Transcripts as non-degree seeking student

[Brian12]

If I audit a class as a non-degree seeking student will that class become part of my transcript history? I've already attended 5 colleges and I don't want to add another. I'm not close to any of the other colleges I've attended and this college is close by and convenient.

[bjcheung77]

Auditing a course is not for credit, it's for personal enrichment or for learning experience.
There are no grades for the course nor credit, but I do think they are added to the transcript as non credit.
You may want to ask the institution you're attending to see if they place it on the transcript at all.

[cookderosa]

Auditing is a specific type of registration. It will generally cost FULL TUITION but you won't get credit or a grade. You should check that your local college offers that option, and simply ask them if it will appear on a transcript. Since it doesn't generate a grade or credit, I'm curious why you'd want it (or not want it) on a transcript- is it because you already have 5 colleges to mess with?

[Brian12]

Auditing is a specific type of registration. It will generally cost FULL TUITION but you won't get credit or a grade. You should check that your local college offers that option, and simply ask them if it will appear on a transcript. Since it doesn't generate a grade or credit, I'm curious why you'd want it (or not want it) on a transcript- is it because you already have 5 colleges to mess with?

I don't want another transcript to send. Sending 5 transcripts is already a major hassle and not exactly cheap either.

[dfrecore]

If I audit a class as a non-degree seeking student will that class become part of my transcript history? I've already attended 5 colleges and I don't want to add another. I'm not close to any of the other colleges I've attended and this college is close by and convenient.

Do any of your colleges have online classes you can take instead?

[dfrecore]

I don't want another transcript to send. Sending 5 transcripts is already a major hassle and not exactly cheap either.

I guess you need to figure out what you're trying to do. If you don't have a degree yet, are you trying to get one? If so, maybe you make it the very last school you go to and get it over with.

And, it's only expensive (and a hassle) if you are sending your transcripts out. Most of the time, there's no need, so why are you doing this?

Not criticizing, just trying to get a handle on what exactly you're trying to accomplish, and why this is an issue.

And, just so you know, if you want to enroll at a college and take a course as a non-degree seeking student, you don't have to send them your transcripts. You can just say "I just want to take this one class here because I'm interested in it." Yes, it adds another school to your list, but it also doesn't require you to send your other transcripts in.

[davewill]

Folks, he wants to audit an interesting class, but doesn't want that school to become yet another one he's obligated to send a transcript from in the future.

Unfortunately, it might turn into exactly that.

[cookderosa]

My advice is to try and cut out the college totally. I'd search on the MOOC sites for the course you're interested in- edX or Coursera offer zillions of courses taught by top professors from the best universities in the country...for free. No transcript, no obligation.

If that's not an option, you might see if you can find it through the non-credit division of a school. These are CEUs or nothing at all, and don't obligate you to submit transcripts.

Finally, there are a few places that you might not expect- like Udemy, there may be classes there. These can be had for $10 if you google a coupon code.

If all 3 of the above fail, you're taking a course that is SO UNIQUE and UNUSUAL, that you really have no choice but to add it to your transcript pile imo. I have 8 transcripts that make up my undergraduate transcript - I feel your pain.

[Brian12]

Folks, he wants to audit an interesting class, but doesn't want that school to become yet another one he's obligated to send a transcript from in the future.

Unfortunately, it might turn into exactly that.

Thank you. I'm looking to take a few classes to refresh my memory while also getting comfortable with sitting in a classroom again.

[Ratfus]

Why would you need to send another transcript? Why can't you just refrain from sending it to the schools/job positions to which your interested in applying to?

You're not obligated to send them every transcript from every school you gain credits from, throughout your life. Just don't include this particular school on your resume or school application (since you don't want to include it anyways). There's no way (at least I think) that a school can perform a national/local search for the classes you've taken at various schools, especially with the laws in place today. A school CAN'T LEGALLY RELEASE any information about you, without your consent. If the school told someone else, without your consent, they could be sued.

I don't understand why you don't just take the class for credits that way, if you want to send the credits later, you can, but you're not obligated to report them. Auditing a class is a waste of money. You're paying for credits, but not receiving them. The only reason to audit a class would be to take a class you're interested in while protecting your GPA; this isn't an issue though, since you're taking a class at another institution, which you don't need to report anyways. Even then, you can usually take the class as pass/fail to protect your GPA.

Is this a school, where you plan to take more classes at or already have? If so, see if you can take the class as Pass/fail. Again, I would only do a class audit to protect my GPA (which doesn't apply if this is the only class you plan to take there or the class is easy) and the school won't let you do pass/fail.