By Kristen Ann Szydloski

Contributing Reporter

You finally made it. 

Regardless of how long it took you, you’re ready to sign up for your last semester of classes and apply for graduation. 

The only question that remains: “How?”

Though the process may seem intimidating at first, with the right instructions, help from the records office and know-how, applying for graduation is easier than you might expect.  

What students may not know is that there is a helpful graduation link located on the Oakland University homepage. All you have to do is click on “Current Students” and you will see a tab titled “Graduation & Beyond.” 

You can then click on “Commence-ment” and you will be directed to the page where you can apply for graduation and gather other pertinent information on the graduating process.  

Information about the Alumni Association, Career Services, graduate admissions and more can also be found under Graduation & Beyond.

According to Jennifer Gilroy, Senior Associate from the Registrar’s Office, the most confusing part of graduation for many students is the difference between graduation and commencement. 

 

Commencement is held in May for those students whose degrees are awarded in April and June, and in December, for those students whose degrees are awarded in either August or December. 

The time to apply for graduation commencement is as follows: the last Friday in January for winter and spring candidates, the last Friday in June for summer candidates, and the last Friday in September for fall candidates.  

Gilroy also said that “graduate students who are submitting theses or dissertations should contact the Office of Graduate Study.” 

Like many students, you may be anticipating a phone call or an e-mail stating that you are eligible to graduate. 

s=”Apple-style-span” style=”line-height: 10px;”>According to the registrar’s office, they will notify students of any deficiencies for graduation and do not contact students who do not have deficiencies and are ready to graduate. 

In order to receive your degree, a senior audit must be conducted. 

After you’ve applied for graduation, the record office will send t

he degree audits to the academic units during the week after grades, at the end of each term. 

“The academic units generally have two weeks to reply to us approving or denying the majors, minors and concentrations for which degree candidates have applied,” Gilroy said.  

=”; font-family: Century Schoolbook; font-size: 10px; text-indent: 8px; “>Once the senior audit is completed, the record office will then do a final audit and then post the degrees. For specific questions, contact graduation auditor Renee Jaques. 

You should also be aware that in order to participate in commencement after you’ve applied for graduation, you’ll need to purchase the cap and gown. 

Those items will not be available until the OU Bookstore’s Graduation Extravaganza, March 10 and 11.

“We usually wait until later in the year to stock those items so that we can have a bigger event for the vendors,” said Adam Burns, general merchandise manager for the OU Bookstore.