BY: Jayla Brown
Most college students’ worst fear is getting to their target graduation semester and being told they can’t graduate on time. We’ve gathered some tips on how to avoid this mishap.
Visit your advisor often.
You may be tired of hearing this, but it helps. Checking in with your advisor never hurts. It’s their job to help you graduate. It can also help put a face to a name. Let’s face it, your advisor could have any number of students to look after. Go set that appointment!
Go over your courses before and after your advising appointment.
One mistake college students make is not staying on top of their courses themselves. Before and after you visit your advisor, go over your courses. Write down questions you may have and present them. It is just as much your responsibility to stay on top of your classes.
Be sure to enroll in the required classes for your major.
Some courses are required for certain majors. You should know which ones are required for yours. Luckily for you, this is one of the easiest parts. With a simple search on your school’s website, you can find your major and minor courseload. You can also ask your advisor for a course worksheet.
Check course offering dates.
It is extremely important to check which semesters classes are offered in. Some students don’t graduate on time because one class they’re missing is only offered in the previous semester. If you don’t know whether a class is being offered in the next semester, ask your advisor or ask a professor. They will know. If they don’t, they know someone who will.
Know your credit hours.
Keep up with how many credit hours you have and how many you need. Often college students go through four years and miss their target graduation date because of missing credit hours. Don’t wait until the end to check how many you have. Checking your credit hours can help you know how many to enroll in next semester.
Bonus tip: It’s not the end of the world if you miss your target graduation date! It doesn’t make you any less smart or any less of a student.