Question regarding Transcript being held hostage

[cknapp78]

Hi All,

As many of you suggested, I went ahead and ordered my transcripts from the B&M College I Had attended. Got 2 classes from the local CC. However, about 16 years ago I attended DeVry University. Attended onsite for a semester and then moved to online courses since I traveled a fair amount for work. During my first semester online, I suffered a seizure at work. Long story short, after 2 months of struggling to be diagnosed, I had brain surgery. Fully recovered thank goodness.

Here is the ringer...as part of my issues and troubles, I had to withdraw from school. Wasn't an issue at the time, but apparently now that I had contacted the University, they are telling me that I missed the withdraw cutoff date, and I still owe them over 5000 dollars in back tuition. They will not release a transcript to me or any college otherwise. It has been past the normal 7 year standard for discharging debt so it looks like they are not going to attempt to collect the debt unless I want to get my transcript. So in other words, if you want your grades, pay us.

Hell for 5000 dollars I am just as well off starting over and getting almost 2 BA or BS degrees from TESU. I guess I am just looking for confirmation that I am pursuing the correct path in starting over from scratch. I sure don't have 5000 available right now. Heck, even cobbling together enough money to test out of a degree is tough. Doable, but tough. Anyone have any other ideas, or am I just stuck repeating my classes?

Thanks.

[wombat777]

How many credits are you talking about?

[clep3705]

Have you revealed to any other schools that you attended DeVry? Did you apply for financial aid? I'm raising the question of how would any other school know you went to DeVry?

[cknapp78]

@Wombat - Probably about 24 to 30 credits. Mostly GenEd stuff. There might be an IT course or two in there as well but since they are so outdated, I doubt they will transfer.

@clep3705 - I have not told any other schools about DeVry. I have not even been in contact with any of the Big 3 as of yet. I had a few schools like Kaplan, etc... contact me but I just told them I am gathering transcripts. Also, I will not be going the financial aid route. Looking to pay as I go and keep debt away.

[bjcheung77]

Have you revealed to any other schools that you attended DeVry? Did you apply for financial aid? I'm raising the question of how would any other school know you went to DeVry?

The school can find out from Gov/Federal student loans info and the National Student Clearinghouse verification service.
They really can get a lot of info about a student even though they usually won't need to verify everything. A recent discussion about it here: http://www.degreeforum.net/graduate-scho...post205837

[bjcheung77]

@Wombat - Probably about 24 to 30 credits. Mostly GenEd stuff. There might be an IT course or two in there as well but since they are so outdated, I doubt they will transfer.

@clep3705 - I have not told any other schools about DeVry. I have not even been in contact with any of the Big 3 as of yet. I had a few schools like Kaplan, etc... contact me but I just told them I am gathering transcripts. Also, I will not be going the financial aid route. Looking to pay as I go and keep debt away.

I would create an ACE Credit Registry account, finish all free courses and cheap credits from ALEKS, work on Saylor and Straighterline courses towards your degree goal. Then apply and submit everything you can to them, including your CC credits. If you can't get the Devry info, email advising/admissions that you can't get that info and explain when asked.

[clep3705]

If you didn't use financial aid at DeVry and don't use financial aid in the future, you might be able to not mention DeVry without any adverse consequences. I don't always mention all of the schools I've attended simply because of the cost of sending so many transcripts.

[cookderosa]

what they're doing with your transcripts is standard business, all colleges do this.

That said, the -hope and pray they never find out- is one method, but be careful with that approach, since most colleges ask you to reveal ALL your prior colleges in your application. Not doing so could result in your degree being revoked. I'm 99% sure we had a story of that happening a year or two back on here....I'll have to look.


EDIT to add: Sanatone's post over at degreeinfo might be helpful Found Elusive Anecdote of What Can Happen if You Don't Disclose All Previous Colleges

[davewill]

I'd pursue a little more at DeVry. It seems to me that with the circumstances of your withdrawal, you might have been able to get them excuse the tuition. Of course it may be impossible to get any action taken at this late date, but I'd at least ask.

[cknapp78]

Unfortunately after requesting the transcript they contacted me and said the only way I am getting my transcript is to pay the balance.

I have no issue starting over since it has been so long. I guess my only question is that when the college I decide to enroll in asks for my transcripts and DeVry tells them no, will I still be able to enroll even though DeVry will not release the transcipts. I have no issue declaring that I attended there. Just hope that the school is understanding of my situation.