My SO has no Idea!

[Lady Freedom Returns]

I have B.A. in Communications from MSSU. But I lost my copies of my transcripts due to the tornado and my flash drive with the electric copy getting stolen at a shelter. I have become delinquent in the payments of the loans due to no job since May 22, 2011. To get the transcripts I have to contact a clearinghouse and set up a payment plan. According to them I must get a paycheck so they can use the numbers on it to start to take payments off of it or my bank account number ( I don't have a bank account).

My SO keeps showing me jobs in my field and is yelling at me to apply. "Stop wasting your education" he says. Those jobs want copies of my transcripts. I can't give them what I no longer have. It like he is putting salt in a very open wound. He won't listen or understand. For now all I can do is pray for one of the fast food or clerk jobs to call. I am hurting so bad and he just won't stop and see what is going on.

So many are in a very similar boat right now in this country. It is a catch 22 for so many, need proof of education to get the job they are trained for, but can't get it due to not working and going delinquent. Thus, can not get the paperwork to change things.

And I am sure they to get to hear it from loved ones. But it still makes you feel alone in this world.

[shenmue]

1. I'm sorry

Don't give up. I hope it clears up for you.

[Kalidurga]

2. Been there done that....

I had to work as a cashier for a year to get my payments up to date so I could go to school and finish my degree. Since graduating whatever I have that is kicking my butt went into overdrive and now I have hypertension, probably diabetes (I just had labs done a couple days ago) my joints started hurting like a bleep. I wish that was all, but anyway long story short I can't work right now and my payments are going to go delinquent again and I won't be able to go back to school in the fall to start finishing a four year. Unless I claim hardship due to illness to put off having to pay for now. Which I will probably do, but it seems kind of a big risk for me to go back to school anyway, knowing how big a risk it is due to my health issues.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Hugs

All I can do

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. You aren't applying because of transcripts?

I have never been asked by a potential employer for transcripts. Only graduate schools. Don't let that hold you back.

[Cronus Protagonist]

6. Yup.

And even if one did, you would be working in the job and tell them you'll get the transcripts as soon as the governing body sends them to you. Use the paycheck to pay for it and get yourself re-established.

Or, you could try my method and completely ignore your college education and do something productive with your life instead, like giving gifts to children... you don't need a degree to do that!

[Ruby the Liberal]

8. Thanks Santa Cronus!

But giving gifts to kids doesn't pay the light bill. Heh.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

16. I have went to a few interviews.

But always the same. "No transcripts? Well, thank you for coming in."

[Brickbat]

5. What jobs want transcripts?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

15. Anything to do with TV News Production

That is my love and life. From working the studio camera all the way up to Producer. And in every interview they ask for my transcripts.

I have even done a little radio.The big thing is that it is not so much what you know, but WHO you know. Since I do not know anyone here in Tucson, they want to see proof that what I have put on my resume is true, thus the transcripts.

I have gone to some interviews here, but it always ends the same way.

[Brickbat]

17. If I were you, I'd call my college and not take no for an answer.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

19. I have called but every time I get this.

http://www.mssu.edu/registrar/transcripts.php

I get such a runaround it is not funny. One guy at the clearinghouse even told me to go get a job at Wal-Mart and then call back.

Add to the stress, I have a SO that will not listen to what I am going through. I know he means well, but it is like adding salt to a open wound. Between not doing what I love and the PTSD, having him show me the wanted adds for the PBS Channel here in Tucson hurts bad.

[jeff47]

33. Did the "GI Bill" happen to pay for your degree?

You mentioned PTSD (and I know you can get it from places other than the military, but combat is a common source.)

If veteran's benefits or ROTC paid anything towards your degree, they may have a transcript.

[quakerboy]

43. Doesnt work

While Ive never heard of it being an issue for a professional looking for a job, Ive known a few people who couldn't access transcripts for transferring colleges due to financial issues. And never heard of anyone having any luck with it.

Though, you might still be able to get an unofficial copy, the back of my mind says. No good for getting transfer credits, but maybe enough for the employment thing? I dunno why I think that might be possible.

[Le Taz Hot]

26. Anything in the education field.

Anytime I ever applied for a position with a school district I had to supply transcripts.

[GoCubsGo]

34. Lots of them.

It's mainly for proof of degrees. Nearly half of the jobs to which I have applied (I have applied to hundreds of them) required at least a scanned copy of transcripts, and of those, about half required "official" transcripts upon a job offer.

