GT-How

From DegreeWorks to Diploma – Here’s how to graduate from the Georgia Institute of technology on time ?

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by

madewolu9
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Your step-by-step guide to navigating Graduation as a new student.

By Moses Adewolu & Sahil Patel

Intro

Registering for classes at Georgia Tech is hell. Many students often deal with issues registering for courses, it’s all too common seeing undergraduate students randomly pick courses from their degreeworks expecting the enroll process to be smooth, only to be met with hidden prerequisites. You need to balance credits, prerequisites, restrictions, professor quality, class location, and how many courses fall on the same day Tools like GTScheduler fail to include ways to check whether a course has a prerequisite or not, Degreeworks does list prerequisites however it’;s not very clear or easy to understand without experience using degreeworks.

Between BuzzPort, DegreeWorks, OSCAR, and a dozen other portals, figuring out how to register for classes or check ytour degree progress can be very overwhelming. This guide is designed to walk you through every step of your Georgia Tech Journey, from registering for your first classes to finally walking acorss the stage at graduation. You’ll find plenty of useful tips for planning your 4 year course load, avodiing different registration pitfalls and managing holds.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Check Degree Progress
  4. Apply for Graduation
  5. Clear Academic & Financial Holds
  6. Meet With Your Academic Advisor
  7. Order Cap & Gown
  8. Attend Commencement Rehearsals
  9. Commencement Tickets & Guests

Check Degree Progress

Figure 1. Online Blue & White Website displaying login fields for registration.

How to check your academic progress:

  • Log into DegreeWorks to make sure you’ve satified all the degree requirements.
  • Core Curriculum: Double check over the humanities, social/lab science sections as well.
  • Major-Specific Courses: Your upper-course level should match your academic year.
  • Minimum GPA: Make sure your GPA is above the mininum GPA requirement for your program, most common is 2.0 GPA (C Average)
  • Credit Hours: Ensure your totoal numbner of credits is atleast the requirement amount (usually around 122 for most bachelor degrees)

Apply For Graduation Year

Figure 2. Online Website Displaying the Georgia Institute of Technology OSCAR Webpage highlighting the Graduation Application Section.

  • How to Apply For Graduation at the Georgia Institute of Technology:
    • You can submit your application through BuzzPort:
      • If you’re graduating in the Fall : Apply the Spring Semester Before
      • If you’re graduating in the Spring : Apply the fall Semester Before
      • If you’re graduating in the Summer : Apply the spring Semester Before
    • After you’ve submitted your application verify your name spelling for the diploma along with your mailing address are correct.
    • That’s exactly how you’re diploman will appear when it’s sent to you.

Clear Academic & Financial Holds

Figure 3. Black Graduation Cap with Tassel crossed out signifying delayed graduation if holds are not dealt with.

  • Before you can register for classes or officially graduate, you have to clear any academic or financial holds on your account.
  • To check for any holds on your account:
    • Log into Buzzport.
    • On the Home tab, find the Registration and Student Services channel
    • Click Registration then OSCAR.
    • Select the Registration tab.
    • Click Prepare for Registration.
    • Choose your graduation term, then you can hit continue.
    • Review the Registration Status section for any active holds
    • Fix each of them (Contact your Pogram’s Department or the Bursar Office)

Meet With Your Academic Advisor

Figure 4. Undergraduate Student in burgundy shirt meeting with an academic advisor in her office discussing transcript information.

Before registering for your final classes or filling our the graduation application, you’ll need to check in with your academic advisor to confirm you’re on track and that everything is in order.

How to Schedule a Meeting with your advisor:

  1. Find your assigned advisor:
    • Log into BuzzPort.
    • Go to the Academic Services tab.
    • Click on the Advisor Information
    • This is where you’re assigned advisors information will be
  2. Schedule an appointment:
    • Go to Advisor Link then, you can click on Find My Advisor
    • Pick a Time & Date that best fits your schedule
    • Confirm the appointment in your @gatech.edu email address
  3. Prepare for your meeting:
    • Review your DegreeWorks and write down any missing requirments either core, thread etc.
    • Bring any questions you may have about your degree works
    • Make sure to have your BuzzPortID when you head to their office
  4. Join your session:
    • Sometimes you can register an online meeting with your advisor
    • Usually through Zoom, Google Meets or even Microsoft Teams.

During the meeting you’ll discuss courses/experiences throughout your year at college essentially reviewing all the requirements and wehther they’ve been satifisied or not.

Figure 5. Infographic highlighting the 8 STEP – Graduation Plan for undergraduate/transfer students at Georgia Tech

Order Cap & Gown

Figure 6. Image displaying the Georgia Institute of Technology Graduation Gown; it’s all black with cap, gold emblems and tassel.

  • Before you walk across the stage, you’ll need to order your official Georgia Tech graduation gown.

    Your graduation attire includes:
    • Gown: A traditional black gown featuring the Georgia Tech seal. Plain black robes are not permitted.
    • Cap: A standard mortarboard cap with white and gold tassels.

      How to Purchase Your Regalia
      • Location: Barnes & Noble @ Georgia Tech (available both in-store and online at gt.bncollege.com)
      • Cost: $85
      • Order Deadline: Monday, November 3
      • Late Fee: $15

Attend Commencement Rehersals

Figure 7. Undergraduate Student Graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology with her Degree in Hand while wearing Golden Student Athlete Honor regalia.

  • Remeber during your highschool graduation when you were isntructed by officials to go to school one weekend and they went over how graduation would work Where you’ll sit which side you’ll go too after you receive your diploma. It’s the same format for your college graduation.
  • What to expect:
    • Rehearsals typically review where you will line up, when you will walk, and what you’ll see on stage.
    • You’ll also learn how to wear your graduation gown and where guests should sit. (Now you’ll know where to send your friends and family)

Commencement Tickets & Guests

All graduates must register for tickets to attend the graduation ceremony. (You’ll also register seats for your friends and family)

  • How to register:
    • You’ll receive a confirmation email once your tickets are approved.
    • Go to commencement.gatech.edu.
    • Follow the link for Tickets & Guests
    • Log in using your gatech username/password and fill out the ticket registration form.

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