not take a course that’s only openings are at 8
a.m. Delaying classes can push back graduation because students end up having to take
introductory classes during their junior and
senior years.
a potential career path. A great way to fully
understand careers of interest is to set up
job shadowing with various professionals in
the field. Entering college with knowledge
of various careers reduces their chances of
switching majors multiple times.
Why is it important for your child to
graduate in four years?
GAIN COLLEGE CREDIT now:
The most obvious reason is money. Five years
to graduate means five years of paying tuition
and fees. However, if you or your student
takes out loans to pay for college, then that
higher loan debt will accumulate higher
amounts of interest. For students on scholarship, it’s important to know the stipulations,
since many only cover four years, not including summers.
Another way to help your student get ahead
is by enrolling them in Advanced Placement
and dual-enrollment classes when they’re
in high school. The AP curriculum consists
of standardized high school courses that are
somewhat comparable to undergraduate
college classes. Once students take the class,
they usually take the AP exam for the course,
which can earn them credits and accelerated
placement in college. Dual-enrollment classes
allow high school students to take classes at a
local college and earn college credit.
lost income:
MAKE INFORMED COLLEGE CHOICES:
The mighty dollar:
In addition to tuition costs, not graduating
in four years can hinder job earnings. For
example, if your teen is able to land a $40,000
per year job upon graduation but needs five
years instead of four years to graduate, then
he or she will have missed out on $40,000 of
earnings. When missed earnings are coupled
with added tuition, the costs of long college
careers can become quite steep.
How can you help your teen
graduate in four years?
Make career decisions early:
If your teen is in middle school or high
school, start helping him or her figure out
In addition to academic efforts, begin taking
your teen on college tours early. The more he
or she knows about a school before attending,
the less likelihood of transferring.
SUMMER STUDIES:
If finishing in eight semesters isn’t a possibility, encourage summer courses. Finishing
through summer courses is more time-efficient than taking an additional fall or spring
semester. Those three to four months in an
extra semester can be used for working.
Bottom line: As long as your teen views college as a full-time commitment, graduating in
four years should be an attainable goal.
FAST FORWARD: Earn college credit now
Advanced placement courses
Advanced Placement courses are offered at
most high schools and count toward graduation requirements. If your teen scores a 4 or
5 on the AP exam for their course subject, it
is also applied toward their college credits (at
only $89/course).
dual enrollment programs
These programs allow high school students
to take academic coursework at community
colleges across Alabama and include all of the
two-year colleges. Colleges partner with area
high schools and local Boards of Education
to facilitate the cooperative dual enrollment.
Online college courses
Online courses can be an excellent way for
high school students to earn college credits,
gain college-level experience and impress
admissions counselors. Universities including The University of Alabama, University
of Pennsylvania and Oregon State offer these
courses.
CLEP: College-Level Examination Program
Many colleges accept a full range of CollegeLevel Examination Programs® (CLEP®) exams, which measure mastery of college-level,
introductory course content.
www.potentialmagazine.com
OFFICIALS
ANSWER
“It is completely possible for students to
graduate in four years; in fact, our institutional scholarships are based on eight
semesters. Many students today are
very quick to drop courses, which then
results in a less than full-time course
load,” shared Buddy Starling, Director
of Admissions at Troy University. “We
are also seeing that as we change our
curriculum to meet real-world business
needs, our students are taking on internships and study-abroad programs. These
sometimes limit the course load and
the ability to take infrequently offered
courses.”
“Troy University and parents have the
mutual goal of removing your children
off of your payroll and onto their own
payroll. The ability to complete a degree
in four years is achievable if a student
maps it out, avoids detours and has parents setting expectations,” said Starling.
Only about
37% of
students
actually graduate
within four years
“At AUM, 47 percent of our students
have full-time jobs, so taking time off to
work a semester does affect their time
to graduate,” said Tyler Peterson, Dean
of Admissions and Recruiting at AUM.
“Most 18-year-olds don’t know what
they want to major in so these career
changes will affect their graduation
timing. College Career Centers have
resources that help them with career
exploration to receive their degree in a
field that will enable them to succeed.”
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