ULPT: How can one get into college with a fake highschool transcript?
Posted by NLion42@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 26 comments
Long story short, through a series of being brought into the country illegally as a toddler, my "family" situation falling apart quickly after, and being in and out of various schools or living on the streets, I am now 18 with no legal documents to be in this country or highschool diploma. Guess I never thought I would go anywhere in life, but suddenly this year I realized I wanted an actual life. I cant go back to my country and do things the "legal route" from there cause that would take decades likely, if it ever even works. I would rather just attempt to skirt by in this country without documentation for the rest of life than try to become legal
So now that that's out of the way, how would one basically make a highschool diploma/transcript and get a college to accept it? Before you say it's impossible, this 19 year old successfully fooled YALE last year and gained admission with a completely fabricated transcript: https://yaledailynews.com/articles/first-year-removed-from-campus-for-falsified-application-information . The only reason she got caught was because she ran her mouth too much and had an especially nosy roommate. And I don't even aspire to go to a top tier school like that. If practically the most elite school in the nation has enough holes in their system to breach, others certainly must as well. Though it's still unclear from the story exactly how she did it, so if anyone can precisely figure out how she did that would be certainly appreciated.
And yes I'm aware that schools can do "background checks" and there's some type of clearinghouse out there that has all your grades, so you'd have to rely on them not checking this. But putting your biases aside, how could one successfully forge a HS transcript and gpa that would pass university admissions, so I can start my life
Jealous_Tomorrow6436@reddit
the story about the girl at yale is a bit misleading. her suitemate wasn’t particularly nosy, the girl was just really loud about how she lied her way into yale and about her very strange and borderline illegal sex slave practices. it was a lot of drama on campus bc the girl was also really disgusting in terms of hygiene and room cleanliness and her suitemate was concerned for her safety.
source: i just graduated from there and it was a big deal in the fall
whatshamilton@reddit
You’ll need a social security number or visa too. The transcript isn’t the only documentation.
NLion42@reddit (OP)
You'll need a social if you want to apply for fafsa...but I don't believe you need it just for the regular application. Plus there are scholarships that work with undocumented students.
As far as the school goes tho I wouldn't be letting them know im applying as an "international" of course.
zolar0526@reddit
Why are you responding to your own question? You forgot to switch users before posting as another fake user. THIS POST IS FAKE!
whatshamilton@reddit
You’re incorrect. You need to provide the school with your social security number or your student visa — something that shows you’re not exactly what you’re doing. The school verifies that you’re legally allowed to be residing in the US and attending the school. Not to mention that it’s how they’ll tie all your documentation to you throughout the school years.
imapilotaz@reddit
As a parent for college aged kids, you are mistaken. They had to provide their social security number to their state university.
Frankly, getting a "real job" that youd need a college degree for will also be impossible without a social security number. Every "legit" job will require it.
Tbh, either go the legit route or understand you arent going to make it real far outside day laborer type jobs. Definitely dont waste your time going to college to try to get a legit job that cant happen without a social security number.
Wish i had better advice.
Oh and to keep this ulpt... piss discs and bat socks.
GodDamitDonut_@reddit
Yeup. I struggled with college for a while. Enrolled and dropped out of several community colleges. When I finally got my life together and made it to the point I was ready to transfer to university, the school found all of my previous educational debts through my provided SSN. They required me to square those debts before transferring in. I eventually got my masters degree, but made some expensive mistakes along the way!
NLion42@reddit (OP)
For making money or employment after school I have a few options:
-Get my degree while exploring options over a few years to legitimize my status
-Look for a job that only does a I-9 check and use false documents to pass. Although I'm seeing that even a lot of people are getting by E-verify with falsified info now, so could also figure out how to do that
-Get an ITIN and just open my own business, or buy an already established business
But in any case, I posted a link to an example of someone who successfully did this with one of the top universities in 2025, so clearly there's a method and you simply don't have the answer
imapilotaz@reddit
But if you know the answer my man, just go ahead and do it.
You are in for a world of hurt with your "i have all the answers" attitude. Good luck. Youre going to need it.
lr99999@reddit
You can’t even take a piss in this country without Social Security card.
JustCallMeKV@reddit
Even if you manage to do this, no reputable company is going to hire you without a SSN.
NLion42@reddit (OP)
Far as I understand it there are varying levels of background checks at companies. If they're using the lowest level one because they're cheap or wtv, it would just check that the SSN is a valid one, not that the name on it matches the name/DOB you applied with. I have people who would allow me to use their SSN for purposes like that if ur becomes necessary
I also wonder if I'd be able to do that with fafsa. Presuming FAFSA does share information with admissions, admissions would never find out that the SSN I'm using for fafsa doesn't match the name I applied with. But that's a problem for later I suppose...
TenaCVols@reddit
If someone is willing to let you use their SSN then they are stupid. If you earned any money it would be reported under their SSN which means they would be on the hook to the IRS for the taxes on that money.
NLion42@reddit (OP)
Yup, I would be giving them a cut for their trouble for sure
TenaCVols@reddit
You seem to have an answer for everything. However, nothing is going to be as easy as you seem to think it is. Have you thought about what will happen to you if you get caught using fraudulent information?
NLion42@reddit (OP)
No? Nobody here has given a serious answer to the actual question. Just discouraging and finger wagging, on unethicallifeprotips of all places😄 I'm not getting the answer to the one question I don't know that I came here for
bughousenut@reddit
go to a community college and get a GED as well as an associate degree, if you are caught lying in your documentation any degree you earn can be revoked - what you are proposing is fraud
NLion42@reddit (OP)
Yeah you're on ULPT
Mister_Silk@reddit
Find a really lax community college and go there for a semester or two and then transfer. Colleges generally require a transmission of the transcript directly from the high school you attended.
Job applications require an SSN and often the actual card so you'll have to figure a way around that.
Might as well just go all the way and assume someone else's identity entirely.
NLion42@reddit (OP)
😬 How long will that last til they start getting mail from a university they don't attend...
Though like I said i do have people who are willing to allow me to use their SSN. The only issue is, I have no idea to what extent these institutions cross reference the SSN you give them to the info you provide on your application. If all they check is that the SSN goes thru, then I should be golden. But I have no way of knowing the depth of their background checks...
Mister_Silk@reddit
Well, I mean if you're already doing illegal stuff you're going to have to continue doing illegal stuff to continue living here. If you assume a different identity you only have to do the heavy lifting stuff once instead of figuring out how to find a new illegal way around the next thing. And there's always a new next thing.
It is extremely difficult to live on the grid for any great length of time when you're undocumented.
NLion42@reddit (OP)
I mean yeah if there's a broker for identities that will work long-term (US citizens who permanently live outside the country, homeless junkies who died young at approximately my age and their deaths were never reported?) I suppose I would pursue a solution like that 😄 But where would you find them and how do you know you're not getting ripped off...
And I suppose, if it were possible to put any name on my diploma i.want, regardless of the SSN I applied to school with, I could just use an identity for the 4 years and then ditch it. Idk what schools allow that tho..
Green_Yesterday3054@reddit
The article doesn’t say she used a completely fabricated transcript.
NLion42@reddit (OP)
Ah okay I see that article didn't tell the full story, so I updated the link to one that does
But yes, she fabricated a whole identity of being a student who went to a certain highschool in the middle of North Dakota, which means yes, she did completely make up her transcripts and years
Thatnewgui@reddit
Get GED Go to community college Transfer to big college making sure credits transfer making sure to get all A’s or as high a GPA as possible at community college
texasgolftraveler@reddit
This… once you have a semester of community college done no college cares about your high school