Graduated w/ High School diploma now listed as non-graduate

[saherna27]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Background: I graduated from Kennedy High School in June 2007. I took night classes my senior year in order to stay ahead of my credits. I graduated, did the ceremony walk and even performed with the choir during the ceremony. I moved to CO for college and a few months later got a letter stating that I completed summer school classes for (10th grade subjects). I called to inquire about this and they informed me it was an error with another student who has a similar name.

Flash forward 10 years later back in CA and I'm trying to replace my diploma as mine was damaged in CO during a flood. I ordered my diploma through the district and they replied with "You're listed as a Non-Graduate and we'll refund your money". I tried contacting my school but they said they no longer have records that old and will do their own investigation. 1 month later and they have no update yet. I've tried contacting the LAUSD district but have yet to hear back from them.

I've already completed 2 different colleges (1 in CO and 1 in CA). How could I have received my financial aid if I'm not a graduate?
I'm trying to finish a government job application but I need my high school information fixed soon.

 

[adjusterjack]

I've already completed 2 different colleges (1 in CO and 1 in CA). How could I have received my financial aid if I'm not a graduate?

Obviously, your assertion that you graduated was believed and you had the diploma to back it up so nobody had to rely on the school's records. Make sense?

I'm trying to finish a government job application but I need my high school information fixed soon.

Does the government job require a "copy" of the high school diploma to be attached to the application or presented at some point as evidence of graduation?

I would think that your evidence of two college degrees would be enough to satisfy even the most anal of bureaucrats.

 

[justalayman]

I would think that your evidence of two college degrees would be enough to satisfy even the most anal of bureaucrats.

well...

my brother applied to a building trades apprenticeship. One requirement was at least 1 year of high school algebra. No problem; he had taken that. Something was recorded improperly on brothers transcripts and showed only 1/2 year of algebra. Ignore the fact he took at least 2 higher level math classes which should have been good enough to show his ability to understand the math required for the apprenticeship. Ignore the fact that those higher level math classes required algebra as a pre-req. Nope, turned down for the apprenticeship.


Brother subsequently contacted school and the error was corrected.

Sometimes what should be adequate isn't because some lunk head is stuck on the wrong thing.

I moved to CO for college and a few months later got a letter stating that I completed summer school classes for (10th grade subjects). I called to inquire about this and they informed me it was an error with another student who has a similar name.

Flash forward 10 years later back in CA and I'm trying to replace my diploma as mine was damaged in CO during a flood. I ordered my diploma through the district and they replied with "You're listed as a Non-Graduate and we'll refund your money".

I'm not sure what your issue is. You describe a situation where credits you believed were earned weren't. If those credits were required for you to graduate, then not having them would mean you didn't graduate.

Why the colleges didn't catch the issue? Maybe the school hadn't realized it was an issue until after you attended college.

 

[LdiJ]

well...

my brother applied to a building trades apprenticeship. One requirement was at least 1 year of high school algebra. No problem; he had taken that. Something was recorded improperly on brothers transcripts and showed only 1/2 year of algebra. Ignore the fact he took at least 2 higher level math classes which should have been good enough to show his ability to understand the math required for the apprenticeship. Ignore the fact that those higher level math classes required algebra as a pre-req. Nope, turned down for the apprenticeship.


Brother subsequently contacted school and the error was corrected.

Sometimes what should be adequate isn't because some lunk head is stuck on the wrong thing.


I'm not sure what your issue is. You describe a situation where credits you believed were earned weren't. If those credits were required for you to graduate, then not having them would mean you didn't graduate.

Why the colleges didn't catch the issue? Maybe the school hadn't realized it was an issue until after you attended college.

Except that he got a diploma and walked high school graduation.

Except that the issue was raised a few months after graduation and it was admitted by the school that they got him confused with someone with a similar name.

I am not sure what the solution is at this point, but its pretty clear to me is that any assumption that he did not actually graduate is incorrect.

 

[justalayman]

LdiJ;3503056]Except that he got a diploma and walked high school graduation.

but as far as the school was concerned, it was in error.

