College Transcript Details

[frpedroza]

Weird question I Know but it makes me wonder...

At my graduation my University (not USA school) provided me a Transcript and I got it translated to use for submission this year on my MBA application. The particularity of this transcript is:
- it lists only the courses that I have passed and their grades and credits load.
- it doesn't list a GPA or global average

Recently I asked a new copy of my Transcript afraid that the lack of some sort of GPA on it might create some trouble. The new Transcript is slightly different
- it lists ALL the courses I have taken. Including 3 courses that I failed in college
- it lists my college GPA metric ( in my college it is a scale from 0 to 10, where passing grade is 5)

I am a little bit thorn on which one to use as both of them are official transcripts. Would the fact that I use the second transcript be a shot on my own foot that I might have to pay extra attention on a additional essay? What harm would be to submit the initial transcript as it is an official document issue by my University?

Thanks.
P

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear P,

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems to me that your official transcript is the one that shows all courses taken and your performance (i.e., grades in individual courses plus GPA). If you submit the first one you mentioned without all courses and no GPA, then you run the risk of the programs either 1) questioning the authenticity of the transcript or 2) determining it is incomplete and you submitted a "doctored" transcript. Both scenarios are bad for you. Programs will check up on documents, like transcripts and recommendations, that they believe might not be authentic. It is in your best interest to own up to your past performance and offer the MBA programs evidence your academic performance in business school will be high.

Good luck,
Lisa