Five steps to stay on track to college graduation
Congrats, you’ve made it to college! It’s a huge accomplishment to have made it to your college campus.
As you make the most of your college experience, you’ll need a plan to reach college graduation – on time, with as little debt as possible, and ready for your first job.
Like Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Here are the steps you can take – and revisit each term – to stay on track to reaching your college degree.
1. Know your status and academic standing
How many units have you completed? What is your academic standing at your school? For example, a student might be in their third year of college, but could be considered at a second year standing based on the number of units completed compared to college requirements.
2. Align your courses with your end goals
What is your end goal? Is it to graduate with a degree or to transfer? How many units are required to get there? When do you want to reach this goal? Do you need to consider the timing of your financial aid in your overall plan?
Find out what credits your college requires generally and for your chosen major and degree. This will be on your university’s website or in the course catalog. You typically need 60 credits for an associate’s degree – or to transfer from community college – and 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree.
💡 Key terms: A course catalog is a publication, often digital and in print, provided by the institution to identify details such as academic programs, student services, policies and procedures. They include required course lists grouped by area of study which can serve as a great guide or checklist as you work to complete the conditions to obtain your degree.
3. Track your progress towards earning your college degree
As you track your progress towards earning your college degree, consider: Where are you in proximity to your overall goal? What courses are still needed? How are you tracking against your degree requirements?
Take a look at your university’s or academic department’s website for your degree requirements and see how many units you have left to reach graduation.
4. Make your education plan
This is where education planning comes in. Once you know your university’s or program’s requirements, identify which courses you need to fulfill those requirements.
Have a balanced course load; this means trying to spread harder classes out over different terms. Pay attention to prerequisites and whether courses are offered only during certain terms. And have a backup plan in case a class is full.
At this point you might also determine any adjustments that might be needed with your schedule. For example, you might need to take classes over the summer to graduate on time. Or you might need to adjust your work schedule to have availability for popular class times.
5. Remember: you have support!
Throughout your college journey, remember that you have a team rooting for you! If you have questions, if you need someone to look over your education plan or course schedules, reach out for support.
Schedule regular meetings with your university or campus advisor and with your Making Waves coach to think through any obstacles, to weigh different course options, and to stay on track to graduate on time.
You also have numerous resources on your campus: student centers and tutoring services for academic support, peers and classmates for study groups, and office hours with professors.
💡 Key terms: Academic advisors at your college, university, or educational program are dedicated to your success and are aware of all the institution specific requirements. Scheduling an advising appointment each term can ensure that you stay on track toward your education and graduation goals, discover and plan for obstacles, and get questions answered about your major or program.
Dr. Kristina Wright
ABOUT MAKING WAVES Education FOUNDATION
At Making Waves, we are committed to educational equity. Making Waves Education Foundation is a Bay Area nonprofit that supports Making Waves Academy – a public charter school with more than 1,100 5th through 12th grade students – and leads college and career programming with more than 430 college students.
Knowing the opportunities that come with a college degree, we partner with historically underrepresented and underserved students to help make college affordable and graduation attainable. Centering the journeys of our students, our personalized approach includes college and career coaching, scholarships, and financial planning.
Our alumni network includes more than 730 college graduates, who earn their degrees and land jobs at more than twice the rate of their first-generation, low-income peers, with 85% graduating debt-free.
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