By Jennifer Davis
The hype of graduation is overwhelming but what happens next may be a little uncertain. After graduation, there are a few changes for those who have decided to stay in Provo. Little unseen details can make a big difference for the graduates.
Housing
Many students may remember checking the box on their BYU approved off-campus housing contract stating that in order to live there, they needed to be a student of either BYU or UVSC. After graduation when that is no longer the case, however, graduates should check with the owner of the housing facility to see what kind of contract they have with them and if any arrangements need to be made. Also, the graduates should check with the owner to see what kind of agreement the owner has with BYU, said Cecelia Fielding of BYU media.
'I had to sign up for an institute class,' said Michael Barnhill, a 2005 graduate from Sandy. The institute class enabled him to stay in BYU-approved housing.
Married couples who live in on-campus housing, such as Wymount or Wyview can continue to live there if one spouse graduates and the other is still enrolled at BYU.
Insurance
The thought of losing BYU health insurance can be a scary thing, but BYU offers help to recent graduates. Future graduates can extend the plan they are currently on for a month at a time up to nine consecutive months. It is encouraged that graduates go to the Health Center by the tuition deadline, May 9, to sign up for the insurance. The prices are listed on the Student Health Plan Web site under the FAQ page. Students who are graduating that never used the BYU Health Insurance can not extend coverage, but the Alumni Association offers insurance for students that have graduated. Their phone number is also listed on the Web site.
BYU Wards
Not surprisingly, graduates can stay in their same BYU ward if they stay in the same housing.
UTA Bus Passes
The bus passes all have an expiration date, and graduates will no longer be able to buy the bus passes at the reduced price after graduation. The prices will jump from $60 for the fall and winter semesters and $25 for the spring and summer semesters to $50 a month for an adult bus pass.
Computer Privileges
E-mail: After students graduate, they will lose their basic e-mail box, said Russell Allred, product manager for the Office of Information Technology. Students will want to find a different service, such as Hotmail or Yahoo.
'We are hoping the students have an alias for their basic e-mail boxes,' Allred said.
If students have an alias, such as @byu.net at the end of their BYU e-mail address, then after graduation, the e-mails can be transferred to the new service. All the students have to do is replace the 'forwards to address' box, which can be found in the E-mail Alias Manager within Route Y, from the basic BYU e-mail to the new service. The Office of IT will be sending out an e-mail to all upcoming graduates with more details about the computer and e-mail privileges.
File Storage: Students have the privilege of using NetStorage, also know as a u-drive. Students can save information and access it in labs. When students graduate, however, they lose their access to the labs and the information. Therefore, it is extremely important that future graduates clean out the information before they leave.
Post-Graduation Classes
Schedules can be tight before graduation, and it may not have been possible to take a class one had always wanted to take. Do not fret, however. BYU allows graduates who have a baccalaureate degree to continue taking classes. Applicants for post baccalaureate students should have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and may only take courses for up to one year. There is an application to fill out and limited enrollment of 11.5 hours or less during fall and winter semesters.