Hello,
I hope this message reaches the group well. I am concerned that my college is withholding my transcripts from other colleges illegally. (ex. School A is withholding school B and C’s transcripts because I am in debt with school A.) Is it legal for school A to withhold transcripts that are not their own?
A college can withhold your transcript if you owe them money. It’s not illegal.
You need to make arrangement for payment and then to get your transcripts to the other schools.
It is not illegal. You can’t stiff College A while getting a degree at B or C. Holding transcripts is one way they prevent you from attempting that, plus there is a national college clearinghouse to ensure this doesn’t happen. How are you planning to pay for College B or C if you can’t pay off A?
“School A is withholding school B and C’s transcripts because I am in debt with school A”
Why can’t you ask school B and C directly for your transcripts?
And yes, schools can legally withhold transcripts if you haven’t paid your bill.
Do you owe $ to all 3 schools? what sequence did you attend schools A,B and C? Yes, schools do expect there to be o outstanding debt before they will release transcripts.
It would be helpful if you divulge the entire situation you are facing.
You can likely get School B’s and C’s transcripts directly from them, unless you also owe them money. It doesn’t really matter that school A is withholding B’s and C’s transcript, as well as theirs. If you are applying to another school, call it D, you will still need the transcript from A.
As others have said school A does not have to release your transcript because you owe them money, and no matter where you intend on attending next, you must send in school A’s transcript.
If you attend school A and transfer to school B, then you’re required to have school A send your transcripts to school B. School A can place a hold on your transcripts if you owe them money. To get them released you have to pay what you owe. Some colleges will let students set up a payment plan.
If you try to transfer to school C after attending school A and school B, then you have to ask school A to send their transcripts to school C and school B to send their transcripts to school C. It doesn’t matter whether or not school A includes the transcripts from school B. In order to be official, school B’s transcripts must be sent directly from school B.
How much money do you owe? Have you tried setting up a payment plan?