Say What

Be sure to attend one of the Grad Fairs this week

Learning, of course, is the goal of any college experience. Part of that education means familiarizing yourself with some unfamiliar terms. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

As part of an occasional series, we’ll explain phrases, lingo or topics to add to your college vocabulary. We call it “Say What?” If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered, please send suggestions to [email protected].

Today, we take a look at the difference between Graduation and Commencement.

What’s the difference?

It’s easy to think that graduation and commencement are the same thing, but they definitely are not. Graduation means fulfilling all the academic requirements for your credential – certificate, skills certificate associate degree or bachelor’s degree. Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates this achievement.

What do I need to do to graduate?

Now is a good time to check your progress toward your credential. To do that, log in to Ocelot Access, select Student Planning, and then My Progress to track your progress.

Next, choose Graduation Overview and click Apply in Ocelot Access to submit your graduation application. Schoolcraft College has only one Commencement a year, so the semester in which you will take your final courses is the semester for which you should apply for graduation.

Graduates in caps and gowns — This year’s Commencement is at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, in the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center on the main campus.

Once final grades have posted for the semester, the Records Office will begin auditing graduation applications to verify that all requirements have been met.

The process is done manually, so your patience is greatly appreciated. You will receive an email when your credential has posted to your transcript.

The last day to submit a graduation application for the Winter 2022 semester is on Thursday, May 5. To ensure your name appears in the Commencement program, you need to submit a graduation application by Friday, April 15 for Winter, Spring and Summer 2022.

Learn more information about graduation.

When is Commencement?

This year’s Commencement is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, in the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center on the main campus.

To help you get ready for Commencement, please plan on attending one of the Grad Fairs, which will be held on the following dates and times at the Bookstore on the main campus:

Wednesday, April 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 14, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Be prepared to purchase and pick up your cap and gown for $30. You also will be given your four guest tickets at this time. Graduates must pick up their guest tickets in-person at the Bookstore.

Also available for purchase will be announcements, diploma frames, class rings, and a variety of alumni/graduate merchandise.

More information about Commencement, including a list of FAQs, is available on its web page.

Learn the differences as you plan your educational journey

Learning, of course, is the goal of any college experience. Part of that education means familiarizing yourself with some unfamiliar terms. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Through our monthly “Say What?” series, we’ll explain phrases, lingo or topics to add to your college vocabulary. If there’s something you’d like to see covered, please send suggestions to [email protected].

Today, we take a look at the difference between two items that are part of overall college expenses: tuition and fees.

What is tuition?

Tuition is, simply, the cost of instruction. At its most basic, tuition covers the cost of the professor or instructor teaching the course and the cost of offering the class in the first place. At Schoolcraft College, tuition rates are based on residency, which is whether you live in the College’s district or out of the district.

Schoolcraft College’s district includes cities and townships within the following public school districts: Clarenceville, Garden City, Livonia, Northville and Plymouth-Canton. The district also includes a small sliver of Novi. Residents in these districts pay a millage, or tax, to help maintain Schoolcraft College. Because they’ve already paid into the College, they receive a lower tuition rate.

calculator, piggy bank wearing a graduation cap — Tuition is the cost of instruction. Fees are generally used to cover the cost of buildings, facilities and services.

The tuition rates for 2022-23 are as follows:

Resident: $131 per credit hour
Non-resident: $188 per credit hour
Out of state: $265 per credit hour
International: $265 per credit hour

What are fees?

Fees are separate from tuition. They are used to pay some of the other expenses related to higher education, including buildings and facilities. Here is the fee schedule:

Application fee: $0
Transcript fee: Varies according to delivery method
Parking fee: $0
Registration fee: $43 per semester
Instructional equipment fee: $10 per credit hour
Service fee: $8 per credit hour
Infrastructure fee: $8 per credit hour
Learning management fee: $12 per class
Lab fee: Varies according to individual class
Excess contact hour fee: Varies according to individual class

Explanation of fees

Registration Fee

This fee is a refundable fee charged one time per semester regardless of how many credit hours a student registers for during the semester. This fee is $43 per semester.

Instructional Equipment Fee

This fee is used to defray the increasing cost of maintaining, upgrading, and replacing the wide variety of electronic equipment and personal computers used in our classrooms. Software purchases, maintenance agreements, and upgrades are also covered by this fee. Every student is charged $10 per credit hour for this fee.

Service Fee

This fee defrays the cost of several free services that Schoolcraft provides to students, such as career services, student activities, graduation, parking and admittance to the SC Fitness Center each semester the student is registered. This fee is $8 per credit.

Infrastructure Fee

This fee is used to defray the increasing costs associated with maintaining and enhancing the College’s buildings, facilities, and campus grounds. Deferred maintenance and depreciation of campus infrastructure is also covered by this fee. Every student is charged $8 per credit hour for this fee.

Lab Fees/Learning Management Fees

This fee is used to cover the cost of special materials, equipment, student assistants, specialized support and other services. Our learning management system fee (currently Blackboard) is $12 per class, with an additional fee of $10 for classes held in computer labs, allowing the use of additional technology that is otherwise not available in a standard classroom.

Excess Contact Hours Fees

The College charges $131 per excess contact hour per class with a maximum of 4 excess contact hours per class.

An excess contact hour occurs when the weekly class meeting hours exceed the class credit hours. For example, if Biology meets 4 hours per week, but Biology is a 3 credit hour class, the student is charged a $131 excess contact hour fee. If a Nursing class meets 10 hours per week, but the Nursing class is a 4 credit hour class, the student will be charged a $524 excess contact hour fee.

Paying for higher education can be a challenge. Fortunately, Schoolcraft College offers a variety of scholarships. Learn more here.