College Advising

I highly recommend having your personal statement done by the end of the summer before senior year. This is also a great time to finalize your college list. Most colleges will post their supplemental essay prompts in August. Answer as many of these questions as possible before schoolwork and extracurriculars dominate your free time.

A bachelor's degree typically requires 120 credits and could be completed in four years of full-time study (meaning 15 credits per semester over eight semesters).

An associate degree typically requires a minimum of 60 credits and can be completed in two years of full-time study. 

However, not everyone is able to finish "on time." While it varies from year to year, the average four-year graduation rate across all US colleges is only about 40%. This number rises closer to 60% when you add two extra years. Knowing how many students graduate in four or six years could be useful information in your college search. 

The schools with the highest graduation rates are also among the most competitive. Most Ivy League colleges have four-year graduation rates in the 80s and 90s. Some other colleges with four-year graduation rates of 90% or higher include the University of Notre Dame, Swarthmore College, the University of Chicago, Duke University, and Georgetown University.

Shockingly, some four-year graduation rates are down in the single digits! Some of these colleges include Chicago State University, Nevada State College, and the University of Maine at Augusta.

See the statistics for yourself through the National Center for Education Statistics. 

Plan ahead!

• Complete at least 15 credits per semester. Taking fewer credits could mean needing summer classes or an extra-heavy semester in the future.

• Find ways to overlap your requirements. Most schools have general education requirements for graduation. Check to see which ones your major or minor classes can also fulfill. Some schools even allow one course to fulfill multiple general education requirements.

• Choose your major by the end of your sophomore year. Changing majors could require an extra semester or more to complete the new requirements.

• Speak with your academic advisor and career counselor. They can help you choose a major that is appropriate for you and may point you to courses that meet multiple requirements.

• Seek academic support before it's too late. Failing a class could delay your graduation by a full semester. Look into your school's tutoring, academic coaching, and disability services if needed.

• Don't add unnecessary majors or minors. Most employers won't care whether you have more than one major or minor. The important thing is that you graduate. Speak with an advisor to see if yours is a rare case where adding a second major or minor would help, but I would say that it's almost always a mistake to delay graduation for an extra major or minor.