New employee discovers they never graduated from college after company demands their college diploma, and they can't find it: ‘I found out I didn't pass my final class’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 28, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

Getting your college diploma is such a satisfying moment. Here you are, dressed in those formal robes, ready to get the document that proves that you successfully completed the last three or four years of your higher education. Throw your cap in the air and say goodbye to one of the best periods of your life.

At least, that is how it is for most people.

For the person in the story below, their college graduation was not a great moment. Probably because it never actually happened… It has been a few years since they "graduated" from college, and they have barely thought about it since. But they have just been hired in a new company, and they were asked to provide their college diploma. When they could find their copy, they emailed their college to ask for a copy, only to be told they never actually graduated because they failed their final class. 

What should they tell the company, and can that cause the workplace to recind their offer? 

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  • 01
    IN "Are they going to rescind the offer?"
    via fizkes

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    New job is asking for my diploma. I didn't know I never graduated.

    Hello all. I graduated in 2021 and have had two jobs post college. Never have I been asked to share my diploma, and when I took my last test in college I closed my school portal and never checked again, which is completely my fault.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 03
    Since it was COVID we didn't have a graduation and I didn't have the option to pick up my diploma in person.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 04
    I just accepted a really high paying job in San Francisco at a tech startup and already signed my offer letter.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 05
    I'm supposed to start in 3 weeks. They sent me a Chekr link to share my social security number, my proof of my diploma, and a w-2 or 1099 to prove my prior employment.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 06
    I couldn't find my diploma anywhere in my email so I called my alma matter to request a copy and they let me know I didn't pass my final class, which means I didn't graduate....
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 07
    I don't know what to do. I'm terrified my new job is going to rescind my offer.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 08
    I never put my graduation year on my resume (because I've been told not to by my recruiter friends) and the job description never asked for a four year degree or mentioned anything about a college degree.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 09
    They also never asked if I graduated college or not. Can someone help?? What do I do??
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 10
    Please help Edit: not looking to be criticized, I am loosing my mind and so angry at myself as it is.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 11
    Can someone advise me on what to say to my prospective employer?
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10566888960
    via studioroman

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 13
    Investigator516 You need to retake that last class and finish your degree. Work it out with your college. Do not wait on this. Schools are changing up their majors and some are now setting time limits for degree completion. Don't get caught in a situation where your earned credits are thrown out and all that money wasted while still owing loans.
    via Investigator516
  • 14
    OP Tiny-Day-3370 I will absolutely, thank you.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 15
    natewOw Who the hell doesn't check if they graduated college? You spent 4+ years and however many thousands of dollars, and you didn't even bother to confirm that received one of the most important pieces of paper you will ever receive?? Get ready to have your offer rescinded. This is on you, and you deserve whatever happens. Sorry to be harsh, but this was a pretty colossal fuck up.
    via natewOw
  • 16
    OP Tiny-Day-3370 It was a very hard time in my life and I just wanted to be done with it. I know it was extremely stupid and now I'm paying the price and freaking out. I'm looking for help, didn't need the tear down.
    via Tiny-Day-3370
  • 17
    Syllabublnfamous8284 Give checkr a transcript instead and see what happens. They might interpret it as a completed degree. If it passes, quietly get that last class to make it legit,
    via Syllabublnfamous8284
  • 18
    IntrepidGnomad You haven't worked in education I'm guessing. You can explain till you are blue in the face that every question on the review is EXACTLY like one on the test, and show them all how to solve the problems. EVEN asking them to take pictures of the solutions so they can avoid mistakes on their notes. AND STILL someone will fail that test and show up 2 days before grades are due and ask if there are extra credit opportunities.
    via IntrepidGnomad
  • 19
    needalanguage Chances are they offered you the job because they liked your job experience and interview. Its' not because of one class and one piece of paper. You are college educated and you will be a graduate as soon as you shuffle some red tape. But the reason they hired you is still in tact. Tell HR they may contact the school to confirm enrollment, explain that it was covid. Then obviously offer them references from your experience. Do NOT say "omg im so sorry, im so stupid" or anything of
    via needalanguage
  • 20
    Mojojojo3030 Email a college counselor and see if there's any way you can get it changed to an incomplete and complete some missing coursework (probably not but who knows), and failing that, what your options are for completing. In the instant case, yeah you are probably SOL, don't see a way around that. \Call\ the HR person, prostrate yourself, tell the truth, and ask if she can think of a way out of this. I can't imagine she will believe you, and I probably wouldn't either, but no harm in tryi
    via Mojojojo3030
  • 21
    AbbeyEver After17 I actually know someone who this happened to 10 years ago. It was an honest mistake, and this person even walked at graduation and then didn't pass a call and therefore didn't graduate. It's wild, but it can happen!
    via AbbeyEverAfter17
  • 22
    Jels 76 I would be looking forward to my diploma and wondering where it was and double checking my grades to make sure I graduated. I can't imagine just checking out the moment I finished my classes and never giving it a second thought.
    via Jels76
  • 23
    Glenndiferous I just finished my own degree program literally a month ago and I was so burned out at the end that I just didn't turn in a bunch of shit. I did the math to know I would have enough to pass even without those last assignments, but I did this exact thing, logged out and checked out. Tbh this post would make me paranoid enough to go back and check if I hadn't already received my degree in the mail.
    via Glenndiferous

  • We hope this new hire can find a way past this unique issue and maybe learn to be a bit more responsible in the future.

    At least they might get to experience a graduation ceremony now, if they decide to complete their degree…

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degree boss workplace-stories diploma employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace new hire reddit story hiring contract workplace Reddit company college college student
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