UTSA boasts dismal graduation rates, report finds (student loans, college)

[andrewcool]

Originally Posted by L210

Did your school have quarter hours? 16 hours is rather an unusual number for a semester-based school unless you're taking courses with labs. The average is 12-15 hours. 18 hours is usually the limit and considered a heavy load; going beyond that normally requires special permission.

I don't think taking 5 years for a bachelors is ridiculous. Many people have to work while going to school and that is the complete opposite of being lazy. Normally, statistics look at undergraduate rates after 5 and/or 6 years instead of 4. Some degree programs will take at least 4.5 years no matter what.

No quarter hours. 18 hours was considered normal, and many usually went above that because of labs.

I did go to a private school where most people were getting two bachelors, or doing a 3-2/ program (undergrad, and graduate program). I finished my bachelors in 3 years, and was going to do my graduate program starting that summer, or fall however, I decided to seek my Law Degree, and now I am looking to go back to a MPA. I would have been finished with my masters or nearly finished if I stayed.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by andrewcool

No quarter hours. 18 hours was considered normal, and many usually went above that because of labs.

I did go to a private school where most people were getting two bachelors, or doing a 3-2/ program (undergrad, and graduate program). I finished my bachelors in 3 years, and was going to do my graduate program starting that summer, or fall however, I decided to seek my Law Degree, and now I am looking to go back to a MPA. I would have been finished with my masters or nearly finished if I stayed.

Care to share where you went?

[andrewcool]

Originally Posted by Chaka

Care to share where you went?

I would rather not, but I can give you some clues. A private new england college, located in Connecticut.

[CyVaquero]

Having just finished my BA as an online returning adult student at Penn State where I am also employed. I can state unequivocally that the only programs that are graduating a majority of students 'on time' are closed ones (majors that do not allow transfers in and have a pretty strict schedule). 4.5 to 5 years is the norm and I fail to see the correlation between taking a semester or two longer to graduate and being lazy - heck, I'm 41, I must be the king of lazy. Oh wait, I also spent a decade in the military, and worked full time as a salaried (read that as 50+ hours/week of work) IT professional. I also completely sacrificed any semblance of a social life to finish my remaining two years of school (I had previously earned an AAS) in 2.5 years.

As noted previously, some requirements are only offered once a year - hopefully that slot doesn't conflict with with another requirement. Additionally, you are talking state schools here, meaning a majority of the students are not coming in on a full ride - academic, athletic, or parental - that means a lot of part-time jobs to pay for general living expenses = less time to carry a 16+ credit class load.

I do want to remark that faculty/student ratios are an important factor in school rankings - more faculty means more classes that can be offered which reduces the number of classes that only get offered once a year, smaller class sizes, and the more individual attention students can receive. Case in point - at PSU Fall English Comp I, which is a GRE for everyone runs 3+ sections with 600+ students in each section with 1 professor for each section and an army of TAs. It should be noted that these numbers can be gamed a bit as some faculty are actually in administrative and non-teaching roles (clinical research profs and in some cases semi-professional/professional staff positions are classified as faculty).

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by andrewcool

I would rather not, but I can give you some clues. A private new england college, located in Connecticut.

And very expensive? I was a grad student at a private college in CT, and indeed, most undergrad students finished in 4 yrs, because their parents didn't want to pay for another year of tuition! And very very few worked in jobs outside of school. 18 credits wasn't the norm though. And grade inflation was an enormous problem we battled....

[andrewcool]

Originally Posted by Chaka

And very expensive? I was a grad student at a private college in CT, and indeed, most undergrad students finished in 4 yrs, because their parents didn't want to pay for another year of tuition! And very very few worked in jobs outside of school. 18 credits wasn't the norm though. And grade inflation was an enormous problem we battled....

1. I would not say it was that expensive, but it can be considered expensive.
2. Yes, most finished early because they didn't want to pay an extra year of undergrad, but mostly because they were going to Grad School. Everyone that I attended with, their parents had their masters and its a given that their kids get their masters too.
2.1 It was very rare for anyone to work outside school. It happened, but people were more focused on their studies, and other activities.

3. I am sure grade inflation exist, but it was not the norm at my school.

[Saytown]

I went to UTSA part time.............took 10yrs to graduate. I paid as I went and once I finished, I owed exactly $0

[sa dave]

Originally Posted by 3 classical l3

Any longer than 4 years for a bachelors is ridiculous. It just means the student is either lazy or unwilling to grow up and drop the college lifestyle.

It took me five years to finish my undergraduate degree. It took that long because I had one year in the middle to finish my Army obligation.

I bet you wouldn't tell me to my face, or that of any other service members, single parents, or full time employees, that we're lazy for taking longer than the requisite four years to complete a four year degree.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by andrewcool

2.1 It was very rare for anyone to work outside school. It happened, but people were more focused on their studies, and other activities.

Which only works if you have someone paying for your tuition in full - either through scholarship, loans, or parents.

Full-ride scholarships are not that common, esp. at public institutions (they tend to be a bit more readily available and there are better financial aid packages at private schools), and lots of people would rather not graduate with huge debt, and many more don't have family to help.

So working through school is not something people typically do for fun or because they don't want to focus on their studies. They do it because it's the only way to pay for college (I was very lucky, as when I went to undergrad, fees were very low and affordable on my 30-hour-per-week salary).

[Labamigo]

At some schools, and with some majors, the required courses are staggered in such a way that it is all but impossible to graduate in 4 years. If the school can force you go to 4.5 or 5 years, that's a lot more $ for them.