Worries about my name change, please help!

horticuldstation
Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:54:11 +0000

I have quite a few questions, so please bear with me.

A few years ago, I had my first name legally changed (this was after high school graduation). It wasn’t for some vain or trivial reason, as the first name was actually causing complications for me which I won’t get into.

Currently, I’m a community college student. This upcoming year, I’m planning on applying to transfer, and I’ll be applying to a number of UC and CSU campuses.

Of course, during the initial process of having my first name legally changed, I had my records updated at a variety of places, including: social security, passport, dmv, voter reg, at my current college, etc.

I DIDN’T have it changed on my high school records. I’m not sure that can even be done (many colleges allow you to change the name on your records after graduation, but I’m not sure about high school). If my high school doesn’t allow it, how will I explain it to the UC/CSU’s? Will I have to contact every school I apply to with my situation and proceed from there? Should I do it before I send in the applications or after? Initially I thought all I’d have to do was make a note on the application that I used to go by another name, and maybe send in a name change document, but after doing some research on this forum, it seems as if even that’s not enough and that many colleges fail to keep a student’s files together if some papers have different names, even if the student notes this on the application. Many times, test scores and or transcripts simply are lost forever!
You would think social security #'s and date of birth would help keep files together despite the different names, yet still so many students seem to write in here about their files being misplaced or never received.

The second part of my question refers to SAT and IB scores. These are also obviously under my old name. Now, SAT’s are NOT required for junior transfer applicants. But I’m a bit unsure about that. That means transfers don’t have to take them, but if they already did take them as in my case, are they not required to send them in, period? It’s just we’ve heard again and again on this forum that you should divulge ALL information as best as you can, otherwise it’s considered fraud. Many students on CC have written in asking about whether they have to report a single bad grade they took on the side at a community college, and everyone always agrees that you should DIVULGE EVERYTHING. But is that just for grades/transcripts, whereas SAT scores are different? I’m not ashamed of my scores or anything, they were fine, but seeing as how they have a different name on them and that could cause problems, I’d much rather not send them in at all if I don’t have to and if it will simplify things…

The IB scores are similar. Are we ever required to send in IB scores? It’s supposed to be to our benefit after all…potentially giving us college credit. But honestly if it’s just going to cause a name mixup I’d rather just not. But would that be considered trying to conceal information? I didn’t even do full IB diploma, I simply took 2 SL tests and 2 HL tests (and I assume I’d only send in HL tests anyway right? Most schools don’t take SL tests)…

Sorry for this huge mess of a post. I know it makes more sense to contact an actual official or counselor, but the thought of having to contact 4-6 all at once for all the schools I’m interested in is daunting.