Except that the issue was raised a few months after graduation and it was admitted by the school that they got him confused with someone with a similar name.

it sounds like maybe they didn't after all. Unless op can get his transcripts he wont know for sure.

I am not sure what the solution is at this point, but its pretty clear to me is that any assumption that he did not actually graduate is incorrect.

and you base that on what? That he walked the walk? Our school has let kids that will graduate upon taking summer classes after their senior year to walk the walk. They got a blank diploma when walking for graduation. Diploma's have been given in error. Maybe whomever OP talked to and said the letter concerning the 10th grade credits was wrong and the letter was actually correct.


Apparently the grantor of the diploma doesn't agree with you. I could see it going either way but the facts at hand don't prove anything on their own. Too many ifs.



but what school doesn't have records of transcripts 10 years after graduation year? My school still has mine available and that was 40 years ago


and that was before our school stored their records on electronic storage media.

 

[quincy]

I agree with justalayman.

There are several cases where credentials have not been questioned for years and then a person's claimed degrees or work experiences are discovered to be false.

Not that this is necessarily the case here. But it does mean that saherna will have to make a concerted effort to get his/her transcripts. The diploma itself is not the worry. That is just a pretty piece of paper. The transcripts will show if there were enough credits to graduate.

 

[LdiJ]

I agree with justalayman.

There are several cases where credentials have not been questioned for years and then a person's claimed degrees or work experiences are discovered to be false.

Not that this is necessarily the case here. But it does mean that saherna will have to make a concerted effort to get his/her transcripts. The diploma itself is not the worry. That is just a pretty piece of paper. The transcripts will show if there were enough credits to graduate.

That was the point I was making. jal was making the assumption that it was fact that the OP had not actually graduated. I did not think that the information provided here justified that assumption.

 

[justalayman]

That was the point I was making. jal was making the assumption that it was fact that the OP had not actually graduated. I did not think that the information provided here justified that assumption.

Did you not read the original post?

a few months later I got a letter stating I completed summer school classes for (10th grade subjects). I called to inquire about this and they informed me it was an error with another student with a similar name

So op recieved notification he had actually recieved credits but when inquiring was told the letter was in error. So reading that as written I did assume op did NOT recieve credits for classes he took. The letter appears to be a confirmation he DID complete a class but was told the letter was in error. Now did the op intend to state the letter was informating the recipient he did NOT recieve credits for the classes? Apparently you ASSUMED that to be the case. Futhermore you went beyond assuming and claimed it to be a fact that due to being allowed to walk at the graduation ceremony and being handed a diploma op did in fact graduate.

While I stated op needs to investigate and confirm what he is being told now, you stood by your claim op has graduated based on actions that do not actually prove anything. Ops transcripts are the proof needed. While I can accept that if said transcripts are in fact not available the evidence of a diploma the school had issued would be prima fascia evidence op had in fact graduated. So all op has to do is whip out their school issued diploma...oh...wait a minute...oh crap...the one piece of suporting evidence is no longer in existence.


Well crap, I guess we're back to square one and the party in that square says op didn't actually graduate.

Wow, now op is in a real quandary.

So it appears you, ldij, are the one that actually assumed the op did graduate while I said the issue needs to be investigated to prove what the truth is.

The only fact that proves whether op graduate is that the school has recorded that op has NOT graduated so yes, I assumed based on the facts that actually matter, op has in fact not graduated. You assumed op has graduated based on facts that are not actually proof op graduated.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Did you not read the original post?



So op recieved notification he had actually recieved credits but when inquiring was told the letter was in error. So reading that as written I did assume op did NOT recieve credits for classes he took. The letter appears to be a confirmation he DID complete a class but was told the letter was in error. Now did the op intend to state the letter was informating the recipient he did NOT recieve credits for the classes? Apparently you ASSUMED that to be the case. Futhermore you went beyond assuming and claimed it to be a fact that due to being allowed to walk at the graduation ceremony and being handed a diploma op did in fact graduate.

