definitely see that she got further by having her records, in hand and in order.

[bros]

I'd have a folder like that, but the high school didn't allow us to get transcripts for our personal use, and keeps them at the school for 5 years after graduation, and we aren't allowed to get them.

However, I have a folder like that with evaluations

[Mayleng]

Thanks for the tip sisd. Why does your HS have such a problem sending her transcript to the college? This has been ongoing. It is a form of retribution on their end?

[jisp]

This is good solid advice not just for college records but for ALL Records. I started doing this with our medical bills and lo and behold I discovered a little trick that hospitals do. They will often send you out a bill because they have not yet received the payment from the insurance company. But then if you pay that bill, when the insurance company does in fact reimburse them they don't necessarily automatically send your money back. These days I make copies of all the bills I pay (if I pay online I make sure to print the screen confirming payment) and I keep them just in case.

[bros]

My insurance loves to delay paying the expensive stuff.

It took them till November 2007 to pay something that was done in August 2007.

Occasionally my dad has to pay $25.00 for blood tests done in the hospital and co-pays, but nothing else.

[sisdparent]

Nov 25, 2008 19:33:57 GMT -5 Mayleng said:

Thanks for the tip sisd. Why does your HS have such a problem sending her transcript to the college? This has been ongoing. It is a form of retribution on their end?

I wish I knew... IMHO it has sunk to the level of educational malpractice since it is directly interfering with her college transition.

Our district was shut down all of last week, so the registrar (who got to see her own email documented in The Binder) is making another follow up phone call today. Liz requested that she email me with the conclusion of that conversation, since we had previously filed a complaint with our Superintendent's office regarding this issue back in July and had rec'd assurances that the matter had been taken care of. (By the way.... the Registrar has been really terrific with this garbage and does understand that the school district is the issue, not Liz.)

[Mayleng]

That is just unacceptable.

[sisdparent]

[socalgal]

Congratulations to Liz for handling the situation so well. In the meantime, I would simply file a state complaint over the failure to mail the certified transcript.

And Bros, now that you're in community college, formally request that a certified transcript be mailed to your home so that you can have it on hand for your transfer applications. When then make a big deal, just remind them that you know that all you have to do is keep it unopened in the envelope they mailed it to you and it will be accepted. As long as a transcript is in a sealed envelope, it's fine. And if it isn't, you can always get another. But you have the right to have a copy of your final transcript and it's a good thing to keep along with your high school diploma -- I've got one and some people think I might be a neurotypical.