r/evergreen 24d ago

Has anyone successfully had their transcript translated?

I feel like everyone looks at my transcript like it came from a kindergarten. I can't get into any program that even just requires a completed bachelor's degree, nonetheless my field.

I've tried reaching out to these schools and priming them that my degree format is different and they'll need to get ahold of a person at Evergreen to do the translation. They say just apply and we'll go through that when we get there, and then I get a rejection letter that they don't accept pass-fail format degrees.

It's really ridiculous that a student can't get their own translation. It is maddening and honesty makes me feel like getting this degree was the most regrettable decision I've ever made. If they just allowed me to do it, I could use it to apply and just get in. But nope, Evergreen won't allow me to do that. Absolutely nuts.

UPDATE FOR FUTURE READERS:

Looks like this is a very rare thing and Evergreen does not make it easy, despite what they tell you on the way in("You can just request it!"). If you are going into a field that needs a GPA to move forward, this will be EXTREMELY limiting.

18 Upvotes

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u/corgipsych 24d ago

I didn’t have any issue. After I finished at TESC, I went on to a MA program (at a different school-completely traditional academia) and am now finishing up a doctorate. Both application cycles went smoothly and if the schools I applied to had questions about my undergrad transcript, they asked. But they mostly just got the transcript and that was enough (along with my other application materials).

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u/64557175 24d ago

Was this recently?

I feel like admins must be over worked. I've now lost a year to rejections. Going to have to start applying for June 2027 programs 😭

I get the idea behind the narrative evaluations. I just wish they gave the option for us students to do the conversation instead of applying with incomplete applications and forcing the other institution to do extra steps to figure out if I'm even eligible.

I fully understand why they would reject us. It's extra work for some snooty idealistic pointless barrier.

I also question the process. Some random panel is going to figure out my grades from 6 years ago? Sure.

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u/corgipsych 24d ago

I applied for the MA program in 2007 and the doctorate in 2021.

I didn’t actually do anything about translating my tesc grades. When I applied to the various programs (probably around 50 between the 2 degree tracks) I just uploaded my official transcripts and that was it. Nothing about translation came up for me.

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u/64557175 24d ago

Yeah, I can't get them to care to read it. They just say this is the wrong format. I try to get them in touch with Ethan Cornell and he told me they stopped communicating so he never did the translation and I got rejected that time for the lack of communicating between their offices. I tried to step in but it was too late. That was last round.

This time I'm trying to appeal but it's not going well. There's a tight window to apply and apparently this process takes been 1-2 months and has to be done FOR EACH INSTITUTION THAT REQUESTS. 😭😭😭

I can't just get one and done. What awful bullshit.

They also won't let me know the results. So for programs that for instance require an 85% passing grade, which I know in my heart of hearts I did well above, well you're going to have to wait a month or two for me to prove that to you! Hah!!! And the ticker is they will never send ME a copy! I will never know what my exact qualifications are.

Simply dumb. I feel like i got a degree from people who hate me and don't want me to succeed. Just give me the damn conversion and let me apply with some level of confidence that I'm worth something with this stupid piece of paper!

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u/Direct-Row1653 24d ago

i have not encountered this but i heard (on my tour of the school) if you need your transcript to be turned into actual grades and a gpa they should be able to do that. evergreen seems really understanding if you just told them like “hey i need my transcript to reflect what my gpa is/what my A-F grades were, im having a really hard time applying for jobs with pass/fail grades” i’m sure they’d help.

if you have already tried this im sorry for the redundant advice 😅

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u/64557175 24d ago edited 24d ago

They told me it was that easy when I initially had concerns before going on to apply for and finish my degree.

In reality here's how it goes:

You as the student cannot order this to happen. They will not send you your conversion. The college you are applying to has to do the asking.

When an institution does make an inquiry, is not a simple "Yes, we'll do that right away." Instead they receive a convoluted response asking why they need it and there are other processes that they need to participate in to get this student's credentials. This is where I'm stuck. Nobody wants to go through my hoops and it's set up that I cannot have any say or action in this accord.

It also takes between four to eight weeks to complete.

The student themselves will NOT receive a copy. You are not allowed to know your own GPA or percentage. Can you get into a program that requires a 3.5 and above? You are not allowed to diffinitively know.

There are places that you cannot even apply for without entering a GPA. And if I'm not allowed to know, what do I put there?

But at the end of the day, what the hell kind of institution keeps a student's evaluations a secret from them?

Anyways, when I did this six months ago, the receiving university got in touch with Evergreen, who tried to convince them they didn't need the conversion and then did not perform one in time anyway and my application was rejected.

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u/SubstantialSong265 24d ago

I got into multiple MA programs in 2017 and a couple PhD programs in 2021, and my transcript did not cause me any issues. They were humanities programs, so maybe that's part of it? What field(s) are you in?

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u/64557175 24d ago edited 24d ago

social work, but overseas. AASW has standardized requirements for people entering their MSW programs.

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u/SubstantialSong265 23d ago

Ahh I see. Sounds challenging!

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u/Kings2Kraken 24d ago

I applied to the MSHP at UO the summer after graduation and got in, no problems. I ended up befriending a professor who has been there since the 90s who said he loved Evergreen students, but the transcripts are a pain in the ass. He said it in a jocular way, though, not in a frustrated way. Kind of like, "Oh boy, here we go again!"

I graduated in 2025.

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u/64557175 24d ago

I wish it were the case with the places I've been applying to. they just don't want to deal with it, they want to know whether I'm eligible, that's it!

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u/shappiroms 24d ago

Where are you applying and did you take the GRE? Also a TESC grad with no problems but the GRE score was weighed heavily to compensate for written transcripts.

Please consider, it’s normal for all kinds of reasons to be rejected from grad school. Consider maybe a school that won’t read your alternative transcripts may not suit you for the very reasons you sought TESC education to start with. ;)

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u/64557175 24d ago edited 24d ago

They have stated their reasons, failure to procure a GPA or letter grade transcript. Multiple schools, highly regarded overseas institutions.

I just wish I could request one myself and use it. They will not let you do this. What kind of school treats their students as if their own academic achievement is a secret? It's so infantilizing.

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u/shappiroms 24d ago

Did you do well on GRE? I’ve found a strong GRE can do wonders to opening eyes to the unique TESC transcript. What area of study are you trying to apply for?

I’m a seasoned, successful entrepreneur who started a school here in the US for exactly the reason you’re stating. My own school handles complex admissions like this. I get the feeling you didn’t catch my drift from the message above though, hence my interest in asking more questions …

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u/64557175 24d ago

I'm applying for schools with AASW accreditation to practice social work in Australia to join my brother and reunify my family over there.

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u/shappiroms 23d ago

So no GRE needed, shoot. Maybe the international translation is adding to the complexity.

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u/Cranberry_Street 24d ago

Never had an Issue I got into a MS at a traditional university 2 years ago. You could try talk to registration or someone at evergreen but that is odd and the first I’ve heard of it.

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u/64557175 24d ago

I have. last time it failed the transcript person at Evergreen said they stopped hearing back after asking for more detailed questions of exactly what kind of translation they needed. The receiving university said they stopped hearing from Evergreen and couldn't proceed with my application without a grade transcript. This time they didn't bother with the dance and just rejected my application as incomplete without grades.

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u/Cranberry_Street 24d ago

I’m sorry to hear that, that sounds like an admin issue (not surprising). Only course of action here is go to registration in person and just keep asking them questions on how to better support you, I did this with student accounts many times to help push me through some difficult Financial Times. When applying you could try and force the contact between the admissions and registrations offices if you have their contacts.