[Brickbat]

35. Interesting. Neither I nor Mr. Brickbat has ever been asked for transcripts.

[GoCubsGo]

37. It's mainly the government jobs.

Primarily state, but I have also been asked with some federal jobs, too.

[jazzimov]

7. Contact MSSU. They should have copies of your transcripts. nt

[Lady Freedom Returns]

11. I did. They said all dealing in getting the transcripts must be done via the clearinghouse.

So till I can finally get a call back from any place to get a paycheck...

[Skidmore]

18. Why can you not send them a letter with a cashier's check?

Why should they need a check from a place of employment to receive money for a copy? That makes no sense whatsoever. I'm assuming they are trying to establish that you are who you say you are but certainly there should be other ways of establishing this.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

20. According to the clearinghouse they have to get OK from the Perkens Loan guys.

They have to have a new payment plan set up before they can send it. They want proof that I am working and have income for them to take from. Till I do, they can not send my paperwork to me.

So I have got to keep trying to get a fast food or store clerk job so I can restart payments. And I have had a couple of interviews but no bites.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

42. Write your elected representatives

Either where you are now or where you came from. They like fixing these kind of things.....

[a la izquierda]

45. Okay, your school sucks and is giving you the runaround.

I was delinquent on loans that I stupidly believed were consolidated with my other loans. I was wrong. Anyway, the whole time this happened, I got whatever official transcripts I needed from the large state institution I attended for my PhD. However, smaller crap state school where I got my MA gave me grief until I showed up in person, ordered 25 transcripts and paid.

I have found you can deal with any federal loan lender if you're forceful enough. I got Sallie Mae to lower my payments just by being a persistent pain in the butt.

I feel your pain...but be loud and don't take no for an answer. Your transcripts aren't coming from the place that controls your Perkinds Loans. At least mine certainly didn't.

[backscatter712]

25. Like many schools, they refuse to provide transcripts if you're delinquent on your student loans.

Catch 22: Can't get a job because you're behind on loans and prevented from getting transcripts which would help you get a job to start repaying the loans and come out of default...

My advice: contact your lenders and see if you can get an unemployment deferment on your loans. That can get you out of default, which would enable you to get transcripts.

And also, keep applying for the good jobs - not every place will demand transcripts.

[Le Taz Hot]

28. When the HELL did THIS start happening

and whose brilliant ^%$$())^ idea was it? Now you can't get your own transcripts if you're behind on student load payments? I'm stunned. I guess I shouldn't be. I know you can't get a fed job if you owe them money. Even if you're on a payment plan and are current on your payments, the feds still consider you "delinquent."

[Lady Freedom Returns]

41. I have but they give this garbbly gooky mess about FEMA and the

Tornado and how that makes it where they can not help. I was even told to go get a job at Wal-Mart and then call them back. That hurt, hurt a lot.

[mike_c]

9. the only time I've ever had to supply transcripts was grad school....

In any event, you should be able to get unofficial copies of your transcript for a small fee. If any employer wants more than that, I'd question their motives. If you have a degree in your field, that is usually all you need. If you have the degree, the registrar's office will certainly confirm that, regardless of your student loan status. My loans were in default and all I could obtain were unofficial transcripts when I got a tenure track professor job. No problem.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

12. Not MSSU.

I ran into this in Springfield at the TV station there. I am also running into it here in Tucson.

What happen in Springfield that brought this problem to light was that they call the University and was told they could not confirm or deny I ever attended. I called and they said they could not do so due to the hold on the transcripts by the loan office.

None of it is making sense.

[Tender to the Bone]

10. You can request another copy of your transcripts.

http://www.mssu.edu/registrar/transcripts.php

If that would help?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

14. Thanks.

But it sends me to the clearing house.

[otherone]

13. courage

my friend'

[freshwest]

21. They won't take money for a transcript for this one reason?

They're cutting off their nose to spite their face. Sorry to hear you are having SO trouble over this. You guys have been through a lot since that tornado.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

23. They want me to restart payments on the loans first.

And that is really hard when you can't even land a burger flipping job. And that is also something that is getting to me. I have applied for fast food, cashier, stocker, all kinds of basic skill jobs but no takers. What is making me undesirable to those employers?

All I need is a job for them to garnish from and things can start moving. Yet...

