Graduation FAQ

When do I file for May graduation?

A packet of information will be mailed to your local address in early October which will include all deadline dates and pertinent information.

What if I am not graduating until January or August?

If you are graduating in January, the deadline to apply to graduate is September 28th. You will not receive a packet in the mail like the May graduates. You only have to have a PACE report signed by your major/minor advisers and fill out the Diploma Card for that graduation. We do send a reminder letter to about 800 students each fall to remind them that if they intend to graduate in January they need to fill out the paperwork by our deadline (ads in the paper too).

If you are applying to graduate in August, the deadline is June 30th. You must have an adviser sign a PACE report and fill out a diploma card. You will not receive a packet like the May graduates or a reminder like the January graduates. The registrar depends on students to apply for August graduation, since they do not have any way of knowing who could graduate after the two separate sessions of summer school. Since you are probably fulfilling your last courses to graduate, you know who you are.

What if I miss the deadline?

There is a week in early December after all audits are due that we will take late forms.

When do I complete my degree audit if I am studying abroad in the fall of my 4^th year?

You will be mailed a reminder in January to come in and do the audit and you will have until the first week of February to turn in your paperwork to us.

What if my PACE report lists my major courses incorrectly?

We do not use the PACE report to check your major requirements; we only use the audit form that you will have your major and/or minor advisor(s) sign to verify what you actually need to do to complete your major requirements.

What if my advisor is unavailable during the semester I complete my audit?

You will have another advisor sign your degree audit; your major department can assign you to someone who can do this.

What if I have questions about the forms I receive?

The staff in the College Registrar's Office, 102 Garrett Hall, would be happy to assist you with any questions you may have about the forms. They will also check your forms when you turn them in to be sure that you have filled out everything correctly, and to be sure that you will graduate on time.

Will I be notified that everything is okay?

You will not be notified if everything is okay­you will only hear from us if there is a problem with your requirements. You can assume that "no news is good news." However, if you are anxious to verify that everything is okay, you may contact the College Registrar's Office after the add/drop deadlines in the spring. We continue to audit your record for months after the degree process in the fall.

If I am in a Distinguished Majors program will I receive my diploma on graduation day?

No, you will receive what we call a "dummy" diploma. The actual level of distinction that you receive in your program will be printed on your diploma and that cannot be done until levels of distinction are reported at the very end of the Spring semester. Your official diploma will be mailed to you later in the summer.

Are my majors listed on my diploma?

Students who earn the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree do not have their majors listed on the diploma. Only students who complete the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree in Physics or Chemistry have their majors listed on the diploma.

I am graduating in August. Can I walk in the May ceremony?

No. Students who graduate in August and December may not walk the lawn before they graduate; they may walk the following May. Students not graduating are not eligible to receive tickets, will not have their names in the program and will not receive any type of diploma.