Pre-Graduate Studies: Starting a Credentials File

Starting a Graduate School Credentials File

Establishing a Graduate School Credentials File enables students to efficiently collect and submit their letters of recommendation for graduate school. The Career Center offers this service to help students better manage their application process. Letters of recommendation submitted to the Career Center will be duplicated in their entirety and forwarded to graduate programs as designated by the student on their behalf.

A Graduate School Credentials File may only be used for application to graduate school programs. Recommendations in this file CANNOT be used for internships, jobs, scholarships, fellowships, other types of professional schools, etc. Please note that those applying to Public Health programs should establish a Pre-Health Credentials File rather than a Graduate School Credential File. Transcripts cannot be held as a part of a Graduate School Credential File. All requests to send transcripts to a graduate program must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office (404-727-6042).

To open a Graduate School Credentials File, please print the following forms and submit them to The Career Center, signed and dated as appropriate. Submission of these forms, along with payment in the appropriate amount, is required before any recommendations can be sent out:

* The Registration and Authorization Form
* Letter of Evaluation Policies & Procedures
* Fee Request Form with an attached receipt of payment or check
* Letter of Evaluation Form
(NOTE: The Letter of Evaluation Form should be given to the recommender. The recommender should return this form to The Career Center along with a signed copy of their letter of recommendation. Each letter in the file must be accompanied by a separate Letter of Evaluation form signed by both the student and the recommender.)

Under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (PL93-380), known as the Buckley Amendment, a student has access to his or her recommendations unless that right to access is waived. Students should be aware, however, that some individuals will write a more candid, helpful recommendation if they know its confidentiality will be respected. Additionally, not waiving the right of access may raise questions in the minds of the admissions committee members.

To check the status of a file or to make a request to have letters sent to a program, log on to the Pre-Professional Database. All requests to have letters mailed must be submitted via the Pre-Professional Database. No other form of request will be accepted. Please allow five to seven (5 to 7) business days for requests to be processed. Students should submit requests only after all expected letters have been received in our office. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up and make sure all recommendations are returned to The Career Center in a timely manner.

A flat fee of $30 will be charged to establish a file. The fee covers the first 10 Graduate School Credentials packets that you request to be sent from this office. A fee of $5 will be charged for each additional packet sent. NOTE: This fee is per packet, not per individual recommendation. A Graduate School Credentials packet can be faxed; a faxed packet will be treated the same as if it were mailed (anything mailed/faxed over the original 10 requests is $5 each). Please submit a check for the appropriate amount along with a Fee Request form to the Career Center. Please make all checks payable to Emory University. As of June 1, 2007, payment may also be submitted online via the Pre-Professional Database by using a valid Emory Card.

Your credentials file should be updated every year. You are required to reactivate your file every year by submitting the appropriate paperwork and fees. The Career Center will keep your file open for five (5) years from the last active update of your file. WE WILL PURGE FILES THAT HAVE BEEN INACTIVE FOR FIVE YEARS OR LONGER WITHOUT NOTIFICATION.

If you have any questions concerning your file, please contact the Pre-Professional office via the Pre-Professional Database or by phone at 404.727.6053.