Last week while I was on campus for a meeting, I stopped by the advising desk and inquired about the date to apply for graduation for spring 2012 semester.

After answering my question, I was asked by the smiling face behind the desk if I had done a degree audit yet. I had thought that was something I would do next semester in preparation for graduating and transferring, but my sweet helper said I really should do it now. I went ahead and got one of the pagers and waited for my turn to see an advisor. My wait wasn’t too long (it was a Wednesday afternoon) and I was called back.

Ken greeted me at the door with a smile and we walked back to his desk. Once there, he asked me a few questions as to what I was in need of and got started right away going through my transcript and verifying everything per my degree plan. This is where my story takes a somewhat dramatic turn.

You see, I pride myself in being super organized and planning everything out. I hadn’t worried about getting a degree audit because I had followed my degree plan exactly as it was printed. But when Ken started asking me certain questions I got very worried. As per my plans, I would only have to take two classes next semester in order to graduate with my transfer associates degree and head to UTSA. But after checking and recalculating everything on my transcripts, Ken found a very big error.

First off, I will need four more classes, not the two I had so carefully planned on. And furthermore, one of the classes I thought I needed in order to graduate, I didn’t even need. Had I waited till next semester, after already registering and beginning classes, my goal of graduating in May would not have been possible. I will admit that I was a little dumb-founded and in shock when I left Ken’s office. But after going home and sleeping on the news I had just received I was incredibly thankful not only for Ken and the news he had delivered to me, but for the advice given to me when I approached the advising desk asking one simple question.

So the moral of my story is this, GET YOUR DEGREE AUDIT!!! At least try to do it once a year to make sure you are on track. Even the most organized and well planned out intentions can go off of the intended path! We are blessed to have wonderful advisors and staff here at Northwest Vista, so please visit them.

– Dawn Thomas
NVC Student and NVC Ambassador