Q: My adviser emailed me and said that I should have the degree audit printed out and have an outline of the classes I need before meeting about spring class registration but I’m confused by what I still need and how to navigate the degree audit. I don’t have a minor declared yet but I have an idea of what I want to declare, is there a way to see what classes I would need for it?

A: Your degree audit can seem really daunting, especially during your first year or so when you don’t have much completed yet. My advice is to take it one tab at a time. If the little green triangle on the side is opened to show that you still have requirements you need to meet, write them down on a separate sheet of paper in a way that makes sense to you.

For example, if your general education requirements read as unsatisfied, then open up the small tab and look at exactly which category you still need fulfilled (humanities, social sciences etc.). Next to it, write down the number of required credits. Writing it down separately helps make it a more organized and simple process than trying to view the entire document at once.

I know how overwhelming that can be. If you’re still confused by what requirements you need, then highlight those areas and ask your advisor explicitly. It will show you made an effort to look at what you need. In the end they’re there to answer your questions about classes.

As far as your undeclared minor, there’s a very easy way to see what you would need if it isn’t declared. Under the tab where you selected to view your degree audit, click “degree audit-what if.” This allows you to pick your potential major or minor if it’s not officially declared in the system and will show you a mock outline of what courses you would need in order to graduate successfully with that degree.

Good luck and take a deep breath. You’re definitely not the only one who’s found the degree audit to be daunting.