Trouble getting child's transcripts released from the school

[jstwatchin]

A couple of years ago I moved on from the international school in China where I used to teach. My child graduated the same year and went on to community college in the US. She is now ready to transfer to a 4-year institution and has made her applications. While few have initially asked for her high school transcripts, some are now doing so as part of the offer process. Here is where the problem starts, I have been trying to get her transcripts sent for months now, but the school is putting roadblock after roadblock in the way, which now have become completely impossible to comply with. Of note is also that this is an IB school that also runs an accredited US high school program. I am absolutely shocked and stumped by these developments and frankly at this point just looking for advice and suggestions.

[PsyGuy]

What school leave qualification did your child actually receive? Did they receive an IB Diploma or a local diploma (the US portion)?

If she received the IB diploma, or even just completed courses you can avoid the IS entirely and apply for a transcript directly from the IB. The cost is USD$17 and you can request the transcript online or submit a paper request form. You can find the link here:
http://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-p ... anscripts/

Unfortunately the accrediting bodies for US programs do not maintain transcripts or provide any type of transcript service, and you do have to receive that transcript from the IS, as they are the only custodians of that data (you should see what happens when an IS closes and suddenly there are no records). If this were somewhere else like the WE Id advise you contact the office for child and education services in the city the IS is located in, but this is China and no one is likely to help you.
You can try contacting the accreditation organization and plead your case, and hopefully someone will send the ISs leadership an inquiry which will get things moving, but if the IS wants to they can simply respond and say this is our policy and procedure for issuance of a transcript, and while it might seem impossible to comply with, it is what it is.
You could then look at applying for an NACES evaluation based solely on the issuance of the diploma.
Another option is to complete a GED exam/program.
At that point you need to indicate on your Uni applications that transcripts are not available and then explain.
It really sucks but one of the disadvantages of private/independent ISs being largely unregulated is the lack of regulation in academic records.

[eion_padraig]

What is the nature of the roadblocks? Who are you dealing with? Does the school have a counselor?

Our schools asks for graduates to pay for couriers to pay for transcripts that we have to mail out because its about 300 RMB per document we mail. It's a bit of a hassle to do a wire transfer I'm sure, but the few that need it done this way sort it out.

The only time we don't release documents is if there was money owed on the account that was unsettled. I can only think of one student who this applies to though the amount was significant.

We can mail them through regular without charging families, but there's no guarantee that those will be received so I don't recommend that as an option. However, we'd do it if the family wasn't willing to pay the courier fee and they needed it in paper form.

Some universities will accept faxed documents directly from the school (we don't charge for this as it's a negligible cost) or better yet the university will allow us to email scanned copies. You might have luck with having the admission officer from the universities ask the school for the documents directly?

Eion

[PsyGuy]

@eion_padraig

The problem with all those options is that the IS doesnt appear to want to do any of them. They are not cooperating or accommodating the transcript request.

[eion_padraig]

Sometimes I wonder what SighGuy says when he replies to a post I've made, then I remember how stupid and argumentative most of it was before I started to block all his posts, and I don't wonder anymore.

I really advise more people to do it. It cuts back a lot on useless posts to the forum.

[Reu]

eion_padraig wrote:
> Sometimes I wonder what SighGuy says when he replies to a post I've made,
> then I remember how stupid and argumentative most of it was before I
> started to block all his posts, and I don't wonder anymore.
>
> I really advise more people to do it. It cuts back a lot on useless posts
> to the forum.

Ahhh, cheers for that. I couldn't see a Block button, but forgot this forum uses Friend and Foe. Sorted!

[jstwatchin]

Thank you so much PsyGuy!

I was not aware that one could request the results from the IB to be sent directly to colleges.

@eion_padraig
Money was never the issue here. Frankly, I don't know and cannot fathom what the issue actually is. I had been dealing with the counselor (who is new to the school and someone we are not familiar with from our time there) and the records office, but by now have also emailed the principal. I will be contacting our consulate next and ... Though hopefully those transcripts from the IB will suffice.

[PsyGuy]

@eion_padraig

You dont have to remember you read it all the time. Thats why you read this post and you responded to it. F&F doesnt actually work until youve logged in. You probably read the forum, and then log in if there is anything you feel like commenting on.

@jstwatchin

You left on soured terms for some reason, and this is there passive aggressive way of getting back at you. Id go right to the IB to get the transcript, its all the Uni is going to care about anyway.

[eion_padraig]

I'm not sure what PsyGuy wrote, but the IB Organization doesn't have transcripts for schools. They have IB results, which are adequate for some countries universities like the UK, but US universities are almost certainly going to want actual transcripts for students from grades 9 - 12.

