Transcripts & Enrollment Verification

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Spring 2020 Letter Request for Graduate Schools & Employers

Because of exceptional international circumstances (COVID-19) that affected the latter half of the spring 2020 semester and necessitated a change to remote instruction, Smith College mandated the conversion of all courses to Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading. The decision to adopt mandatory satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) grading for the spring 2020 semester was made by the Committee on Academic Priorities and endorsed by the Smith faculty.

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The decision to adopt mandatory satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) grading for the spring 2020 semester, made by the Committee on Academic Priorities and endorsed by the Smith faculty, was grounded in concerns about both equity and pedagogy. We anticipated that most students would be confronted with challenges once they left campus. Mandatory S/U grading was intended to allow students to continue to make progress toward their degrees despite the disruption to the semester, without worry about the impact of remote learning on their grade point averages (GPAs). The change also acknowledged the challenges faced by faculty when assessing student performance in courses that may have been transformed significantly as instruction changed from in-person to remote.

Smith’s decision to set aside traditional letter grades during this unprecedented time is consistent with that of many of our peer schools and a host of other institutions. In response, some graduate programs (e.g., Harvard Medical School) have already indicated that they will accept applicants’ pass/fail (or S/U) grades for the spring 2020 semester as long as the policy was mandatory. We are therefore including notation on the front of the Smith transcript that the institution mandated S/U grading for the spring semester. This policy applies to course work that is defined as institutional and would normally count in the student GPA, including courses taken by students at Smith College, through the Five College interchange, and on Smith Programs Abroad. It does not apply to course work completed through a non-Smith study abroad program, with grades issued by an external institution or provider, as this is accepted as transfer credit (i.e., not institutional credit) and is already excluded from the student GPA.

To support our students in their endeavors beyond Smith, the Committee on Academic Priorities agreed to disclose the letter grades submitted by instructors for purposes of application for graduate or professional programs, licensure or certification, or employment, when required as a condition for application or acceptance. Please see below for additional information and conditions pertaining to the release of letter grades.

Additionally, the Committee on Academic Priorities intentionally and explicitly determined that no alternate GPA would be calculated. Calculating an official term and/or cumulative GPA, whether on the official transcript or a separate letter carrying the college seal, would undermine the principle that the disruption of the spring 2020 semester should not have an adverse effect on students’ GPAs. It would privilege students who were able to focus on their course work and disadvantage students who may not have been able to maintain the quality of their academic work for reasons beyond their control.

As Provost and Dean of the Faculty Michael Thurston stated in his March 12 email announcement of the policy, “I understand that this will be disappointing for some. This unusual moment requires that we take unusual steps.” Thus, no exceptions will be made to the policy, and neither the Committee on Academic Priorities nor the Administrative Board will review petitions related to it.

Additional Information and Conditions

• Students must submit a signed request for a letter of spring 2020 grades, which is required legally for the release of confidential information.
• The letter will provide a listing of all courses for which the student received grades in the spring 2020 semester; a student may not request to have only a subset of graded courses disclosed.
• Official letters will be sent to approved third parties only (educational institutions, licensing/certifying agencies, employers). Students must provide a complete institutional or business mailing address, including the name and title of the intended recipient. Please note that letters will not be emailed.
• Students may request a letter to accompany an official hardcopy transcript, with the understanding that it may increase transcript processing time. Letters cannot be included with electronic transcripts requested through the National Student Clearinghouse, however.
• Students will receive an unofficial copy the first time a letter is sent to a third party but will not receive a copy for each instance a is letter sent. Please note that letters will not be emailed.
• Students should allow at least two weeks for processing, plus additional time for mailing.
• The Office of the Registrar is not authorized to make exceptions to the above requirements.

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Replacement Diplomas

The only copy of the diploma that exists is the original document that is distributed to the student at Commencement. Replacement diplomas can be ordered if the original was lost or destroyed.

To order a replacement diploma, mail a request that includes the information below. Please note that replacement diplomas are nearly identical to the original diploma except that they are signed by the current president of the college.

Please include the following information in your request:

1.  Name while in attendance
2.  Name* as it should appear on the diploma
     *Name changes from those on the original diploma may require additional documentation
3.  Year of graduation
4.  Telephone number and/or email address where you can be reached
5.  The address to which the diploma should be mailed
6.  Signature

Enclose a check or money order for $50 payable to Smith College. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery from the time that we receive the request and check. If you have any questions, email the Registrar’s Office at registrar@smith.edu

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New Diplomas for Trans and Nonbinary Alum Name Changes

The Office for Equity and Inclusion covers the fee for new diplomas for trans or nonbinary alums who have had name changes.

Before requesting a new diploma, please contact Smithie records smithierecords@smith.edu to change your name in the Smith database.

To order your new diploma, please make a request that includes the information below. A PDF or Word document can be attached in email as a physical or electronic signature is required.

Please note that new diplomas are nearly identical to the original diploma except that they are signed by the current president of the college.

Please include the following information in your request:

1. Name while in attendance
2. Names as it should appear on the diploma
3. Year of graduation
4. Telephone number and/or email address where you can reached
5. The address to which the diploma should be mailed
6. Signature (must be your actual signature, not just typed text)

Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery from the time that we receive the request. If you have any questions, email the Registrar’s Office at registrar@smith.edu
 

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Diploma Translation

Official translation of the diploma from Latin to English can be obtained by contacting registrar@smith.edu

Translation of the Diploma from Latin

 

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Notarization and Apostille

Notarization

The registrar's offfice provides notarization for Smith documents for current students and alums (verification letters, transcripts, and diplomas). Please email registrar@smith.edu for more information.

Apostille

Employers and schools abroad may require the Smith diploma to be apostilled. The orignial diploma must be sent to the registrar's office to be copied and notarized before being send to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for apostille. If the diploma is lost a replacement diploma must be ordered, the registrar's office does not keep copies of diplomas. 

To have the diploma apostilled there are several steps.

Once we have the check and the pre-paid envelope we will notarize the documents and then send them on the Commonwealth. For those living outside of the US, a check or money order can be sent by someone in the US on your behalf. The Commonwealth will send the apostilled documents via the pre-paid envelope. The registrar's office will mail the original diploma back separately.

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