Seniors will no longer have to prepare envelope packets to mail transcripts to their colleges, as Paly rolls out with its electronic transcript delivery system this month, according to Assistant Principal Kim Diorio. – Marc HavlikPalo Alto High School’s switch from hard-copy transcripts to electronic ones is expected to be completed this month, Assistant Principal Kimberly Diorio said last Thursday afternoon at a faculty meeting.

Although the switch was originally planned for the beginning of this school year, technical difficulties have delayed finalization for more than four months, according to Diorio.

“We wanted it done in September,” Diorio said. “We have some more configurations to do on the tech side, but by the 24th we should be up and running.”

Colleges require that seniors attach a validated copy of their high school transcripts to their college applications. Although many colleges accept and prefer electronic copies of the transcripts, Paly has yet to transition from hard-copy to electronic transcripts.

“All [of our] transcripts are currently done on paper,” Diorio said. “Colleges want electronic transcripts.”

Problems with the current system are abundant and potentially harmful to students and parents engaged in the college application process, according to Diorio.

“Misfiling occurs at colleges,” Diorio said. “They have so many transcripts that a few may be misplaced in the process.”

Ideally, when the new system takes effect, a link would be posted on the Paly home webpage that will direct students to an ordering form, Diorio said. Students and parents will click the link and be directed to the website of a company called Docufide, where they will then enter their credit card information and order their transcript.

Despite the technical difficulties in setting up the system, Docufide apparently takes very little time to set up, according to Docufide.com.

Although the system has taken a while to configure, Diorio believes that students requesting supplemental end-of-the-year transcripts will have a chance to do so online.

“It should be ready for end-of-the-year transcripts,” Diorio said.

To learn more about the switch, click here.