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summer

Registration opens March 1, 2016.

1. Work or intern.
Courses are scheduled throughout the day and evening, offering students the greatest flexibility with work, internships, and other summer activities.
2. Earn credit faster. Students can earn 3 credits in just 6 weeks. Classes meet more frequently than during the traditional school year, offering an intensive academic experience.
3. Get ahead. Students can make progress toward graduation requirements or satisfy prerequisites for an upcoming semester.
4. Special "summer only" programs. Students may choose from special programs that are only offered in the summer, including GW Summer Institutes & Short-Term Abroad.
5. Online options: anytime, anywhere. Online courses are taught by innovative faculty, provide high-caliber content, and use the latest interactive technologies.

6. Smaller classes. Summer classes provide an ideal environment for students to focus exclusively on a challenging subject with increased student-faculty interaction. It's also easier to enroll in courses that are normally in high demand.

7. Save money with multiple course credit programs. Summer institutes offer an in-depth and practical learning experience, and many combine multiple courses offered at a substantially discounted rate.

8. Summer in the city. Free concerts, Screen on the Green, Independence Day fireworks, extended museum hours, or just a lazy float around the Tidal Basin — D.C. features a wealth of opportunities to complement summer study.
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david okun

David is a second year in the M.A. Latin American and Hemispheric Studies program and a Brazil Initiative Fellow, with specializations in Security and Economic Development. He serves as an editor on the GWU International Affairs Review, was an Orientation Leader this summer, and is active in the DC performing arts community.

While at the Elliott School, he has interned with Freedom House; the Organization of American States; and the State Department as a summer intern and currently as a Pathways Intern.

Prior to grad school, David taught in a bilingual classroom in Texas through Teach For America. David graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012 with bachelor's degrees in Spanish and International Affairs.

The International and Academic Initiatives office is seeking Global Ambassador volunteers for the International Graduate Student Orientation from August 17 to August 21 to show international students around campus, around DC, and to help them get settled into the United States. Volunteers are especially needed on the afternoon of the 17th, 18th, and 21st. We already have a few volunteers for the evenings, so volunteers with availability during the afternoons are preferred. This is a great way to meet people from other cultures!

Interested students should contact Katherine Safon at esintl@gwu.edu.

For students planning to graduate in fall 2015 or spring 2016, there are a few things you can begin thinking about that will make wrapping up your program go smoothly.

  • Update your plan of study: When your advisor reviews your record to see if you've met all of your program requirements, we will also use your plan of study to look for content approval from your program director. Updating your plan of study to match the courses you've actually taken makes this process quicker. If you update your plan after finalizing registration for the courses you will take in your last semester, chances are you'll get the approved form back faster than if you wait until the end of the semester.
  • Contact your advisor to discuss your degree progress: If you have any questions or concerns about whether you are on track to meet your degree requirements, please contact your academic advisor as soon as possible. Your advisor can help you review your requirements and develop a plan to complete them.
  • Apply for graduation immediately after registering for your final term. If you wait to apply, there is a chance you may forget to apply and miss the deadline. The Registrar's office assesses a late application fee, which advisors cannot waive.
  • If you have completed all of your coursework, but are still working on meeting a requirement (i.e. language proficiency, finishing your thesis, etc.) you'll need to request Continuous Enrollment in order to remain an active student and be eligible for graduation. Once Continuous Enrollment is added to your record you will be able to apply for graduation using the online application.
  • Keep track of any study abroad or transfer credits that need to be posted on your transcript. If these credits are approved on your plan of study to count toward degree requirements, they still need to be approved and deemed eligible to transfer. This process can take time, and if you need the credits to meet your program's requirements you won't be able to graduate before they're approved and posted.
  • Resolve any incompletes on your record. Students with incomplete (I) or in-progress (IPG) courses cannot be cleared for graduation.

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While your excitement builds in anticipation of starting your graduate program at the end of next month, here are a few things you can do to prepare for the fall semester.

  1. Complete GW First Class and review the New Students Page on the Elliott School website.
  2. Save the Date for Fall 2015 New Graduate Student Orientation, and RSVP in GW First Class.
  3. If you’re already local, make a trip to campus to pick up your GWorld card.
  4. Familiarize yourself with campus by taking a walk around or taking a  virtual tour.
  5. Register for your Fall 2015 courses, and review the Registrar's registration policies to avoid tuition penalties.
  6. Familiarize yourself with the University Bulletin, which lists University and Elliott School policies.
  7. Review your program's page on the Elliott School website to review your curriculum requirements.
  8. Begin working on a draft of your plan of study (we expect this to change, and will go over the form in detail at Orientation).
  9. Introduce yourself to other new students on the discussion board found in GW First Class on Blackboard.

Have other tips or suggestions for new students? Feel free to leave a comment below.