Some area schools to send students’ transcripts online

By Annie McCallum

Published: July 15, 2008

Three area school systems are among just nine statewide that will participate this fall in a pilot program to streamline the college application process.

The program, coordinated through the state education department, will send high school transcripts electronically rather than by mail delivery to selected state universities.

Locally, schools in Nelson, Amherst and Bedford counties will participate.

“I think the colleges are really wanting something like this that is quick and in electronic format,” said Mark Blankenship, Bedford County schools assessment and counseling specialist.

When the pilot program rolls out this fall, it only will allow about 50 transcripts per division to be sent electronically. Transcripts can only be sent to George Mason and James Madison universities.

Blankenship said the move reflects a trend in the college application process.

“It has changed so much in the last five years. I think most kids are applying now online,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to send things electronically I think and colleges want it that way.”

In Bedford, the pilot program is only at Jefferson Forest High School. Blankenship said he hopes electronic transmission of transcripts will become more widespread.

“It gets costly — all the copying and all the printing we have to do,” Blankenship said, adding in the long run it could save money as well as simplify the process.

Mary Mays, Amherst County Schools assessment coordinator, said she expects the electronic process to free up guidance staff who have to prepare and send transcripts by hand. Instead of assembling packets of information for each college, they can simply use clicks of a mouse.

“Sending electronically is of course much quicker than of course sending it snail mail,” Mays said. “The time factor is very important.”

While ease and cost savings are certainly benefits, the top priorities when sending electronic student information are accuracy and confidentiality. So far, the system used to transmit transcripts will fit the bill.

Charles Pyle, Virginia education department spokesman, said the software is secure and used in other capacities statewide.

He said while the program will simplify things for school staff, ultimately it benefits students. Because information is sent quickly and electronically, Pyle said, it reduces the possibility of human error.

His department hopes to extend the program to up to 30 school divisions in the future.