I have a total of 9 transcripts from courses over the years and two are unrelated to PT. One is for accounting and the other is for a non-credit photography class. I feel like the more transcripts I have on Ptcas, the more more confusing and ridiculous my application will look. Does anyone know what happen if you don't send the ones that really don't count in? Is there some way PTCAS or the schools can check?
What would happen if you don't send all transcripts to ptcas?
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It sucks that you have so many transcripts but my guess is your application would never be verified and thus not be mailed out to your programs
It says on the website that PTCAS takes the transcripts you send them and compares every course on your application to every course on your transcript to verify it (this is why the verification process takes several weeks)
Actually, I'm pretty sure they won't even start to verify your application until they receive transcripts from all the University's you have listed on your application
I'm not sure what would happen if you just do not include those schools on your application, but I wouldn't recommend it.
You could ask them about it, but, based on several previous experiences with PTCAS customer service, my guess is you'll get a customer service representative who is rude, speaks poor English, doesn't understand your question, or doesn't know the answer to your question - maybe I just have bad luck though
It says on the website that PTCAS takes the transcripts you send them and compares every course on your application to every course on your transcript to verify it (this is why the verification process takes several weeks)
Actually, I'm pretty sure they won't even start to verify your application until they receive transcripts from all the University's you have listed on your application
I'm not sure what would happen if you just do not include those schools on your application, but I wouldn't recommend it.
You could ask them about it, but, based on several previous experiences with PTCAS customer service, my guess is you'll get a customer service representative who is rude, speaks poor English, doesn't understand your question, or doesn't know the answer to your question - maybe I just have bad luck though
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I had 6 transcripts and I ended up having to spend money to mail them all of them to PTCAS. It didn't help that I express/emergency mailed them so PTCAS processes them faster -___-"
I would just do it to be safe. Don't worry, I had a lot of unrelated courses since I took some stuff in high school instead of taking APs up to now. Also, don't worry about looking disorganized they'll figure it out since you have to input your grades on PTCAS and they sort it out for you too if you put your information correctly.
Grad school process always has money sacrifices sadly 🙁
Hope this helps! :]
I would just do it to be safe. Don't worry, I had a lot of unrelated courses since I took some stuff in high school instead of taking APs up to now. Also, don't worry about looking disorganized they'll figure it out since you have to input your grades on PTCAS and they sort it out for you too if you put your information correctly.
Grad school process always has money sacrifices sadly 🙁
Hope this helps! :]
Tell me about it. 16 programs through PTCAS. GREs sent to 12 that required it. Interview arrangements. Sheesh!!!
ANyway, unfortunately, you will have to send all of those transcripts. But you gotta do what you gotta do.
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My entire undergraduate degree would be considered "unrelated" but you still have to submit. I have to prove I have a bachelor's degree.
Sorry that you have so many, but it is what it is. Send em all!
Sorry that you have so many, but it is what it is. Send em all!
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To be honest with you. They won't know if you send all your transcripts in or not. You should send them all in but they will never be able to tell/know what courses you have completed unless you already filled out your course work section.
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Still the one course that has credits associated with it, would affect the applicant's overall GPA (albeit, not by much) but I just wouldn't want to get caught up in a "you didn't tell the truth" situation. You didn't lie, but you weren't completely truthful.
OP- You could call/email the schools you're applying to and ask them if it's completely necessary-- If they say no, then don't worry about it... If they say yes, (and it's only one school) then I say just send them the transcripts directly.
SEND IN ALL YOUR TRANSCRIPTS TO PTCAS!!!
I'm saying this because until you do, PTCAS will hold your application until all transcripts you've listed on your application have been sent in. Trust me, I know. It took PTCAS over 2 weeks to notify me that one of my transcripts hadn't been sent in, then when I sent it in, they filed it under the wrong school which has delayed my applications even further.
