Ask an Advisor: What Do I Need To Do To Graduate?

Ask an Advisor: What Do I Need To Do To Graduate?

At Rio Salado College, we are preparing for our annual commencement ceremony. After two years of virtual ceremonies due to the pandemic, it's very exciting to gather students and the college community together in person this year to celebrate this achievement.

The commencement ceremony is my favorite event of the year. It’s time for students to celebrate their hard work and recognize the sacrifices made to reach this important milestone. It's also a time for students to show appreciation to their family, friends, college instructors, and other Rio staff who were instrumental in helping them achieve their goals. One of my favorite parts of the ceremony is hearing proud family and friends cheer loudly for their new graduate.

Advisors are often asked, “What do I need to do to graduate?” The simple answer is: when you complete your certificate or degree coursework, it’s time to apply for your diploma. You can apply to graduate at any point during the year you've completed your certificate or degree requirements. You will also need official transcripts from other schools sent to the Admissions, Records, and Registration Department, hopefully prior to applying to graduate. This will need to be done prior to being awarded your certificate or degree.

The ceremony happens each May and the deadline to apply to participate is usually in early March. The ceremony is not required, but it is highly recommended. You deserve a celebration! 

Do you have your future graduation date planned? Setting a deadline is essential to successfully completing your graduation goal. By setting a date to have completed all required coursework and graduate, you create a more realistic goal and provide yourself with guidance on how to meet it. You can then plan for your next step, whether that be a new job or career change, promotion, or university transfer. By setting a goal, you create momentum and motivation to complete all necessary tasks by your deadline.

If you haven’t already, work with your advisor to review your remaining program requirements and discuss a realistic pace to take your courses. Your advisor can put your choices into a semester-by-semester plan to outline what classes you still need to identify when you will complete your program. To find your advisor, log into your RioLearn page and look at the right hand column. There, you can view your advisor's email, phone number, and an appointment schedule. If you have not yet been assigned an advisor, call (480) 517-8580 or email academic.advisement@riosalado.edu.

Best wishes as you work toward your academic and career goals! 

For more information, see frequently asked questions FAQs About Commencement

David Hall is the Director for the Academic Advisement Department at Rio Salado College. He can be reached at david.hall@riosalado.edu.