While I stated op needs to investigate and confirm what he is being told now, you stood by your claim op has graduated based on actions that do not actually prove anything. Ops transcripts are the proof needed. While I can accept that if said transcripts are in fact not available the evidence of a diploma the school had issued would be prima fascia evidence op had in fact graduated. So all op has to do is whip out their school issued diploma...oh...wait a minute...oh crap...the one piece of suporting evidence is no longer in existence.


Well crap, I guess we're back to square one and the party in that square says op didn't actually graduate.

Wow, now op is in a real quandary.

So it appears you, ldij, are the one that actually assumed the op did graduate while I said the issue needs to be investigated to prove what the truth is.

The only fact that proves whether op graduate is that the school has recorded that op has NOT graduated so yes, I assumed based on the facts that actually matter, op has in fact not graduated. You assumed op has graduated based on facts that are not actually proof op graduated.

Odd, I thought that the way to prove graduation was a final transcript. I have never used my actual diplomas, just the transcripts. And usually, they've only been interested in the transcripts from my most recent school.

 

[justalayman]

Odd, I thought that the way to prove graduation was a final transcript. I have never used my actual diplomas, just the transcripts. And usually, they've only been interested in the transcripts from my most recent school.

That's my point. A diploma is supporting evidence of graduating and in he absence of actual transcripts can be considered prime fascia evidence of graduating, the fact here is op appears to not have a diploma and clsims to not be able to obtain the transcripts. All that appears to be present is the school recording in some file concerning the op that op has not graduated.

Maybe op has pictures of him walking across the stage accepting their diploma



Yes, that was meant to be sarcastic.

 

[not2cleverRed]

That's my point. A diploma is supporting evidence of graduating and in he absence of actual transcripts can be considered prime fascia evidence of graduating, the fact here is op appears to not have a diploma and clsims to not be able to obtain the transcripts. All that appears to be present is the school recording in some file concerning the op that op has not graduated.

Maybe op has pictures of him walking across the stage accepting their diploma



Yes, that was meant to be sarcastic.

From LAUSD:
http://notebook.lausd.net/pls/ptl/ptl_apps.renderfaq.viewquestion?p_question_id=41366
https://lausd.scriborder.com/application

OP graduated in 2007. Should be NO problem getting a transcript from the Students Record Branch.

So I'm wondering about these "night classes" that OP was taking to "stay ahead" of credits.

 

[justalayman]

From LAUSD:
http://notebook.lausd.net/pls/ptl/ptl_apps.renderfaq.viewquestion?p_question_id=41366
https://lausd.scriborder.com/application

OP graduated in 2007. Should be NO problem getting a transcript from the Students Record Branch.

So I'm wondering about these "night classes" that OP was taking to "stay ahead" of credits.

I did think it odd op claimed transcripts weren't available.

maybe the night classes were provided by a seperate entity and the credits were not actually earned or properly transferred.

Maybe we'll never know.

 

[quincy]

I know of no college or university that will enroll a student without high school transcripts showing the credits earned and in what classes these credits were earned. So the colleges saherna attended would have received saherna's high school transcripts with the applications - or she would not have been enrolled.

Transcript copies are not hard to get.

What is probably not available is a duplicate diploma. Diplomas are hand-signed by the principal of the school and are essentially just for show, as part of the graduation ceremony. I am not sure that any high school keeps copies of diplomas. It is the transcript that is important.

 

[justalayman]

I know of no college or university that will enroll a student without high school transcripts showing the credits earned and in what classes these credits were earned. So the colleges saherna attended would have received saherna's high school transcripts with the applications - or she would not have been enrolled.

Transcript copies are not hard to get.

What is probably not available is a duplicate diploma. Diplomas are hand-signed by the principal of the school and are essentially just for show, as part of the graduation ceremony. I am not sure that any high school keeps copies of diplomas. It is the transcript that is important.

Yet op's school states their records show him not having graduated. Obviously it's something op needs to investigate further.

 

[quincy]

Yet op's school states their records show him not having graduated. Obviously it's something op needs to investigate further.

Right. Apparently the error that was noted in the letter - a mix up in students due to name similarity - was never corrected.

But it will not be the diploma that shows an error. If there is any error, it will be on the transcript. Apparently no error appeared on the transcripts submitted with the college applications or there would have been no enrollment.