The email from PTCAS specifically said the following:
"PTCAS will NOT process your application or forward it to your designated PTCAS program(s) until it receives the correct fee payment and an official transcript from EVERY regionally accredited U.S. institution you have attended, including any colleges or universities where transfer credit was earned."
So I know it is a pain in the you-know-what. (The transcript they were missing for me was for one class at one school and I don't even need the course for the programs I'm applying to). But send it in. Otherwise, well, uh oh. 🙁
I'm saying this because until you do, PTCAS will hold your application until all transcripts you've listed on your application have been sent in. Trust me, I know. It took PTCAS over 2 weeks to notify me that one of my transcripts hadn't been sent in, then when I sent it in, they filed it under the wrong school which has delayed my applications even further.
The email from PTCAS specifically said the following:
"PTCAS will NOT process your application or forward it to your designated PTCAS program(s) until it receives the correct fee payment and an official transcript from EVERY regionally accredited U.S. institution you have attended, including any colleges or universities where transfer credit was earned."
So I know it is a pain in the you-know-what. (The transcript they were missing for me was for one class at one school and I don't even need the course for the programs I'm applying to). But send it in. Otherwise, well, uh oh. 🙁
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I think, correct me if I'm wrong OP, that it is not a "I'm going to say I took these classes on PTCAS and then not send the transcripts" but rather a "I'm going to pretend like I never took the class at all, and not send in the transcript" deal...
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That's the way I took it markel. I am not sure if PTCAS would ever know what classes were taken or what institutions were attended unless the applicant mentions such on their application.
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Two words: bad idea. Unless of course you are not worried about being disqualified completely. What's the point? Just send them in ... I'm sure the schools to which you are applying won't be too confused with the number of transcripts you have and will be able to see that a few were only for a single class. National Student Clearinghouse has records on all current and previous attendances as well as degree completion, which is a pretty simple database to access. I completely withdrew from the first university I ever attended, with no credit whatsoever, but still listed it because I was enrolled at one point.
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Good point ClimberGrrrl. Does PTCAS check the National Student Clearinghouse? If they do, then I would list everything and get all the transcripts sent in. I enrolled in a community college for a class and dropped it the first day during the drop/add period. The school told me that they don't have a transcript for me because I dropped it the first day, but the Clearinghouse has a record of me attending. I guess I need to figure out what I am supposed to do.
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I had W's on my transcript. Your situation is completely different as nothing was ever recorded by the school. I wouldn't worry about it. I highly doubt that PTCAS checks, as that would be an obnoxious amount of verification, but if you were to be accepted to a PT school it's possible that they would check all the admitted student's records against the student clearinghouse. I have no idea ... I just personally wouldn't risk it.
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Do you have to pay to check the clearinghouse? It sounds like an interesting site. I am wondering what paperwork is signed at universities that allows them to release transcript information to the clearinghouse. Given how strict the FERPA laws are, i have my doubts that this clearinghouse has info on anyone unless a waiver is signed.
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Yes, you do have to pay as an individual, but I would have no idea what the requirements would be for an institution, particularly an institution that is already a member of the clearinghouse. From my experience, it's usually around $6.50. All I know is that I never signed a specific waiver for my information to be released to this site, and yet it was. I believe they are basically contracted by schools to maintain this administrative data so the institution itself doesn't have to. I really couldn't tell you much more about this site than this, but this info is clearly out there and I just think it would be silly to put yourself in a position where it could come back and haunt you. If you really didn't want to list these classes, I would at least contact the schools to which you are applying and ask them what they would suggest.
Doesn't seem like PT is worth it to you if you can't have transcripts sent...
No one is exactly thrilled about filling out applications, especially when there are classes that "are unrelated", but having the transcripts sent is like one of the easiest parts...hell it's even easier than filling out the classes section!
