Senior year is approaching -- now is a good time to check your degree audit

Planning to graduate this year?  Now's a good time to double-check that you're on track to complete all of your requirements on time. 

Step 1: Open up both your Degree Audit and your Unofficial Transcript -- now both in Student Planning


Check the Student Planning/myBarnard/Registration printable guide (requires myBarnard/gBear login to view) for instructions if you don't remember how to view your Degree Audit online.

See related blog post for how to check remaining credits on your Transcript.

Step 2: Check for some important stuff

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On your Unofficial Transcript

1. Are all the classes you took listed, are all the grades on your transcript, and do you have credit for all PE and dance classes you need?
2. Are all external credits you expect -- previous college credit, summer credit, AP/IB credit, study abroad credit, etc. -- listed? 
3. If you're planning to graduate this May:
1. Have you completed at least 86 credits, thereby attaining senior status? 
2. Are you registered -- or will you soon register -- for a schedule that puts you on track to finish everything that remains by the end of the spring?

On your Degree Audit

1. Is your expected graduation date correct?
2. Are all courses showing up as counting for the requirements you expect them to count for? Or are things listed in "Other" that you expected to see under General Education Requirements (GERs) or in your major?  
3. If you're planning to graduate this February, everything should be completed or in progress.

Step 3: Address any issues you identified in Step 2

 

 

Note: many of these steps require the assistance of your adviser or other faculty, so you may not be able to resolve them until the fall semester begins.

1. If you see a blank grade, grades have not yet been turned in for the entire class. If you see an "I" or "X" or other non-final grade for a class where you know you have turned in any missing work, contact the instructor to check in.  
2. If you're missing any external credit, now is a good time to make sure it gets transferred. See the Registrar's page on Transfer Credit for all the necessary paperwork and instructions.
3. For General Education Requirements (GERs): if you took something for one requirement that is counting for a different requirement, you may not need to do anything. 
1. Some common scenarios not to worry about:
1. The Degree Audit is designed to maximize GER requirement fulfillment, so if for example you want a class to count for Thinking Globally but it's showing up as Thinking with Historical Perspective and you haven't yet taken something for Thinking Globally, the Degree Audit will automatically shift things around when you do take that Global class. Just double-check at that point to make sure. 
2. Similarly, if you had previously completed a requirement that is now showing as "in progress" with a fall class, know that the Degree Audit often pulls the most recent class for a given requirement. If you drop this class, the old class should slot itself back into place to fulfill the requirement (always wise to double-check though!). If you stay in the class, it will fulfill the requirement -- it doesn't matter which classes fulfill the reqs, as long as they are completed.
2. Some issues you should address:
1. If, however, something is showing up in "Other" that you think should be fulfilling a specific requirement, there are two possible courses of action:
1. If it is on the Registrar's list of Approved Foundations Courses, it should be counting for something and there's probably just a computer glitch. In that case, you can fill out the Degree Audit Change Request Form .
2. If it is not on the list but you hoped or were advised that it might be able to count for a GER, you may fill out and submit the Student GER Appeal Form. Do this ASAP so you can make a "plan B" if needed!
4. For major requirements: if your adviser assured you something would fulfill a major requirement and it's not listed, follow up with them and/or the department chair before submitting the Degree Audit Change Request Form.
5. If the number of credits you have left appears impossible to complete during this academic year and all of your completed credits are showing up and you hope to graduate this May, please consult with your adviser and/or class dean to discuss options.
6. If any expected credits seem to be missing, be sure you're looking at the Unofficial Transcript, not the Degree Audit.
1. Note: If you have taken any of the few repeated courses for which students are allowed to earn credit more than once for the same course number (e.g. Dance Technique, Independent Study, Research), there is a known technical issue that prevents this credit from showing in the degree audit. If this shows correctly on your Unofficial Transcript, don't worry if it's weird on the degree audit.
2. If a course you expected to count for credit is showing up as zero credits, you may need to fill out a form to officially request credit. Common situations are: Requesting a Point of Credit for Dance Technique and Requesting Credit for Introductory Language (where there was no subsequent more-advanced course)
7. If your degree date is wrong, submit the form to Update Your Degree Date.  

Step 4: Once everything is correct and you have your plan for finishing up, breathe a sigh of relief.