How are transcripts checked during the background check?

Question

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).

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

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