Final Steps Towards Graduation

Written by: Precious Sanders, Graduation Advisor

It’s senior year! You know that graduation is around the corner, but you’re unsure of what final steps you need to take to get there. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you head down that final stretch towards earning your degree!

Be aware of deadlines:

One of the first things you will want to do is to read over the Graduation Information Sheet for the term in which you plan to graduate. These information sheets list a number of deadlines that you will want to be mindful of as you head down the final stretch towards graduation. These sheets can be found under “Graduation Paperwork” here, or you can pick one up in 109 Strong Hall.

Apply for graduation:

Simply finishing your requirements is not enough. Submitting your application for graduation is the trigger that lets your graduation advisor know that you plan to finish your requirements and graduate in a given semester. You can apply for graduation through your Enroll & Pay account. Be sure to apply for the semester in which you plan to finish your degree requirements, not the semester in which you plan to walk in the ceremony. Check the appropriate graduation information sheet to find the application deadline.

Check your Academic Notices and email frequently:

When you apply for graduation, your graduation advisor will conduct a review of your academic record to make sure you are on track with your current enrollment. If there are any questions or concerns, you will receive an email from your advisor detailing those concerns and requesting your feedback. If everything appears on track for graduation, you will receive an Academic Notice. This is just one of many instances in which you might be contacted by the University regarding your requirements or other important steps towards graduation, so make sure that you are checking both your email and your Notices regularly!

Do you have transfer credits?

You will always (I repeat: always) want to check course transferability through CredTran in order to verify that the classes you are taking at another institution will transfer to KU as the ones you need to fulfill your requirements. Remember that you must earn a C or better for a course to transfer to KU, and it is your responsibility to have your official transcript sent from that institution to KU’s Office of Admissions by the deadline of your graduation term.

Study Abroad, Incomplete Grades, and other outstanding coursework:

Keep in mind that you cannot have any outstanding coursework upon graduation. If you have outstanding study abroad coursework or incompletes you are working on, you must have grades posted for them by the deadline (check your info sheet!). Outstanding coursework could result in a delay of your graduation, so don’t procrastinate!

If you have any questions not addressed here, you can make an appointment with your graduation advisor by calling College Advising & Student Services at 785-864-3500 or stopping by 109 Strong Hall. Not sure who your graduation advisor is? You can find out by logging into your myKU Portal.