The Sycamore Graduation Guarantee is an agreement between Indiana State University and the student which promises that a student can graduate within four years if he/she meets their responsibilities as outlined in the agreement form. If the student has fulfilled these responsibilities and is unable to graduate in four years, the University will consider whether four-year graduation can be met through appropriate course substitutions. If substitutions are not possible, the University will waive the costs of tuition and mandatory fees for additional courses required to graduate.

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Students entering as first-time, full-time freshmen in the fall semester (beginning with fall 2012) are eligible.

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It's easy. Complete the application. Students are encouraged to turn in this application during summer orientation, however, they may complete it any time during their first year of enrollment.

The four-year time period begins with the start of fall 2012. Students who sign up after the start of classes in their first semester may have deficiencies that will need to be addressed before the agreement goes into effect.

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Parent participation is encouraged but is optional. If a parent signs the form, and the student completes the FERPA Authorization Form allowing his/her educational records to be shared with his/her parents, the parents will be able to assist the student in monitoring their academic progress. The FERPA authorization is required under federal law before a university can discuss a student's educational records with parents or others.

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All students are assigned academic advisors, and the name of the advisor should appear on their degree auditing report tool which the student can access through the MyISU Portal. If the advisor's name does not appear on this report or if the student needs assistance in accessing this information, the student should contact the dean's office of the college in which his/her specific academic program is housed.

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Staying in good academic standing is an important part of progressing toward graduation. If your academic performance falls below the level required by the University or that of the major you are pursuing, you should meet with your advisor to discuss how to improve your GPA and whether you will be able to return to compliance with the agreement.

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Students who are participating in the agreement who decide to change majors need to meet with their advisor to determine if it will be possible to complete the required curriculum in time to remain in compliance with the agreement. To do so may require attending summer sessions and/or taking additional coursework during the regular academic year.

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Students participating in the program are required to meet with their advisors to develop a four-year plan to complete their degrees on time. Students are strongly encouraged to continue meeting with their advisors each semester to review their progress and determine any issues that need to be addressed to stay on track to graduate within four years. It is the student's responsibility to initiate these meetings and inform the advisor of any problems he/she is having. The student should also utilize the degree audit reporting tool provided by the University to monitor his/her progress. In addition, the University will provide students in this program with an annual assessment each spring that indicates if they are on track to graduate within four years and details any corrective action that needs to be taken if they have fallen out of compliance with the agreement.

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This can vary depending upon the degree program the student selects. Generally, a student needs to complete 30 to 32 credit hours per academic year of the courses required for graduation to stay on track to graduate within four years. The four-year plan developed with a student's advisor will detail the number of credit hours needed each semester along with the specific curriculum that is required.

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Students in this program need to register during the priority registration period for each semester. If unable to get into a required course needed that semester to meet the progression/graduation standards for his/her program, the student should notify his/her advisor by email AND notify the Sycamore Graduation Guarantee program at stayontrack@indstate.edu during the priority registration period.

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Students will develop a four-year plan with their advisor that will outline the courses needed each semester to complete a degree on time. Some courses require prerequisites (other courses) be completed before they can be taken. In addition, some programs require certain grade point averages in specific courses or an overall GPA be maintained in order to continue in the program. In order to stay on track and meet these progression standards, students must be taking the required courses in the proper sequence and must meet the minimum grade requirements. In order to graduate, students must meet all of the required coursework for their program.

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If a student has met the terms of the agreement and can't graduate within four years due to the unavailability of required courses, the University will determine if the student can graduate within four years by substituting one course for another when appropriate and approved by the student's academic department. If that is not an option, the University will waive the tuition and mandatory fees for any required coursework.

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The waiver will only cover the tuition and mandatory fees for the remaining courses required for graduation. It does not cover any additional costs such as room and board, books, etc.

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Students participating in the program need to avoid having holds on their accounts that block them from registering during priority registration. To do this, students need to pay all bills on time and maintain good academic standing. Students experiencing such holds will not be in compliance with the terms of the agreement.

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Applying for graduation signals that a student intends to graduate at a given time. This provides an additional opportunity for the University to check the student's progress and determine if any changes need to be made in the last semester's registration to ensure on-time graduation.

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Graduating in four years is the best way to control the costs of obtaining a college education. In addition to the savings generated from no longer paying for college expenses, students are able to start their careers and begin earning a salary. This can mean an average of $48,000 in saved costs and potential earnings in the first year after graduation. This program is designed to keep students on track for four-year graduation and ensures that the University will make that possible. If the student meets his/her responsibilities and still is not able to graduate, the University will waive the tuition and mandatory fees of additional courses needed to graduate. The waiver will not be offered to students who are not participating in this program or who have not fulfilled their responsibilities as outlined in the agreement.

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