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How are transcripts checked during the background check?

background check
New answer on Feb 27, 2023
4 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Feb 25, 2023

I know that essentially they call your previous employers‘ HR departments, to confirm titles and dates of employment. They also call the universities you attended to confirm dates of attendance and degree conferred.

But I’m curious about transcripts. When you apply for grad school, your college must send transcripts directly to that grad school. Will MBB ask for the same? Or do they have a different way if confirming (eg confirming GPA with the university).

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Andi
Expert
replied on Feb 26, 2023
BCG 1st & Final Round interviewer | Personalized prep with >95% success rate | 7yrs coaching | #1 for Experienced Hires

This depends on the firm, but as long as what you state on your CV reflects reality (e.g. you do have the degree you claim to have from the school you claim you went to with the grades you stated), there's actually nothing to worry about. 

In case you're doing an MBA and are worried whether the employer tries to retrieve the actual course grades - don't worry, non-disclosure of your grades by MBA school holds true and no employer will change their mind after validating the correctness of your credentials.

Hope this helps.

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Ian
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Content Creator
updated an answer on Feb 25, 2023
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Ultimately, why does it matter? They're going to check that your background is correct. There's nothing that this information does to change you and your situation. Try to spend your energy/time on things that matter!

There are essentially processes in place and clearinghouses that allow to automatic queries on individuals based on PII. They may or may not also specifically request a transcript which the university will send (but in many countries you have to grant approval here).

A lot of them don't actually physically sit there and call. Can you imagine the inefficiency and headache there! There are automated processes and WebAPI calls etc. to validate the asker and pull the student data based on PII you have provided.

(edited)

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Hagen
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Feb 26, 2023
#1 Bain coach | >95% success rate | interviewer for 8+ years | mentor and coach for 7+ years

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

  • While it may depend on the region, country, office, and company you applied to, universities are normally not allowed to disclose detailed information about your performance at school. Moreover, the companies engaged in background checks know very well what information they are allowed to ask for and what not.
  • Still, I would highly advise you not to worry too much about aspects you have no control over. Instead, make sure you submit the best possible and truthful application, be prepared for the interviews, and wait for the results.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

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Pedro
Expert
replied on Feb 27, 2023
Bain | Roland Berger | EY-Parthenon | Mentoring Approach | 30% off first 10 sessions in May| Market Sizing | DARDEN MBA

There's some automated process… not sure why it matters to you, unless you didn't state the truth…

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Andi gave the best answer

Andi

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