I don't get it

[David J.]

If you graduate in the fall, or some other odd semister that's not spring time, do you get your diploma, even if there isn't a ceremony?

OK, due to some scheduling problems, and some poor grades, I won't be graduating college on time! Oh noes! Maybe I'll graduate in the summer, or the fall. We'll see in a week or so. It's not really a big freaking deal.. Even if I had the good grades, and was on time, I wouldn't be ready for the social interaction of a 4 year school, due to some social problems. Living in a dorm is my only option. Although commuiting to college would make OPEC happy as hell, since my car is a gas hog, I'm not spending six hours+ in a car a day, and quadrupling what I pay in gas a month.

But I looked at the college schedule for next fall, and it there's no ceremony for those who graduate in the summer or fall! Do you have to wait until the next May to get your diploma, which is when the ceremony is? I really care, not because I'm transferring right away, because I'm looking at joining Americorps for a year after I graduate, and I'd like to have a paper degree and then go to a 4 year school to get my degree.

[Flash1087]

You know, I'm not sure. It might depend on the school, but you may be able to get your diploma ahead of time if you mention to someone higher-up that you need it sooner than the ceremony.

[Zebbe]

When I was in your age (... 2½ years ago) I graduated ("tog studenten" in Swedish) from high school ("gymnasiet" in Swedish). I didn't have the needed grades, but I was at the ceremony anyway. My grade paper was a incomplete one, I fixed that in the autumn the same year :).

[Mendicant]

When I was your age... many many moons ago, when many buffalo roamed the plains... diplomas weren't given out at ceremonies. They were given out in schools. Ceremonies were a fancy way of giving out diploma cases. :D

I ended up finishing college in Fall. In NY, actually. :D (The graduation Ceremony took place in February.) I ended up in a situation where I needed a diploma a few weeks before I actually finished my classes, so I got an official waiver-type-thing, issued by the college, stating when I graduate & all that. Things worked out just fine.

[David J.]

Oh good, you went to a SUNY school too. Helps out a ton.

[Melf]

Basically what you get is a certification of degree, which is essentially a final credit transcript with "degree awarded:" at the end.

[David J.]

Well, I don't think my grades for this semister will be very good, I really dropped the ball in quite a few areas... :(