[freshwest]

30. It may be, ironically, your college that is causing them to not hire you. I remember when I had to

leave college a few months short of getting my Bachelors to help family out.

When I applied for blue collar positions, I was told repeatedly that I would 'leave the job for a better one' so they refused to hire me.

I went to work for a corporation that didn't hold it against me. But those were different days, not in this punitive job market.

[GoCubsGo]

36. Yup.

I don't even bother applying for any sort of retail job or the like. I have a Masters degree. I could leave it all off the resume, but then they'd want to know what I was doing between high school and my first job, which was the sort that required at least a BS.

[savebigbird]

22. Would unofficial transcripts work?

How much do these transcripts cost?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

24. That would work, but I keep etting a run around on that.

They have something called LioNet that they tell you to go to for an unofficial transcript but you have to be a enrolled student to get into that. And when you ask for one to be sent they say( As seen on the web site) "The MSSU Registrar's Office cannot release a transcript if there is a financial obligation to the institution."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1002&pid=2596045

[nebenaube]

46. So the school loaned you the money?

If not, I fail to see why they can't release the transcripts.

comment based on: "The MSSU Registrar's Office cannot release a transcript if there is a financial obligation to the institution."

[Gidney N Cloyd]

27. Have you sent transcripts to other potential employers before you lost your copies?

If so, maybe contact some of them to see if they kept copies on file and will send you back the originals or photocopies.

[Paulie]

29. Yep! And if you emailed them they may still be in your sent box.

Do you still have that computer you downloaded the electronic copy by chance and where you put them on the flash drive?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

31. Good idea.

I just need to remember who might have it. Most of my career was spent in KODE. They hired me while I was in college. So they don't have it, never asked for it.

[jeff47]

32. Use a data "safety deposit box"

This is too late to help in your situation, but it may help someone else from running into it.

http://drive.google.com

Free account that lets you store up to 5GB of data on their servers. Protects against tornado, theft-of-flash-drive and similar situations. Put electronic copies of important stuff there, so if something does happen to your hardware you can get it again.

I'm sorry that you didn't have this when it could help. Would actually going to MSSU in person do you any good? The kids working in the registrar's office might give you a copy despite what the rules say.

[Knightraven]

38. I think I am about to tell you something you already know.

Screw the traditional way. Go ground up!

You posted up above that you worked in a TV Station so you know as well as I do that they like/love to hire part time people that they don't have to really train. That was probably how you got the one you talk about. Do it again! Yes, pay sucks. Yes, only part time work. Yes you may/will have to get second, even third job.

Look I think I know how you feel. I work as a Production Tech. I love it madly. And with what I have read here, your mad for it to. You would not be hurting so much if you weren't. The part time route will help get a foot in the door again and get that feeling, fix if you will.

Don't let paperwork stupidity from stopping you from going home!

[Lady Freedom Returns]

39. home...fix... hit the nail on the head.

That is what I am looking for. Working a control room is a homecoming to me. The high energy level of it is SO addictive. It is where I am me.

It will still be a pain to do, directors hate to think they are hireling their possible replacement. And I will be lucky to get 25 hours a week. And since I have to rely on a bus, I will either have to walk to or from work due to the hours I will be working. But at least I will be happy again. It will be nice to smile again.

[aikoaiko]

40. Three possibilities as work arounds.

1. Did you give your official copies to anyone else when you first graduated like a doctoral program, grant agency, other job. You might be able to ask for your files and get the original from them or at least a scanned copy.

2. Did you ever email scanned copies to anyone? They might have them in their electronic records.

3. Call up your old advisor and ask him or her to print something from his or her computer. It might not be an official transcript, but they might be able to print up something close to it. We call them permanent student records.

[Egalitarian Thug]

44. Dear God, if you are in as dire straights as this post indicates, stop worrying about your

fucking school loans! You cannot get blood from a turnip and these collections agencies are utterly powerless to do anything to you except what you allow them to.

Any reputable company that really wants to hire you can get verification themselves, so concentrate on making them want to hire you first.

[Sheldon Cooper]

47. I guess the lesson to learn from this, for anyone recently graduated, or about to

graduate, is to order a couple dozen copies of your transcripts as soon as possible and guard them zealously. You never know what the future holds, and you wouldn't want to be unable to get a job because you got behind on your school loans and now you can't get a transcript.

This is truly ridiculous. Student loan status should not stand in the way of getting a transcript.