Graduation applications were due Monday for students planning to graduate this fall semester. This final and strict deadline means that every student who now turns in his or her application will be for the spring semester. Spring 2014 potential graduates may now begin turning in their applications for priority filing, which will be open until the end of the fall semester.  

Priority filing began Monday and is a resource for students who would like to have their application audited in advance to make sure that they have met all of the requirements to graduate. Graduation evaluators in the Admissions and Records office look over every application to verify that students have completed all of the required General Elective courses and requirements, such as a lab, upper division courses and the ethnic studies requirement. 

There are three evaluators who split up applications alphabetically by last name. After applications have been checked, the evaluators notify students to inform them whether or not they have completed the requirements to graduate. 

Before the graduation application is processed by the Admissions and Records evaluators, students are required to fill out the one-page application. The applications require students to list which courses that are currently in progress, as well as the courses they intend on taking in the future during their last semester. Students are responsible for getting their applications signed by their advisors as well as the chairs of their departments. 

    Students who choose not to file their applications during the priority filing date will still be able to walk during graduation, but in the case that there is an error, students will be notified that they did not meet the requirements to graduate after the ceremony. Priority filing assures students that they will be able to graduate during the intended semester or informs them of the requirements still needed. 

“Take the WEPT. Take it early and make sure you pass it. It is the number one thing that people are denied graduation for,” said Admissions and Records student assistant Stephanie Schmidt. 

Schmidt also recommends staying on top of your Academic Requirements Report, located through MySSU. The Academic Requirements Report informs a student what requirements have been met, which are in progress and which requirements still need completing. The Academic Requirements Report also records all transfer credits and petitioned courses. If transfer credits do not appear on the Academic Requirements Report, additional paperwork must be completed before a student can graduate. 

Samantha Brazeau, transfer credit and graduation assistant, advises students who intend on dropping their minors, to do so formally. Incomplete minors will result in a deficiency and withhold students from graduating. Brazeau also advises students to turn in their applications directly to the Admissions and Records office if they are turning in their application close to the due date. Applications can miss deadlines if they are left to interdepartmental mail, which can result in a delayed delivery. Brazeau also recommends printing out the Academic Requirements Report and brining it in to an advisor before filling out the graduation application. 

The final date for students planning to graduate in the spring of next year is the first of February. Students can turn in their graduation applications up to one year in advance but it will likely not be processed until the semester before. Applications can be found online on the Records and Registration page on the SSU webpage.