Important terms
- Graduation: The conferral of a degree upon successful completion of all academic requirements. There are three graduation cycles in an academic year: Fall, Spring and Summer.
- Commencement: The ceremony held in honor of completion, or anticipation of fulfillment of, all academic requirements. There are two commencement ceremonies in an academic year: December and May.
- Walking early: Participating in a commencement ceremony before the term of graduation.
Participating or “walking early” in a commencement ceremony does not necessarily mean you are graduating. Commencement does not equal graduation.
Before you apply for graduation...
1. Review your Academic Advising Report (AAR).
You can access your Academic Advising Report (AAR) on your account. See on MyΒιΆΉΣ³» Help for instructions on how to find and read your report — using the “Student Center Classic” version is recommended, as it gives more detail with less clicking.
The AAR will load your course history, including your in-progress courses (current and future enrollment) and check against degree requirements for your declared program(s).
- If every academic requirement in the degree framework shows as “satisfied” on the AAR, then you can apply for graduation.
- If one or more academic requirements on your AAR show as “not satisfied,” do not apply for graduation. Schedule an appointment with a college advisor in the CLA Student Center for review.