Six Years is the New Four, Students Sadly Find Out

“What is your four-year graduation rate?” This may be one of the most important questions that college-bound students and their parents can ask when considering a potential college.  The failure to graduate students in four years has become so commonplace that even U.S. News & World Report, in its highly regarded 2019 “Best Colleges” guide, reports the six-year graduation rate of colleges throughout the country.

Sometimes there’s a good reason for students to take six years to earn a diploma.  Perhaps they switched majors and many of their credits did not carry over to their new course of study. On the other hand, perhaps it was out of their control.  Maybe some of their required courses were not readily available, requiring a longer than expected college stay in order to meet graduation requirements.  Either way, students and parents who are budgeting for a college diploma need to know, in advance, whether to multiply the annual cost of attendance (including tuition, room, board, books and fees) by four or by six!

Of course, there are still some schools that have impressive four-year graduation rates.  Schools in New York with four-year graduation rates of 85% or higher are Juilliard School, Hamilton College, Colgate U., Columbia U., Barnard College, Cornell U., and Vassar College.  Those that meet this bar in Pennsylvania are the University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College, Bucknell U., Haverford College, Villanova U., and Lafayette College.

In New Jersey, Princeton University reports a four-year graduation rate of 89%.  The colleges with the next highest in the Garden State are The College of New Jersey at 73% and Ramapo College and Rutgers University – New Brunswick, both at 60%.

Another enlightening question that students and parents should ask of college administrators at any school under consideration is, “How many of your graduates are either employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation and/or within a year?” Every college and university is required by law to keep these statistics and make them available. 

Prospective students should also ask colleges whether on-campus housing is guaranteed for four years, or whether upper classmen need to seek housing off-campus.  They should also inquire about food options, especially if they have dietary restrictions (kosher, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.) to find out if there would be a large selection of healthy options for their culinary needs and preferences.

If students are hoping to participate in a particular program (such as study abroad in a preferred country), or a favorite sport, they should inquire about the likelihood of being able to do so at any college under consideration.

Asking the right questions can be crucial to making an educated decision on the next step of one’s academic and career life.

Susan Alaimo is the founder of SAT Smart. For the past 25 years, SAT Smart’s Ivy League educated tutors have prepared students for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, AP courses, and all high school subjects. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362.