HS4CC recommendation is to only provide the last 4 digits of your teen’s Social Security Number on their high school transcript. Why? Keep reading.
When your teen applies to college for dual enrollment or after high school for a degree, their application will ask for a Social Security Number. If the opportunity allows, leave it blank. You will have to provide a full SSN when they enroll, but for the applications leave it blank if possible. This protects your teen’s security and identity. Your teen may apply to many colleges, but they will only enroll in a one or two, so this cuts down on the possibility of security issues in a big way.
In the news this week…
NBC 5 Investigates found there are nine numbers students are routinely asked for that they do not have to offer up during the preliminary admissions process, and some experts say they should refuse to include — their Social Security Number.
“The truth is that you don’t need to put your Social Security Number on your college application until, generally speaking, months later, after you apply for financial aid,” according to Rob Franek, Princeton Review Senior Vice-President and the author of several best-selling college guides.
But it is hard for students to ignore any requested field on an application.
“Most kids feel if there is a field question on their application, they should likely fill it out,” Franek said.
Franek is hoping schools stop asking for it during the preliminary admissions process.
The security of students and alumni is a growing area of concern in higher education, and many schools have already tightened security methods. Recent breaches at the University of Maryland, Indiana University and the University of North Dakota are just a few examples of breaches that affect now more than a million people nationwide.”
Transcript Intensive
For advice and guidance with your teen’s transcript, sign up for the HS4CC Transcript Intensive course. Available on demand through August 26, 2022.
