Graduation Deadlines and FAQs

The first step is to meet with your Faculty Advisor to ensure that you have completed all the requirements for your degree.  You can apply for graduation online through the myBrightpoint portal by going to Student Information System>Student Center>Apply for Graduation. You may also obtain an Application for Graduation from your Advisor or from the Admissions and Records Office.  Submit the application by the deadline listed above.

A review report will be sent to students who turn in their graduation application by the deadline to receive a review. The report is mailed to the address on file in the Student Information System (SIS) approximately two weeks prior to the next registration period for the upcoming semester.
 

You will not receive a review report from Admissions and Records if you did not meet the review report deadline. It is your responsibility to make sure you have satisfied all required courses or substitutions needed for graduation. If you have discussed a waiver or substitution of a class with your Advisor, have transfer coursework from another institution to be evaluated, or have completed a certification (CPR card, OSHA 10 card etc.), you will need to make sure all of the necessary documentation is submitted to Admissions and Records by the appropriate deadline.

A review report outlines which courses you need to complete in order to graduate in your major. The Office of Admissions and Records will send the report if you have applied by the review report deadline. The review report only assesses the information that Admissions and Records has. If you have discussed possible course substitutions with your Advisor, have taken classes elsewhere, or have questions regarding your major, make sure your Advisor is aware of this information. Only your Faculty Advisor and Dean can approve waivers/substitutions.

Remember that you graduate under the requirements that were effective the semester you declared your major. If there are additional requirements or changes in your major when you apply for graduation, you are responsible for completing these courses.

No. You must be presently active in the major listed on your graduation application and have been assigned to a faculty advisor. Admissions and Records cannot process your graduation application if you have not declared a major. Check the Student Information System in myBrightpoint for your degree information.

If you need to declare a major, you should contact the Advising Center in order to complete the appropriate paperwork. You can also declare your major online.

• Log into myBrightpoint, and click on SIS: Student Information System, select Student Center.
• Under Academics, select My Academics, then View My Advisement Report.
• Choose Brightpoint Community College as the Academic Institution.
• Select view then view report in PDF.

Requirements not satisfied will appear in bold red font. If you have questions regarding your degree progress, please see your Faculty Advisor.

All email correspondence will be sent to your student email.  Please continue to monitor your student email throughout your graduation process.  Select information will also be mailed to the address on file (see #8).  Information can also be found on our webpage.

If you marked “yes” to participating in the Commencement Ceremony, you will be mailed and/or e-mailed a letter in late March. We graduate students at the end of each semester; however, there is only one commencement ceremony, which takes place in May. The letter will contain details about ordering caps and gowns and the ceremony. This information will also be available on our website.

If you change your address or phone number, you need to update that information in SIS: Student Information System in myBrightpoint immediately. This ensures that all mailings, including Commencement information and diploma pick-up, reach you in a timely manner. Note that if a diploma or certificate is returned to the college due to an insufficient or incorrect address, the college will not attempt to mail the diploma or certificate again once the address has been updated. It is your responsibility to arrange to pick up the diploma or certificate at the Chester campus.

If you have a name change, you must come to or email the Admissions and Records Office to complete the paperwork and provide proof of your name change. A driver’s license, marriage/divorce decree, social security card or documentation from the court are all acceptable forms of proof. Please also notify the Graduation Coordinators so that your degree name is updated accordingly if your diploma has not already been ordered. The name in our system, listed as your primary name, is what will show on all official documents issued by the college.

If you have completed a Certificate or Career Studies Certificate program, but still must complete requirements for the Associate Degree program, you can obtain your Certificate or Career Studies Certificate before you finish the Associate Degree. Please review your program requirements, complete a graduation application with your faculty advisor for the Certificate or Career Studies Certificate program, and submit the application by the appropriate deadline. When you submit your graduation application, inform the Graduation Coordinator that you are pursuing your Associate Degree but wish to receive your Certificate or Career Studies Certificate in the meantime.

Information about receiving your diploma is found on the Diplomas page.

You would need to order an official transcript. Please select the option on the request form that states “Send after my graduation is posted.” The transcript will be mailed to the address that you indicate on the request, or you may pick it up on a future date after your graduation status has been posted. Alternately, you can order official transcripts online through Parchment. The online Parchment fee is $5.50 and transcripts can be sent electronically or via US Postal Service. NOTE: If you request an official transcript through Parchment prior to your graduation being posted your graduation status will not appear on your transcript.

Get instructions on how to see your unofficial transcript.

Yes, you are responsible for submitting a new graduation application reflecting the semester in which you plan to graduate. The application should be signed by your academic advisor and include an advising transcript.
 

If you are a spring candidate who has withdrawn from your coursework and are no longer eligible to graduate, please inform the graduation coordinator so that your name will be removed from the list for commencement mailings.

No. You must complete all of your requirements before participating in the Ceremony. If you complete your courses during the summer semester, you will be eligible to participate in the following May Ceremony. Only those students who submit an application and complete all requirements by the end of the preceding summer, fall, or spring semesters are eligible to participate in the May Ceremony.

You should see an advisor in the Advising Center at any time during your graduation term, or after you graduate, in order to complete the appropriate paperwork. If you have not yet graduated, please inform the Academic Advisor that you are a graduate candidate in your current major, and that you would like to pursue a new major after you graduate. The Academic Advisor will assist you in completing the Program Placement paperwork and will submit the form to the Graduation Coordinator.
 

If you have already graduated, then you would need to meet with an Academic Advisor to declare your new major. Please note that the VCCS mandates that any new majors must differ from your previous major by at least 25% in credit requirements. This means that 25% of your new major must be satisfied by courses that were not used in your previous major. Please mention your previous major/degree to the Academic Advisor when you meet with them to declare a new major so that they can determine if you are eligible for the second major.