No one is exactly thrilled about filling out applications, especially when there are classes that "are unrelated", but having the transcripts sent is like one of the easiest parts...hell it's even easier than filling out the classes section!
appisin-
The original poster was simply asking if it was necessary to send all his transcripts since he has so many - especially since one was just for a photography class. A lot of schools charge for transcripts (my undergrad university charges $8.00 for a copy) Sending 9 could be expensive, and he probably figured he'd at least check to see if it was necessary. Also, he was worried about making his application look messy.
Who are you to judge someone's passion for something when it's likely that you don't even know this person?
I agree, it's an easy part of the application, but you have no right to say PT school is not worth it to him/her because he was curious about an easy part of the application - if anything, you could fault the poster for not reading/checking the PTCAS instructions carefully - but not for a lack of interest in the profession
The original poster was simply asking if it was necessary to send all his transcripts since he has so many - especially since one was just for a photography class. A lot of schools charge for transcripts (my undergrad university charges $8.00 for a copy) Sending 9 could be expensive, and he probably figured he'd at least check to see if it was necessary. Also, he was worried about making his application look messy.
Who are you to judge someone's passion for something when it's likely that you don't even know this person?
I agree, it's an easy part of the application, but you have no right to say PT school is not worth it to him/her because he was curious about an easy part of the application - if anything, you could fault the poster for not reading/checking the PTCAS instructions carefully - but not for a lack of interest in the profession
Whoa now!!!!
Im sure appisin didn't mean anything by it.
But just like you said, I do see some post on here about people assuming that others really dont want to be a PT bad enough since they dont want to retake classes, or go to interviews, etc. (What if you dont have the means to pay for those right, does that mean you dont want to become a PT? NO!)
It's all good tho folks.
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Who are you to judge someone's passion for something when it's likely that you don't even know this person?
My statement implies IF. It's my opinion and probably how schools would see it to.
I am not judging motivation, passion, etc, BUT we can all sit around and make each other feel good about everything or we can provide useful criticism and feedback. Try to see it from PTCAS or a program's point of view...because that's how we're judged, not by each other or ourselves.
Sailing, I didn't mean anything personal about you, I was merely saying that if one were to not send in all transcripts "because there were so many" then it would seemingly look bad.
As far as cost, yeah, I understand, I had to send 3 transcripts myself, each $5 a piece. At 9, it would probably add up.
So psu, relax. 😎
My statement implies IF. It's my opinion and probably how schools would see it to.
I am not judging motivation, passion, etc, BUT we can all sit around and make each other feel good about everything or we can provide useful criticism and feedback. Try to see it from PTCAS or a program's point of view...because that's how we're judged, not by each other or ourselves.
Sailing, I didn't mean anything personal about you, I was merely saying that if one were to not send in all transcripts "because there were so many" then it would seemingly look bad.
As far as cost, yeah, I understand, I had to send 3 transcripts myself, each $5 a piece. At 9, it would probably add up.
So psu, relax. 😎
So true. You don't think there are 300 other individuals who wouldn't second guess sending 9 transcripts to PTCAS?
Sorry, but your post did not come off as if you were basing it off of how the schools would view the applicant.
If you truly weren't judging the poster's intentions/passion, then you could have said something like:
"The schools may think that you don't have a passion for the field if you don't complete such a simple part of the application.."
I'm just saying it sounded like a judgmental comment - post as you wish, but I doubt comments such as "
Doesn't seem like PT is worth it to you if you can't have transcripts sent.." will be appreciated or get your point across
Actually, now that you explained the intention of your first post, your point is helpful, and it is probably true that many schools wouldn't bother with such an application.
If you truly weren't judging the poster's intentions/passion, then you could have said something like:
"The schools may think that you don't have a passion for the field if you don't complete such a simple part of the application.."
I'm just saying it sounded like a judgmental comment - post as you wish, but I doubt comments such as "
Doesn't seem like PT is worth it to you if you can't have transcripts sent.." will be appreciated or get your point acrossActually, now that you explained the intention of your first post, your point is helpful, and it is probably true that many schools wouldn't bother with such an application.