The deadline to submit graduation applications is Feb. 5 for seniors who are planning to graduate in the spring.

College of Science academic advisor and program manager, Vicki Cole said if students wait to apply for graduation until the deadline, it is not as easy to catch and fix any requirements that have not yet been completed.

“If students get them in early, I check them right away. If there’s an issue, I contact them immediately,” Cole said.

Cole said after a graduation application is submitted for students in the College of Science, she will do a graduation check. The graduation check is to make sure a student has fulfilled all the requirements for their degree.

“DegreeWorks is the biggie,” Cole said. “We’ve got to make sure DegreeWorks and our records all match.”

Along with DegreeWorks, Cole said there are also other systems that must be checked to ensure a student has met all the requirements for graduation. After this step is complete, the registrar’s office does another check.

Cole said she would like the deadline for graduation applications to be before Feb. 5.

“It’s kind of a long process,” Cole said. “And that’s why I would like for them to make the deadline earlier.”

In general, senior students also may be required to do a degree check, or senior evaluation check with their college, which is a way to be sure students are taking all the courses they need in the semesters prior to their graduation.

In the College of Arts and Media and in the College of Science, when students reach 90 credit hours, they are required to come in for a degree check or a hold will be placed on their account.

David Castleberry, associate dean of the College of Arts and Media said the appointment will usually last 15 to 20 minutes.

“And it’s not just good for the student, it’s good for us too in this office,” Castleberry said. “Because sometimes we find out information that didn’t make its way into the record or for whatever reason, you know, we think ‘okay we need to make an adjustment with this.’”

Castleberry said if a student schedules a degree check before the drop/add period, then it gives the student a chance to add a class they may need.

Castleberry said the degree checks are a very easy process and it is in the student’s best interest. Castleberry said the earlier a student can do a degree check, the better it will be in terms of anticipating schedule adjustments.

“Because the bottom line is we do this to avoid surprises,” Castleberry said.

Cole said senior students should always check with their adviser, especially prior to the semester they are going to graduate.

“We don’t want any surprises. I do not like to have to make that phone call,” Cole said.

Amanda Gibson can be contacted at [email protected].