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Ithaka S+R released a report today describing and analyzing the issue of stranded credits, which occur when colleges and universities withhold transcripts from students who have transferred to another institution or have left higher education in order to collect unpaid balances. A similar situation can also occur if an institution shuts its doors without giving students access to their transcripts.
These situations mean that former students cannot access credits they earned to continue their education or obtain a job that would allow them to pay off the debt.
The report estimates that nationally there may be 6.6 million students with stranded credits and $15 billion in unpaid balances due to colleges and universities. Survey data suggest that the practice of withholding transcripts is very common.