Emailing the principal sounds like a useful approach and if the school has a Head of School I'd include that individual. If that doesn't get you what you need, I'd think members of the school board if they have kids attending would be worried about transcripts not being sent for former students. I wonder if they somehow don't have access to them anymore like the files were deleted or thrown out. That's not entirely impossible to have happened, though it would indicate a pretty high level of incompetence on someone's part.

Eion

[PsyGuy]

@jstwatchin

@eion_padraig is exactly sure of what I wrote, she read it before she logged in.
The transcript will be the results of your exams and courses. Of course a Uni would like the entire upper senior secondary transcript, but given the circumstances the IB transcript is probably going to be good enough. It would be unusual of an admissions or enrollment services department to bulk at having received an IB transcript wanting more.

The IS is putting up these challenges with the knowledge of senior and executive leadership. If they didnt have the records anymore they would just apologize and tell you that and then they would work with you to figure out some reasonable accommodation.
You could try ownership it depends how its managed and who is on the board, if the board is nothing but friends and family your not likely to get anywhere.
If the results transcript isnt sufficient, Id consider going directly to the IB with a complaint and having them apply some pressure on the IS, Id file the complaint with the IB anyway.

[Walter]

Dave, Are you sure eion_padraig is a she? That would be a first.
A copy of IB results is just that. It isn't a transcript, and that's what most non-European universities would require.
It would be helpful to have more information in order to suggest ways forward. Otherwise you're just going to have Dave blurting out solutions with a degree of certainty that only he can fake.
1) What is the cause of the problem?
2) Who at the school (at what level in the hierarchy?) is giving you the runaround?
3) Where is the application going?
4) Is the school accredited?
5) Does it belong to one of the regional associations?
6) Is it proprietorial?

[PsyGuy]

@walter

You still dont now anything, and I dont have to fake anything.

Could be a male, doesnt really matter though.

I know your in leadership and need these things explained to you.
What do you think a transcript is? Its a summary of results. The student took X class at Y time and got Z grade. What do you think IB transcripts look like? The student took X course, at Y time and got Z score.
Further, the LWs child has already completed course work at a community/junior college.

The cause of the problem is they wont issue her childs transcript, she doesnt owe them any money. (addressing your reading fluency and comprehension would help in this, as the LW already posted this information).

Does it really matter who at the IS is doing it. Again had you read the LWs earlier posts you would know from their last post that they have been in contact with the counselor, the records office and the principal. So it's not one person who doesnt know what they are doing. The principal is pretty much senior leadership, and I cant imagine would be going rogue with the counselor and records office behind the HOSs back (though possible).

Does it really matter where the transcript is going? Its going to be posted in the mail to the institution. Could someone from the institution call sure, they could give personalized service to every applicant.

The accreditation issue is a valid one, but had you read the thread youd know that was already addressed and considered. Particularly recently in the guidance to contact the IB.

There is no indication in the post that the IS was an AS and was accredited by a US regional accrediting body. Even if it was, the regional accrediting bodies wont look into this (also previously discussed), they will consider it a personal matter. There just isnt an enforcement mechanism available to them to mandate compliance. The UK would be different if they were a BSO that was inspected by Ofsted, but theres no indication of either. Its just as likely the IS is one of those independent Chinese DSs that has IB. The IB route of inquiry/complaint is still the way to go.

About the only question of yours that hasnt been explored. If the IS were part of a chain of ISs there could be an appeal or complaint at a higher level outside the IS that could get this sorted out.

You should spend more time reading and less time blathering like an admin.

[Thames Pirate]

Students can fail a class and pass the IB test or receive high marks in class and bomb the exam. They do not show which courses the student took--just which IB exams and the results of those exams. IB results are not a transcript.

[Walter]

Dave, Dave, you do get snippy when you're challenged. Have you ever tried camomile tea or ovaltine when you're having one of those days?
Eion is the first name of the (male) captain of England's one day cricket team, and Padraig is the first name of one of Ireland's (male) great golfers, so I assumed that this contributor was also male. But you're probably right...
As for the questions, Dave, I wasn't asking you, I was asking the OP. So be a good boy (I know you're male, Dave, since I've seen your photo on your resume) and let us see the answers before you start with another of your blurts.

[PsyGuy]

@Thames Pirate

No you cant. You cant receive a 1 or 0 in any course and receive the IB diploma. IB results are a transcript, just not the same one an IS may issue.

@Walter

You havent seen anything, nor know anything. I dont need your permission to post a contribution.