Graduation Information

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Petitioning for Graduation

Degrees and certificates are granted three times a year – at the end of the fall, spring and summer terms. Students who anticipate completing their last remaining requirements during the academic year must submit their petition for graduation to Admissions and Records early in the semester in which the requirements will be completed so students can be notified of evaluation results. The deadline for petitioning for graduation is posted in the Schedule of Classes and Catalog.

Petition Deadlines

Commencement

Commencement exercises are held only once a year at the end of the spring semester. A student may participate in commencement exercises when all degree requirements have been met or upon completion of his/her final semester of enrollment in required courses. Exceptions will be considered upon written petition to the Dean of Student Affairs.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian Selection

The class valedictorian and salutatorian are selected by the Scholastic Standards Committee in accordance with the following criteria:

• Students must have completed 40 units at Barstow College by the end of the fall semester of the academic year in which they will graduate.

• Students must be enrolled in the current academic year of graduation.

• The valedictorian will be the student who has the highest GPA of the graduating class by the end of the previous fall semester.

• The salutatorian will be the student who has the second highest GPA of the graduating class by the end of the previous fall semester.

• For those students receiving degrees in multiple semesters, the GPA of the most recent semester of graduation shall be used in determining valedictorian/salutatorian eligibility.

• Additional criteria may be determined by the Scholastic Standards Committee.