2008 Woodie Awards
Inaccuracies found in application
Lori Schueler
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Opinion
Senior year is an exciting time. Knowing that your school days are almost through, and starting your career is just around the corner, makes sitting through class a tough task.
Why should this time be any more stressful than it already is?
When a student has 90 credit hours, they can apply for graduation. Upon paying $35 for the application, the student will receive a letter confirming or denying the request, depending on a variety of things. When a student receives the letter, they can happily read the list of final classes he or she needs to get done with his or her school life.
When you're finally a senior, you don't want to mess around anymore taking classes you don't need. And since you have a document telling you exactly what is required of you to graduate, life is made simpler.
But what happens when that certified document is inaccurate? I recently applied for graduation, and when I received the letter I was a little confused. Certain classes were missing that I knew I needed to graduate. Why weren't they on the list? Are these classes no longer a requirement?
Because two classes I needed to graduate were somehow "overlooked" and not put into the letter, I paid $35 for an inaccurate listing of my requirements. It's a good thing I keep track of what classes I need to graduate because I probably would have trusted the letter.
One of the classes I need, which was not included in my letter, is only offered in the fall. How are you supposed to find out if a class is only offered once a year until you are actually trying to get into it?
Because this class is only offered in the fall, and is a required course, I have to enroll in one class next fall to fulfill my requirements when I could be starting my career. Cross your fingers that I even get into it because it only holds 15 people.
Because the application for graduation is only good for three consecutive terms, I have to reapply again in the fall. Hopefully my next $35 doesn't go to waste.
Why should this time be any more stressful than it already is?
When a student has 90 credit hours, they can apply for graduation. Upon paying $35 for the application, the student will receive a letter confirming or denying the request, depending on a variety of things. When a student receives the letter, they can happily read the list of final classes he or she needs to get done with his or her school life.
When you're finally a senior, you don't want to mess around anymore taking classes you don't need. And since you have a document telling you exactly what is required of you to graduate, life is made simpler.
But what happens when that certified document is inaccurate? I recently applied for graduation, and when I received the letter I was a little confused. Certain classes were missing that I knew I needed to graduate. Why weren't they on the list? Are these classes no longer a requirement?
Because two classes I needed to graduate were somehow "overlooked" and not put into the letter, I paid $35 for an inaccurate listing of my requirements. It's a good thing I keep track of what classes I need to graduate because I probably would have trusted the letter.
One of the classes I need, which was not included in my letter, is only offered in the fall. How are you supposed to find out if a class is only offered once a year until you are actually trying to get into it?
Because this class is only offered in the fall, and is a required course, I have to enroll in one class next fall to fulfill my requirements when I could be starting my career. Cross your fingers that I even get into it because it only holds 15 people.
Because the application for graduation is only good for three consecutive terms, I have to reapply again in the fall. Hopefully my next $35 doesn't go to waste.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Kristen
posted 10/18/07 @ 4:12 PM CST
Somehow they verified that I was good to graduate ... with the wrong major. I know I am where I am supposed to be, but they wrote something different down than what I had on my application and that something makes a BIG difference!
Kristi Shaffer
posted 10/22/07 @ 3:24 PM CST
This has been an ongoing problem for years. I know people that graduated from SIUE in the 80's and 90's that had the same problems. Why isn't this being fixed? Why should the students constantly have to check their status? I agree that it should be made into an easier process. (Continued…)
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