Changing your name at School...

kac5560

Hi girls,
I haven't really looked into it too much yet, but I am a senior at Penn State and will be getting married this January, then returning to complete my final semester that same month. Has anyone gone through the process of changing their last name while in school? Is it complicated?

PrincessJas

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_students_changing-your-name-at-school?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:684Discussion:bf133e85-7ab4-4a86-9783-d634488e7e2ePost:8da244ba-b66b-4e75-99b9-302deb8f28c2">Changing your name at School...</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi girls, I haven't really looked into it too much yet, but I am a senior at Penn State and will be getting married this January, then returning to complete my final semester that same month. Has anyone gone through the process of changing their last name while in school? Is it complicated?
Posted by kac5560[/QUOTE]

<div>I haven't been through it, but have been looking into it.  Start by checking out your registrar's webpage.  Policies differ by the school, but there should be information on changing your name there.</div>

snuff9861

I'm not going to. I was talking to my school registrar's ofc and she said it's not worth it until you go to graduate. Then you just apply with whatever name you would like on your diploma and if it's different then what they have on file (ie your married name) you bring in your marriage certificate. Otherwise, my school forces you to change your email, student number and all that jazz.

ChristineNB

I just got married over summer break and changed my name at school for the fall semester.  it was a breeze, whole process took maybe 5 minutes.  All I needed was a new social security card with my new legal name on it and they were able to change it in the system.  Then I was able to get a new student ID.  Don't forget that if you have a student library card or any other cards associated with school to change them too.

jasmynelewis

Don't change your name before graduation. First it is a pain in rear but also you may not always want a degree with your married name on it. My advisor suggested putting my maiden name on my grad school diploma and I laughed at her and used my married name and had divorce papers before graduation. Luckily, my diploma had not been printed yet an the advisor pulled some strings to change it but I would have been really sad to have my newest accomplishment tainted with a name I no longer wanted. Not saying you will have this problem, I hope you don't, but always remember what could happen not just what you intend to happen.

DramaGeek

I "changed" mine in that I told professors, etc that it was changed (though most of them were invited to the wedding so they knew I'd gotten married) but I didn't officially change it with the school.  I made sure our sportswriter knew so all of the articles used the new last name.  I didn't see any reason to officially change it for one semester though because that would mean a new email address, new ID card, the whole nine yards.

Since I'd already applied for my degree, I just had to do a name change.  That was done in about 5 minutes in the registrar's office.  Easy.

ravenray

If you just have one semester left I wouldn't bother.  I am going tomorrow to change my name legally and then I will be going to the school to get my name changed.  Unless you really want your married name to be on the document.  You may also not get your new social security card back in time to change it.   

Sydney91

I am changing mine with one semester to go. It's going to be my legal name. I can't have two different names becaause I'm too lazy to change it. I already have the form filled out to change my name. It was an easy little one-page ditty. Not difficult at all. The only documentation I need is a copy of my marriage certificate. They aren't changing my student number, so I can keep my OneCard (for signing out books and eating in the caf), my email (not that I use the convoluted system the university has), and my degree will be in my married name. Which makes sense because when I graduate, I will be a Mrs.