How to Find College Transcripts

Many people think that once they have left college and successfully landed their first job they no longer need to have a copy of their transcript on hand. While this is true in many cases, some employers will ask for transcripts if a potential employee is still very young or has relatively little experience in the field. Unless your college has closed it is a relatively simple matter to find your old transcript. In fact, many colleges have made it easier to access your transcript by setting up online ordering systems for alumni.

Ordering a Transcript Online

Access the university registrar's website for your college or university. The registrar's office usually handles transcripts, courses and enrollment so you should begin your search there.

Check on your registrar's website to see if your college has implemented an online transcript ordering system. If they have not, you will probably have to call your registrar's office or go there in person.

Create a login if necessary and then enter your personal ordering page.

Sign a consent form and scan it and upload it to the registrar's website. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, prohibits your university from sending any of your records out without your consent. You will have to sign a FERPA form and send it to the registrar before they will mail out your transcript.

Fill in the necessary boxes with your personal information and submit your request. You may have to pay a processing fee to the university for this service.

Ordering a Transcript by Phone

Gather your relevant personal information, which includes your full name at the time you graduated, your social security number, your date of birth and often your old student identification number from college. You will need to give this information to the registrar's office when you call them, so do not make your call in public.

Access the university registrar's website to find the contact information and the procedures for handling transcript requests. The office may already have all the forms necessary to file a transcript request on its website.

Call your registrar's office during business hours and request a transcript. You will be required to prove your identity, since the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act prevents the office from giving out your academic information without your consent.

Sign your FERPA consent form and fax or mail it to the registrar's office, along with any other necessary forms that the office asks for. You will probably have to include a payment for this service.