By Emily Johnson
24 May 2007

Strolling through the campus at Purdue University with a group of young men and women, Mary Stephon, a soon-to-be freshman, looked around nervously and felt a bit overwhelmed.  She was there attending the Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) orientation for freshman students and learning about her future at the large Indiana-based university.  She looked up at a road sign and wondered for a second if she would ever be able to find her way around this town. 

Her group was led to a large lecture hall where she sat in a comfy chair twisting her curly blonde hair around her finger daydreaming.  She pictured fun parties, lots of people, keg stands and her new dorm room that was far away from her bedroom at home that she shared with her little sister, Maggie. 

Quickly her attention was pulled back to reality when she heard a facilitator mention 7:30 a.m. classes.  

"Wow," she thought.  "I don’t want to get up that early!"  One by one, the hairs on her back stood straight up as a chill ran through her body.  "I can’t have those early classes every morning.  I have to graduate and get out of here fast."  She relaxed in her chair and a smile blew across her face.  "But I still need to have a little fun."

Stephon, like many other young college students, was curious about her future, how to have fun and do well while in college, and how to get done with school as fast as she could. 

Today, about 63 percent of students are spending more than the traditional four years studying for their undergraduate degree, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.  But there are many scholars aiming to graduate in four years.  Whether they want to make money, get an internship, get a job, or simply just get out of school, students are trying to accomplish their goals by first and foremost finishing their four-year degree program.  No matter what your objective is, here’s a stress-free guide on how to stay focused, enjoy college and graduate on time. 

Fasten That Seatbelt, Decide on a Major and Stick with It

Ben Yorke, a junior at Saint Louis University, attended his freshman orientation program, SLU 101, feeling a little intimidated, but thinking he had his life all planned out. 

"I started SLU 101 an international business major, and left a chemistry major on track to go to medical school after a consultation with the director of the pre-med program at the university, so needless to say it was a time of abrupt transition and change," he said.

Sixty percent of college students change their major at some point during their college career, and because this is one of the main reasons students do not graduate in four years, it is better to do it sooner than later.  These students often haven’t picked a major that appeals to them when they enter college as a freshman. Later they find that it was not the right path to take, but there are ways to avoid these potential roadblocks.  Most universities offer career development and advising opportunities and tests that can help you decide on a major based on your interests and goals. 

"We offer special interest housing, based on majors, interests, etc., that will  help students stay focused," said Ashley Jackson, program coordinator at Saint Louis University.  "They can also take a Career Decision making course to help them figure out what they’d like to do in life."

Another way to get on track is to review the requirements and prerequisites for majors you’re interested in.  Then before a decision is needed, take the courses that are required by more than one major program.  This way you’re not wasting time taking courses irrelevant to your major choice. 

Full Load, But Don’t Overload, Fail, or Drop Out

Because many universities require a minimum of 120 credits to graduate, it is important to keep a full load of courses ranging from 15-18 credits per semester.  Failure to do so can result in crammed semesters with you trying to catch up.

Jackson said it is important for students to prepare an overall strategy for the four years they are in school.

"Students just need a plan at the start and goals set in place to keep their credits in line.  Then everything else can be added on top because their courses are all in order," she said. 

Repeating failed or dropped classes creates more problems.  The best thing you can do in the hopes of passing a class is to always keep up on class work and attend your classes, that way you will follow along with the class schedule. 

Dropping courses is a waste of time and money, and could cost you an extra semester or force you into summer school.

Amanda Evans, a graduate from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, graduated in four years, but often found herself struggling with an overloaded schedule.  Even now, she becomes uncomfortable talking about her difficult courses. 

"I am a horrible math student, and I couldn’t handle it with my other classes," she said sinking into her chair and looking down at her folded hands disappointed.  "So, that put me behind in a summer course."

The trick is to take a couple easier courses with more challenging ones.

Don’t Be Ashamed to Seek Help

Josh Hayes, assistant director for Academic Development at Millikin University, says it is extremely important to frequently contact your academic advisors.

"Through a close relationship with our Registrar, faculty advisors can often make four-year graduation a reality for students whose personal circumstances or academic plans change late in the game," Hayes said. 

Students like Evans understand the importance of advising and tutoring and take full advantage of the support.

"I did a lot of tutoring and I met with an advisor that saved my life," she said with a big smile on her face.  "She worked it out that I would be able to do everything.  We just had to plan, plan, plan."

Eastern Illinois University (EIU) offer programs that guarantee a student’s graduation in four years, or the school will pay the cost of the remaining courses.  Their EIU4 program not only helps students graduate in four years, it also decreases students’ financial burdens.  The program provides a support staff that works one-on-one with students to get them on track, excited about college and their future by guaranteeing progress to fulfill their degree plans.

With programs like these, you have all the tools and support needed to graduate in four years.

Coordinate Core Major Requirements with Elective and Liberal Education

"My ‘core’ have been, for the most part, spread out over all four years," said Yorke.  "In my major and minor, you basically take two to three science courses and fill in with core with what you have left."

Mixing both major requirements and electives protect you from scrambling at the end of your college education by trying to fit in all the classes that you really don’t want, but have to take. 

Another good way to schedule your courses is to take classes that count for more than one requirement.  Some math and science classes can count towards two different necessities needed for both liberal education and core major requirements. 

Classes Come First, But Don’t Forget to Enjoy College

Many college students party too much.  Remember to always organize your free time around school.  Because there are lots of extracurricular activities on college campuses, like fraternities and sororities, many students put these interests and leisure times first instead of the other way around.  But keeping busy and staying involved keeps you focused because you are forced to manage your time.

"I was very busy with school, but found time for an active social life.  My sorority really helped with that," Evans said.  "I also studied abroad for a semester in Barcelona, Spain, and I did an immersion course for two weeks in Chile, and still graduated in four years.  I did have to take more classes my senior year than I wanted to, but it was all worth it!"

Some students, like Yorke, miss out on the "college experience" because they are overworked.  They feel like they are missing out and don’t have the time to commit to a social life. 

"I often question why I’m torturing myself when my friends go out on Saturday night and I have to do my laundry because it’s the only chance I’ll have to do for the rest of the month, and at the same time, prepare for a five-and-a-half hour MCAT class the next day and a physics and cell structure test the next week," he said.

If you find a good balance between school and a social life with your friends, college will be enjoyable both socially and educationally.  Before you know it, it will be time to graduate.  Your four-year goal will be accomplished, you will have your degree, and it will be time to enter the real world. 

"I was ready (to graduate).  I was so ready to get out into the working world," Evans said.  "Now I miss naps and long lunches with friends, but a paycheck is nice too."

© 2008, Young Money Media, LLC. All rights reserved.