Maybe you changed your major or maybe you transferred schools. Perhaps you extended that semester abroad into a year abroad, or you decided to double major. Maybe you couldn’t get into a required class, or you found yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to retake a class. There are all sorts of reasons students take longer than the traditional four years to graduate from college, but there’s no way around it, the longer you are in school, the more expensive your education.
Remember that your education is an investment in yourself and your future career. Extending your college experience to get an extra degree or to study in another location might be worth the extra costs. BUT, having to pay for tuition, room and board, books, activity fees and all of the other expenses that go along with additional semesters, is another story.
Sometimes it’s worth putting the numbers out there and letting it sink in. Suppose your tuition is around $16,000 a year. That means you are looking at least $96,000 in tuition alone on the six-year plan, versus $64,000 if you were to graduate in four years. That assumes your tuition does not increase (which it probably will), and does not factor in the myriad of other expenses you incur in school.
So how can you prevent this from happening? Do your due diligence and stay on top of your graduation requirements. Even with a college major change and a transfer, I was able to graduate only one semester late by working with my advisors and always knowing how many requirements I had left. In my last semester at my original school, I made a point to take classes that I knew my future school would accept for their full credits. I also tried to pick classes that might satisfy more than one requirement, such as a class that met both the social sciences requirement and counted toward my major. I also took summer and night classes if I couldn’t get into required classes offered at traditional times.
Some tips to help you graduate in four years:
1. Stay ahead of the curve and really think about your school choice to avoid having to transfer.
2. Don’t declare a major right away.
3. Work on your core requirements so you don’t waste time on classes in a major you end up not interested in.
4. Stay on top of your high school studies now so you score well on AP exams and have credits in your pocket before you even set foot on campus.
Of course, sometimes circumstances arise and life doesn’t work out as planned, but with some foresight you can avoid being in school longer than necessary.
“What’s wrong with transferring?” Jay Mathews of The Washington Post asks this question of a survey completed by WiseChoice. The survey, which included over 800 college freshmen nationwide, found that 33% were already thinking about transferring. That seems like quite a large percentage to WiseChoice, especially just a few months into the first semester of college. WiseChoice believes that if students took more time to research their selected schools before applying, many could eliminate transferring and instead, find college to be a rewarding experience right from the start. (Not to mention, avoiding the headaches and costs associated with transferring.)
However, Mr. Mathews argues that transferring to another college is part of the maturation process, “trying something and seeing if it works, then moving on if it doesn’t.”
So, what do others have to say about transferring? Read real life examples from those who transferred colleges and the situations they encountered.
“If you don’t like your college, you can always transfer.” How many times have you heard that? You must admit, it seems to take the pressure off of finding the right college. You choose a college, and if it doesn’t work out, you transfer. Sounds easy enough, right?
But before you make a decision just to end the tiresome college research, let’s look at the implications of transferring:
• Time. In college, the academic challenges will likely be greater than high school, and you won’t have as many papers and tests that count toward your final grade. The majority of your time will be spent studying; you’ll have few opportunities to research, visit, and apply to other colleges.
• Costs. Next, there are the applications costs. (Remember those?) Then, there may be costs to re-take courses at your new school—with new books—because course credits do not always transfer from one school to another. Finally, re-taking courses and meeting new graduation requirements may mean it could take five or six years to earn a degree, adding more to your overall cost of tuition.
• Freshman, again. Remember, when you transfer, you will be starting all over again making new friends. Only now you’ll be doing it as a sophomore—alongside sophomores who started their freshmen year together and have “settled in” with their own niche of friends. Bottom line: it could take more effort on your part to make new friends.
Still want to push aside your college research? Consider this statistic: students who transfer after their first year of college, less than 40% stay on track to finish their bachelor’s degree. Less than 40%!
College research may be a great stress now, but take your time while you’re still in high school and find the colleges that fit all of you: your personality, interests, preferences, learning style, as well as your grades. Time spend now can result in a rewarding college experience, and a degree later.
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Planning for college can definitely be intimidating. After all, there are THOUSANDS of colleges out there, each with beautiful web sites and brochures of students studying on the “quad” or bicycling through the fall leaves. It’s enough to make you think that no matter where you go, you will have a wonderful college experience. You just need to focus on your SAT, GPA, and essays to submit strong college applications.
Right?
But don’t be fooled, because reality can strike hard. That college that you never visited but really meant to—can quickly turn into a big regret. Perhaps you thrive in a competitive academic environment and find the students in your classes to be apathetic. Or maybe the campus doesn’t offer the activities you love to do in your free time. College acceptance doesn’t necessarily mean college satisfaction.
The WiseChoice survey of over 800 current college freshmen all across the U.S. found that 1/3 are already thinking about transferring, and it’s only November. What’s surprising is that many of the reasons cited for transferring—campus setting, nothing in common with other students, too conservative/liberal—could easily have been addressed if only these students had done more research in advance on their selected school.
So, take a breather and start thinking about what is really important to you in a college. Visit colleges and talk to the students on campus. (You can count on the students to give you the real scoop!) What is the “vibe” on the campus? Ask, “Do I belong here?” Don’t make any rush decisions. Remember, this is about finding a college that is right for you and not based on where your friends or parents want you to go.
By finding a college that fits your personality, learning style, personal preferences, and your budget, you have a much greater chance of being satisfied and successful with your college of choice, with many new friends to hang out with instead of filling out new applications to transfer. So, take your time now, do your research, and skip the transfer later!
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