“You should be graduating in four years.”
We’ve all heard this. Traditionally, earning a college degree should take a person four years. Well, this is no longer the case. Many students are taking longer than four years to earn a Bachelor’s degree, which is becoming the new norm. Recently, studies have shown that earning a degree is taking anywhere from four and a half years up to five or six years. No one should feel pressured to earn a degree within this four-year window. Plenty of changes and events could happen for a person to shift their college path, making them stay longer than four years. Society needs to stop with these outdated ideas and allow college students to take however much time they need to get degrees.
Stop with the Negative Connotation
There is normally a negative connotation with the statement of a student staying longer than four years at college. I’ve dealt with this personally. Being a dual major with a minor, I am staying an extra semester during my undergraduate life. People have made jokes to me like “You were always a good kid, what happened?” or “You always had good grades, but now you’re staying longer in school?!” Well, yes—I’m still a good kid and I still have a 3.7 GPA, but that doesn’t mean I need to follow the traditional four-year college plan. Plus, until you are an education major and have to pass numerous tests (and pay for them yourself, may I add…) then do not judge someone when it takes them longer than four years to get their degree. It happens and there is no need for someone to feel bad about themselves.
Changing Majors and Universities
Sometimes, the first choice isn’t the right choice. It’s been said that a typical college student changes major at least three times. Changing your major can set a student back in their major classes, which can take longer for a student to complete the necessary classes and credits needed for their degree. A student can begin taking classes in their first choice major and realize that that major isn’t the career they wanted. Furthermore, sometimes a student changes schools completely. The decision to switch universities can be for several reasons, such as that the first school just didn’t feel right, for money, or for proximity to or away from home.
Rotation Schedules
Certain classes are not offered every semester. A lot of programs and departments have rotation schedules. For example, a literature course required for a minor in literature may only be offered every spring or every other semester; if a student is not aware of a rotation schedule, there is a possibility of the student being set back because they have to wait for the class to be offered again. These courses are not always offered enough times to follow a four-year graduation plan. Also, a student should not feel like they need to push themselves to taking 18 credits or more just to finish in four years.
These are just a few examples as to why the notion that earning a degree in four years is false. College students should be allowed to take as much time as they need to finish a degree. Working, having a family, and health conditions are also challenges that can arise when trying to obtain a degree. So, we need to stop thinking a degree means four years; instead, all students should be encouraged. No matter when a student chooses to start school, anyone is capable of earning a degree—and it doesn’t need to be within four years.