Academic Notes on Transcript

Anna Marie

Just looking for some thoughts on this. Is it worth bothering your undergrad registrar for a sealed letter to send to LSAC so academic honors (Phi Beta Kappa, etc.) can be included on the Law School Report? I already have that information on my resume but was looking over LSAC policies and saw the following:

Academic Notes
If a transcript contains academic notes such as dean’s list, study-abroad credits, academic probation, suspension, dismissal, warning, and so on, these notes will appear on your law school report.
Transcript notations such as dean’s list, Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, and the like will be included on the report as “Academic Honors.” Academic honors not included on your official transcript will be noted on the Law School Report if an official, sealed letter sent from the registrar is received by LSAC.
If you question a transcript notation of academic action, you should contact the institution directly and resolve the matter as soon as possible. Please note that a discrepancy between your answer to a law school application academic record question and notations on your transcript(s) could result in a misconduct and irregularities investigation.

stepharizona

I had been working on this too back in 2014 but have found it a bit more difficult to get done. I am missing Deans List honors and the Honors society on my transcript. When I called they said it wasnt policy to include those then (2000), and I have had a bit of a runaround trying to get it done. So I actually gave up. I would be curious to see if it is worth it. Maybe @david.busis or @"Mike Spivey" can weigh in.

Alex

Yeah, I too am curious! I graduated summa, phi beta kappa, and have some other honors I would like included.... I think not having these things on my transcript notes could make a huge difference! I didn't pay that $90 Phi beta kappa fee for nothing, lol!

Sprinkles

@"Alex Divine" you have some great things on your transcript that's what's up

stepharizona

@"Alex Divine" said:
Yeah, I too am curious!

Yeah I just went back and looked and the only thing I have is my "Academic Honors" from 1998. I had Phi theta Kapp, a Deans List in 99/2000 and Communications Honors Society. Also my Graduated with Distinction is missing twice from my graduate programs, but those grades also fall under "See Transcript" so... ugh... I tired for 6 months to find someone to get it added to my transcript and finally gave up. Maybe I will try again.

Alex

@montaha.rizeq said:
@"Alex Divine" you have some great things on your transcript that's what's up

Thanks! It sucks that they might not be on my transcript now... I guess as bummed as I am, I am glad I found out now before I sent them. Hopefully there is something the registrar at my UG can do, at least I hope.

Alex

@stepharizona said:
Maybe I will try again.

Ugh... They make this whole process so much more difficult than it needs to be. Might as well try again, nothing to lose at this point.

stepharizona

@"Alex Divine" said:
Might as well try again, nothing to lose at this point.

Well seeing as each call took 2 hours due to being passed around from department to department and then finding out I'm a 2000 graduate, which means having to go to the "archives" and will need to be called back by the end of the week (or two weeks) which never happened and started all over again. I guess I will wait until after the LSAT. Ugh. I am on main campus next week, so maybe I will have more luck in person. Its even more frustrating that current policy says these things are added and they were not apparently back then.

But if it doesn't really matter, is it worth the effort? It was over 16 years ago, so I think I have a certificate maybe at my parents house and I paid for lifetime memberships to the societies... but they can't send the letters, it has to be the registrars.

badgalriri

I have a similar question - I requested my transcript shortly before I graduated last year (& ended up taking the year off) so my LSAC report has all of my grades and the correct GPA, but it doesn't have my academic honors or say I graduated.

Do I have to request a new transcript?

David Busis

@MoralVacuum If you have the time, I don't see that it could hurt, but I think it's sufficient to note the honors on your resume.

Alex

@david.busis Will law schools have any other way of seeing our honors (summa cum laude) or things like phi beta kappa?

stepharizona

@"Alex Divine" said:
@david.busis Will law schools have any other way of seeing our honors (summa cum laude) or things like phi beta kappa?

I think he was saying to note them on our resumes. Other than that no way, unless a professor mentions them in our letters. I might call the LSAC to see if a letter from the organization can result in it being added to our transcripts but I doubt it. It might have to go letter from org to school, soll letter to LSAC.

Alex

@stepharizona said:
I think he was saying to note them on our resumes. Other than that no way, unless a professor mentions them in our letters. I might call the LSAC to see if a letter from the organization can result in it being added to our transcripts but I doubt it. It might have to go letter from org to school, soll letter to LSAC.

Ahh, I see. Thank you Steph! I will certainly put on my resume, but it still grinds my gears that the school doesn't just automatically add it on... I emailed them a couple days ago and still no reply.

Your idea makes sense, maybe the organizations can send something to the LSAC? Good thing!

David Busis

@stepharizona @"Alex Divine" Yes I meant to say "note," not "not." Thanks @stepharizona.

Admissions officers are going to look for this kind of thing on your resume, since many transcripts won't note them and almost nobody is going to request a special transcript from the registrar.

Alex

Thank you Mr. @david.busis I am happy to hear that I won't be totally screwed if I can't get a special transcript.

stepharizona

@david.busis said:
Admissions officers are going to look for this kind of thing on your resume, since many transcripts won't note them and almost nobody is going to request a special transcript from the registrar.

Perfect thanks. Yeah, I looked today and I saw that my CC actually did include my Phi Theta Kappa Honors and more but LSAC only put "Academic Honors" for one year. Oh... I totally forgot I was in the honors program, I should probably put that on the resume too. Any other nontraditionals having a hard time remembering all the stuff they did in college?