Student Checklist

Checklist for Applying for Graduation

STUDENTS MUST APPLY FOR GRADUATION PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THE LAST SEMESTER OF FINAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Obtain an Application Packet in any of the following ways:

• Stop by the Graduation Office in the Benedum Building on the Beckley campus;
• See the Director of Student Services at MSU Martinsburg, MSU Orlando, or MSU Center Township;
• Telephone or email the Graduation Office and ask for a packet to be mailed;
• Download an electronic copy of the 2011-2012 Application for Graduation.

Complete all of the biographical information at the top of the application. Please print clearly. Please be sure to include the address you want all Graduation correspondence to be sent to, several documents will be sent certified mail and require you to pick-up at the Post Office before receiving.

Please consult with your academic advisor as you prepare your application. You may contact an academic advisor at: http://www.mountainstate.edu/current/resources/advising.aspx. Your advisor will review your academic record and determine if you are eligible for graduation. If you are deemed eligible, your advisor will sign the advising portion of the application.

Once you receive your advisor's signature, you will need to pay the appropriate fee:

You can submit the application to the Graduation Office by:

• Bringing the application to the Graduation Office in the Benedum Building on the Beckley Campus;
• Submitting the application to the Director of Student Services at MSU Martinsburg, MSU Orlando or MSU Center Township;
• Emailing the application to the Graduation Office
• Faxing the application to the Graduation Office at 304.929.1336.

Complete the exit counseling interview at www.nslds.ed.gov.

Complete the Graduate Survey.

Check your balance with Student Accounts. Student must have a zero balance before diploma and transcripts will be released.

Your degree will be conferred on the last day of the month in which all program requirements are completed, all grades are posted, any transfer, training and/or testing credit is completed and posted on the academic transcript, and your official end date has passed.

After your degree is conferred your diploma, mini diploma, official transcript, and unofficial transcript will be mailed to you within twelve weeks.

Checklist for Commencement Ceremony

Complete the application for graduation, and submit to the Graduation Office on or before February 15, 2011.

Tell your guests!

Information for family and friends attending the ceremony is available on this site, including information on lodging accommodations, parking, maps, and more. Please email the link http://www.mountainstate.edu/commencement to parents, family and friends to keep them up to date on all things regarding commencement.

If you have guests that are unable to attend your ceremony in person, all ceremonies will be available for viewing via live web cast. You may also order a commemorative DVD to share with friends and family who are not able to attend.

If you or your guests require special accommodations due to a disability, complete the bottom line of the Commencement Participation Form and submit to the Graduation Office on or before March 25, 2011.

Secure your academic attire (cap and gown) for the ceremony. You can purchase your regalia through the Mountain State University Bookstore or join us at the Cougar Shop (Beckley Campus) on Thursday March 24, 2011 for our annual Graduation Fair from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Representatives will be available for you to order your announcements, class ring, diploma frame, and cap & gown. Representatives from the Alumni Association, Graduate Studies, Graduation Office, and Financial Aid will also be available. Don't miss out on the door prizes and our 20% discount on cap & gown purchases.

Complete and submit the Commencement Participation Form by March 25, 2011. The form is included in the Commencement Information Packet that is mailed March 2, 2011.

After submitting the Commencement Participation form, you will be mailed information concerning the Commencement location you chose in mid-April.

Honor Cords and Stoles will be mailed to students who have met the GPA requirement.

Arrive at the Ceremony at the specified time outlined in the second Commencement Information mailing with all required regalia. Relax and enjoy your ceremony. The ceremony will last approximately one hour. Out of courtesy to all of our graduates, we ask that you remain for the duration.