Where I can get my official transcript from a school that was permanently shut down? (The school was in Washington DC)

[TY2025]

Hello everyone,

Is there anyone here who attended VMT Education Center, which was located in Washington DC (later renamed Unity Education Center)?  I went to school there but after graduation, I took my NCLEX PN exam in Maryland. The school has been permanently closed for a couple of years now, so I requested my transcript from the HELC in DC, since they've listed VMT(Unity) as one of the schools that they have transcripts of former students. But they said they couldn't find my transcript. When I reached out via email, I was informed that sometimes when a school is shut down, they don't always receive all documentation/transcripts of previous students over the course of how ever many years the school existed. I'm almost done with my prerequisites and will be applying to a couple of community colleges in Maryland for LPN to RN bridge. Some require an official transcript from the LPN school that a student attended. That is why I'm trying to find out how to get my official transcript from VMT sent to those schools that require it. Is there anyone here who attended VMT education center before they changed their name to Unity education center? Have you successfully been able to get your official transcript? If so from which government body? I already reached out to Maryland Board of Nursing where I took my NCLEX PN but in a written email response they said they don't keep transcripts on file. And that the transcripts sent to them after a student completes a nursing program is to verify completion of a program and provide the student with the attestation to test, but transcripts are not permanently kept on file. I've tried National Student Clearinghouse and they don't have transcripts for VMT education center either. So where else can I get my official transcript then? I'll be very grateful if any former VMT student here can let me know. If anyone else has any suggestions I'm open to trying to find where I can get my official transcript. Thank you.

[Lisa A- Handmade]

I have experience something very similar. My school closed years ago. I have been a LPN for 25 years. Our company merged with a larger company, which is asking for my transcripts. I contacted the Higher Education Licensure Commission in Washington D.C. Of course, they cant find them. I was told to write an ask for a legal letter of Non-existence. Then make a complaint. I now have also contacted the BON of Maryland where I sat for NCLEX. I was told after 5-10 years transcripts are store but not destroyed.  I am still waiting on an actual call from the BON. I have never needed my transcripts for any other job in Nursing. The school I attended was HMI Regency that turned to Radians College years after I left. Clearing house did not have my school listed. My next stop is ACEN while, I wait on BON response. This is very sad that records can be mishandled in this way. This is a legal issue at this point.

[TY2025]

Lisa A- Handmade said:

I have experience something very similar. My school closed years ago. I have been a LPN for 25 years. Our company merged with a larger company, which is asking for my transcripts. I contacted the Higher Education Licensure Commission in Washington D.C. Of course, they cant find them. I was told to write an ask for a legal letter of Non-existence. Then make a complaint. I now have also contacted the BON of Maryland where I sat for NCLEX. I was told after 5-10 years transcripts are store but not destroyed.  I am still waiting on an actual call from the BON. I have never needed my transcripts for any other job in Nursing. The school I attended was HMI Regency that turned to Radians College years after I left. Clearing house did not have my school listed. My next stop is ACEN while, I wait on BON response. This is very sad that records can be mishandled in this way. This is a legal issue at this point.

Hi, thanks for sharing your experience. I wonder how many people have experienced this roadblock trying to get their transcripts after their nursing school gets shut down. I could feel your frustration while reading your post because after trying everything I could possibly think of, I couldn't get an answer as to where else I could get my transcript. When I contacted MBON in February 2025, this was the response I got,

Dear....

[A particularly lengthy legal mention of codes]. Followed by:

We do not have a copy of the requested transcript on file for you. We do have a copy of your NCLEX PN exam results.

You should contact the institution that originally issued your transcript for further assistance, or you can see if any of the following entities would be of assistance:

National Student Clearing House

U.S. Department of Education

 

The funny thing is, when I first contacted MBON, I told them that I have already tried national student clearing house, parchment, and the HELC and none of them have it. U.S Department of education? No one responded. What makes me so angry is that, the HELC has listed VMT—later renamed Unity Education Center—as one of the closed schools, whose transcripts they have after the school was permanently shut down. Obviously they do not have transcripts from the school, so why do they still list this wrong information on their website! They offered no other answers as to where else I can find my transcript! The only positive thing is, in MBON's reply to me, they included my NCLEX-PN exam results. It had my name, my then address, and photo on it. It also had my test date, test center location, candidate number, date of birth, SSN, program code and program name. They also attached an official letter with the MBON letterhead, and the signature of the person who wrote me that email. She is the Executive Director, Custodian of Records. So, I'll say if you're unable to get your transcript from anywhere like me, request that MBON send you a copy of your NCLEX-PN results. Then give both your PN results and the official attached letter that you'll receive to your workplace. Obviously, there will be no greater confirmation that you did attend, graduate, and passed your board exam. It's just that it appears those closed schools were careless with student transcripts.