Workplace Got a new job and college denied my degree..

Aug 10, 2011
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So I am absolutely freaking the hell out right now.. I graduated from college about two weeks ago with my BA in english literature. Awesome. I've worked hard for it and overcame a lot but got my act together in the last year and made it happen.

the not so awesome part? i got an email today from the school saying I need to enroll for fall and my application for graduation had been denied because I needed a 2.5 within my major requirements to graduate. I have a 2.47.

WTF!!!! i have been a crying mess all morning. my whole family and all of our friends were so happy for me and excited that i was finally finishing college, and now this bomb is dropped on me. all of my major requirements have been passed and completed and i cannot retake any of those so i have no idea what my options are. I'm still waiting to hear from my advisor but to know that i was so so so close is just heartbreaking. I hope it doesn't mean i have to pursue a new degree or something..

i have a new job now too that i start monday. i got the connection through a friend and the CEO of that portion of the company really liked me. He knew i was a week away from finishing school when we met so he's assuming i'm a graduate. technically, i did not fill out any sort of application so i didn't "lie," but i still feel like a fraud anyway and am not sure if i should tell him that there was a mistake in my graduating.. my last day at my current employer is today and i don't want this to get ruined because of what happened in school.

please help. i'm so lost and confused and devastated over all of this. it's really killing me right now.. like, three tenths. really?? :cry:
 
Oh my goodness, I'm sorry you're dealing with this.

As far as school, talk to an academic advisor. Can you just take any class in the department? There are lots of English classes out there. When I needed six more credits to graduate I just picked ones that sounded fun. Take ones you know will pad your gpa. I barely squeaked out of college with a 2.52 so I have been there.

Hopefully someone more experienced with chime in re:work.
 
Oh my goodness, I'm sorry you're dealing with this.

As far as school, talk to an academic advisor. Can you just take any class in the department? When I needed six more credits to graduate I just picked ones that sounded fun. Take ones you know will pad your gpa. I barely squeaked out of college with a 2.52 so I have been there.

Hopefully someone more experienced with chime in re:work.

I have emailed my advisor and now it's the hard part, playing the waiting game.. my overall gpa is good, but it's the gpa within my major. all of my major requirements such as the core literature courses and stuff. THAT is where the problem lies. I have passed all of those classes and i cannot retake any of them. granted, I just hung on in a few of those and got a couple of C's, but it's still considered passing. I don't know if i can take another one of those since there were options within those requirements, but I'm just so beyond tired and exhausted. I really don't want to crack open another textbook.. I just want to say f*** it but i also know how close i am.

edit: sorry i hurried through your reply whilst crying. i see that you specified english classes. i guess what i meant is that there are no english courses i can breeze through to buffer my gpa :-/
 
I have never in my life heard of this so I will only speak to the work part. Unless you have a job where a degree is required and I can not think of many that do, do NOT tell your new employer. They hired YOU not your degree and if you can do a great or even very good job for them that's what counts.

Take care of the degree issue at night school, online or at a later date if you have to. Definitely get it because you will have another job and employer at some point who'll want to see it but you're hired now. Celebrate that! The rest if it is fixable if it needs to be and in the 20 years I've been out of college with my seven different employers, not once have I've ever been asked to prove my college degree is valid or had my school called. It just doesn't happen unless you are being licensed or working for a blue chip firm.

When I transferred schools they had a lot of fun marking through community college courses that they felt were not college level. It's an ego trip by certain educators and departments and unfortunately sometimes you have to play their game before you can tell them where to go. Just cause they say you didn't earn your degree doesn't mean you didn't. Stop crying and congratulations on finishing up and becoming a true tax paying citizen! This stranger is very proud of you. :smile:
 
in the 20 years I've been out of college with my seven different employers, not once have I've ever been asked to prove my college degree is valid or had my school called. It just doesn't happen unless you are being licensed or working for a blue chip firm.

I have had the opposite experience recently. In the past 5 years or so I have had background checks done (I do contract project management work mainly for large financial institutions) where they have verified my college education and degrees.

OP, I wouldn't necessarily bring this situation up with your current employer but I would definitely make sure you make that degree valid ASAP.
 
Most any job that background checks will do education verification. It's also grounds to be fired in some cases and will burn bridges quickly if you get caught in a lie like that. If you can't get it resolved asap, I'd consider letting them know the coursework is complete; however due to complications, your degree has not yet been conferred.

I'd suggest asking the friend who introduced you their perspective. They'll have the best perspective as they know the other party and it's their reputation on the line.
 
