Students who attempt 15 credit hours a semester, are twice as likely to finish college in four years, and have higher retention rates, GPAs, and graduation rates.
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This process begins with a PLAN.
Do the MATH:
120 credit hours is the minimum required to graduate
Divide by 8 semesters over four years
= You need to average at least 15 credit hours per semester to graduate in four years.
Sounds simple – so why does this require planning?
- 80% of students think that being a “full-time student” – which requires only 12 semester hours per semester – is enough to graduate in 4 years but it’s not…that would take a whole extra year!
- Some majors require more than 120 credit hours.
- For students who are placed into preparatory courses during their first year, these credits do not count towards the minimum 120 credit hours needed to graduate.
- Sometimes a student may withdraw from a course, or not pass – for these students, there has to be a way to make up a few credit hours along the way.
Why does this matter?
SUCCESS:
Students who attempt 15 or more credit hours per semester are twice as likely to graduate in 4 years, and they are more likely to have higher GPAs and stay at UIC and graduate.
CALCULATED ANOTHER WAY:
We figure that a student who finishes in 4 may have come out ahead by as much as $70,000. In other word, timely graduation means not paying for a fifth year of college expenses, while already earning a salary, and this adds up!
How do I get started?
- Talk to your advisor to learn more about resources to stay on track to graduate
- For incoming students, consider Summer College this summer before your first semester, especially if you have placed into preparatory courses in writing, math, chemistry, or physics
- For any student, consider Summer Session as a way to make up ground or get ahead on credit hours
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QUESTIONS? Email FinishInFour@uic.edu