As senior year flies by, college stress sets in. Fear follows seniors as they question whether their transcript will be sent to the correct schools. Soon, there will be no need for worry. Within two years, Kansas schools will submit electronic transcripts to colleges; now is the perfect time to do so.

   Submitting college transcripts electronically is a secure method. There is no fear of sending them to the wrong school. Students also will get confirmation that their transcripts have been received by the correct college. This eliminates worry.

   Sending transcripts electronically will be much faster. Since the mailing process will no longer be required with the electronic transcripts, Student Services will spend less time sending transcripts. Also, LHS will spend less money on postage. The cost is 42 cents per transcript, and Student Services sends roughly 1,000 transcripts a year, which equates to about $420 each year. Now is a good time to put a new electronic program into action. Although Student Services has mailed many transcripts, not all have been turned in. If the district switches to electronic transcripts now, there is still time to utilize the program to electronically send those final transcripts.

   Switching to electronic transcripts now would be a good idea, but there are some downsides. When entering information, a student or administrator could enter the wrong word or press a wrong button, only to cause a mis-send of documents. Time is also a factor. The change could take place anywhere within a two-year time frame, and Lawrence High does not know when. By then, most of the current students will have moved on. The district should have made the switch earlier, because switching now would not be timely.

   Although there will be a few pilot districts, it will take until the end of 2010 to have all school districts up and running. This will not satisfy time requirements for sending in transcripts. The switch should have been made earlier.

  If the USD 497 district is not a pilot district, it could be two years before electronic transcripts are available. Student Services should notify students when colleges receive their transcripts to reduce student’s worry. Electronic transcripts must come quick; they are in high demand.