If they make you fill out an application, you can always say "BA expected Fall 2014". Most people who are applying for work but are still in school also have this on their resume. This way you're not lying - but get that degree ASAP! Can you take a class in a community college? They're usually much easier and you're more likely to get a high grade to boost your GPA.

Odd that your major GPA is lower than your overall. It's usually the opposite.

ETA: all my companies required a degree check as part of the background check.
 
I have never in my life heard of this so I will only speak to the work part. Unless you have a job where a degree is required and I can not think of many that do, do NOT tell your new employer. They hired YOU not your degree and if you can do a great or even very good job for them that's what counts.

Take care of the degree issue at night school, online or at a later date if you have to. Definitely get it because you will have another job and employer at some point who'll want to see it but you're hired now. Celebrate that! The rest if it is fixable if it needs to be and in the 20 years I've been out of college with my seven different employers, not once have I've ever been asked to prove my college degree is valid or had my school called. It just doesn't happen unless you are being licensed or working for a blue chip firm.

When I transferred schools they had a lot of fun marking through community college courses that they felt were not college level. It's an ego trip by certain educators and departments and unfortunately sometimes you have to play their game before you can tell them where to go. Just cause they say you didn't earn your degree doesn't mean you didn't. Stop crying and congratulations on finishing up and becoming a true tax paying citizen! This stranger is very proud of you. :smile:

my new job is software sales.. not sure how necessary a degree is, but goddammit i worked hard for the piece of paper saying i accomplished something.. another friend of mine had said that a lot of employers dont actually search for college records and stuff unless it's something you need licensing for like medical, law, CPA, etc etc..

i was also told by same friend that i'm not the only person who has missed their degree by mere tenths so the university must have some option to work with me despite passing all of my requirements. they seriously can't say, "oh well, pursue another degree" can they? not after coming so incredibly close and spending thousands on this education.
 
If they make you fill out an application, you can always say "BA expected Fall 2014". Most people who are applying for work but are still in school also have this on their resume. This way you're not lying - but get that degree ASAP! Can you take a class in a community college? They're usually much easier and you're more likely to get a high grade to boost your GPA.

Odd that your major GPA is lower than your overall. It's usually the opposite.

ETA: all my companies required a degree check as part of the background check.

yeah my major GPA is lower and my overall is substantially higher! Monday is my first day of work so i'm not sure what to expect, but it's like i told another poster that my new job is software sales so i don't know how necessary the degree is to begin with. but to be so close and then get denied like this after all had been said and done. i hope i have not wasted thousands of dollars just for them to say too bad. it's just a weird situation since i've passed everything. i'm still waiting on a response from my advisor, but surely i'm not the only person who has been held back by this technicality.
 
Most any job that background checks will do education verification. It's also grounds to be fired in some cases and will burn bridges quickly if you get caught in a lie like that. If you can't get it resolved asap, I'd consider letting them know the coursework is complete; however due to complications, your degree has not yet been conferred.

I'd suggest asking the friend who introduced you their perspective. They'll have the best perspective as they know the other party and it's their reputation on the line.

i have not even had to submit a drug screening for this job.. i'm very scared. the few people i've talked to including my friend that connected me said to just stay hush and do whatever i need to do to resolve this asap. my friend also said that the man who hired me will probably be very understanding and he really liked me so if i want to talk to him it won't hurt anything.

when i was interviewing and asked about continuing education incentive, he said the company doesn't offer it since the commission is really good. but he said if i choose to go for my masters and need to leave early on a specific day of the week, do it and he doesn't want to hear about it. as long as i hit my goals i can pretty much do whatever i want (within reason of course ;) )
 
i have not even had to submit a drug screening for this job.. i'm very scared. the few people i've talked to including my friend that connected me said to just stay hush and do whatever i need to do to resolve this asap. my friend also said that the man who hired me will probably be very understanding and he really liked me so if i want to talk to him it won't hurt anything.

when i was interviewing and asked about continuing education incentive, he said the company doesn't offer it since the commission is really good. but he said if i choose to go for my masters and need to leave early on a specific day of the week, do it and he doesn't want to hear about it. as long as i hit my goals i can pretty much do whatever i want (within reason of course ;) )
That's good he'd be understanding. If asked, I'd stick with the explanation that the coursework is complete, but there's been issues so your degree isn't conferred yet, but you're working to get it resolved. It's honest and you don't really need to get into more depth. Your transcript will show you've passed the classes.

I work in IT and all of the places I've worked at background check, but don't drug screen. If they do background check, I'd let them know in advance what's going on and be honest on the check (it'll ask what school was attended and if the degree is complete). Many of the sales jobs I've been familiar with want a degree mainly because it demonstrates responsibility and a certain level of comprehension and communication. You've completed the credit hours and can show that, so they'll most likely be understanding.
 
It's really not a big deal as long as you're working towards the degree and whatever you need to do to fulfill the requirement will be complete in a reasonable amount of time. Like I said, just note that you expect to obtain the degree on some date and make sure you get your degree by that date. You don't have to give any other details about why; at most say that during the degree check, you found out that you needed to take another class.

The only time I've heard of someone getting into trouble was a guy saying he had a degree when he didn't. Apparently he was sick during finals and missed taking one exam so he ended up with an incomplete on a class. He accepted a job before the semester ended, but with life in general, never got around to completing the class. It wouldn't have been a problem (his boss knew) except the company was taken over by a bigger company and all employees were subject to background checks. When filling out the paperwork, he put down he had his degree thinking it didn't matter since he'd been working for years (and his boss didn't think it would matter either), but the big company considered it grounds for his termination.
 
my new job is software sales.. not sure how necessary a degree is, but goddammit i worked hard for the piece of paper saying i accomplished something.. another friend of mine had said that a lot of employers dont actually search for college records and stuff unless it's something you need licensing for like medical, law, CPA, etc etc..

i was also told by same friend that i'm not the only person who has missed their degree by mere tenths so the university must have some option to work with me despite passing all of my requirements. they seriously can't say, "oh well, pursue another degree" can they? not after coming so incredibly close and spending thousands on this education.

I agree with your friend. Unless you are being licensed, working as an independent, or your prospective employer has a very structured HR department (usually larger companies), please don't stress yourself out over temporarily not having your degree. Absolutely do what you need to do to get it ASAP, but it's not the end all of your employment existence if it's in limbo for a while. You did work very hard for it and this is BS that they won't confer it because of a technicality. Unfortunately, welcome to the working world. You'll be dealing with nonsense and people without common sense frequently. But we all get through it and so will you. Congratulations again! :woohoo:
 
So I am absolutely freaking the hell out right now.. I graduated from college about two weeks ago with my BA in english literature. Awesome. I've worked hard for it and overcame a lot but got my act together in the last year and made it happen.

the not so awesome part? i got an email today from the school saying I need to enroll for fall and my application for graduation had been denied because I needed a 2.5 within my major requirements to graduate. I have a 2.47.

WTF!!!! i have been a crying mess all morning. my whole family and all of our friends were so happy for me and excited that i was finally finishing college, and now this bomb is dropped on me. all of my major requirements have been passed and completed and i cannot retake any of those so i have no idea what my options are. I'm still waiting to hear from my advisor but to know that i was so so so close is just heartbreaking. I hope it doesn't mean i have to pursue a new degree or something..

i have a new job now too that i start monday. i got the connection through a friend and the CEO of that portion of the company really liked me. He knew i was a week away from finishing school when we met so he's assuming i'm a graduate. technically, i did not fill out any sort of application so i didn't "lie," but i still feel like a fraud anyway and am not sure if i should tell him that there was a mistake in my graduating.. my last day at my current employer is today and i don't want this to get ruined because of what happened in school.

please help. i'm so lost and confused and devastated over all of this. it's really killing me right now.. like, three tenths. really?? :cry:

I feel horrible for you! The good thing is you did not falsify any document to get the job. You got the job for other reason along with the education part. Please try to regroup, relax and just speak with your advisor. Tough to do, but start your new job and enroll in evening class to finish your degree. Not far, less than half a point did this! You will get it worked out and everything will be just fine. SInce the person hiring you knew you hadn't technically finished your degree yet I don't see a huge issue. I would just make sure I did all I could to get the degree completed as soon as possible. Please keep us posted:smile: Everything has to be fine.
 
I feel horrible for you! The good thing is you did not falsify any document to get the job. You got the job for other reason along with the education part. Please try to regroup, relax and just speak with your advisor. Tough to do, but start your new job and enroll in evening class to finish your degree. Not far, less than half a point did this! You will get it worked out and everything will be just fine. SInce the person hiring you knew you hadn't technically finished your degree yet I don't see a huge issue. I would just make sure I did all I could to get the degree completed as soon as possible. Please keep us posted:smile: Everything has to be fine.

By the way, I meant to add I have been an HR Manager/Director for over 18 years and I agree with other posters. If the position is not a licensed or govt job or something similar don't worry about it. I have never been asked or had to check a degree and you weren't dishonest. Please just finish as soon as you can (for yourself and future jobs). I am so happy you landed a job right out of school:smile: