D19 is looking at some colleges that will allow her to enter with sophomore standing, due to the IB Diploma. I thought that could be a good way to cut college costs, if she graduated in three years. But then I realized she would not be graduating with her freshman class.
So….can she graduate in four years, but instead of spreading all of her required credits amongst 8 semesters, take all the credits in six semesters? Can she live at the college, but not pay for tuition those two semesters? I imagine those semesters could be good opportunities for a Co-op? Or must you still pay tuition for a co-op? Any help is most appreciated!!
First, based on her major, she may still need to take 4 years (engineering is a good example). She may also want to add minors/certificates or pursue a double/dual degree.
Or she may want to graduate in 3 years. (and perhaps move on to grad school, law school, etc.).
Different colleges have different rules and processes. Most will not let you live in student housing, if you’re not a student. She likely will need to take a “full time” load of classes. Using my daughter as an example (she also started as a sophomore due to an “AICE” diploma), she didn’t’ have to take the 16 to 17 credits recommend for engineering, she would often take 13 to 14 credits (12 is required to be classified as a full time student at her school).
Some schools have “block” tuition, others charge by the semester hour.
When on a Co-op, you don’t have to pay tuition (at most schools). A lot of engineering students help fund college with co-ops (and to a lesser extent, internships).
My daughter graduated in 2.5 years (IB Credits + some summer courses) but then finished her masters in 1.5 years…since we would pay for 4 years of college, she got a second degree within that time. We also told her not to rush but were not going to prevent her.
She may not want to graduate early, but you may want to:
Do a Co-op//internship
Study abroad
Do a 3-2 Master’s program (2-2 in this case?)
Do research
Take lab courses
and take the 4 years.
It depends on what you want to major in…if those make sense.
If she graduates early, she will be younger than others at work/grad school…my daughter wasn’t even 21 when she started grad school. Now she is a teacher at just barely 22.
However, if she has to take loans for college and started work earlier, you gain that salary (if you are only looking at finances).
I think that graduating early is a much better idea than paying for another year just so she can graduate with her class.
But if she does stick around, I would do a Coop or Study Abroad or take Master’s classes.
Why is it important to graduate with a certain group of students ? Is this a small LAC ? Saving a year of undergraduate costs may be significant to one considering graduate school.
I’m pretty sure any school will be happy to take your money and allow your daughter to attend for 8 semesters, even if she could graduate in only 6. As previously mentioned, she’ll still need to register for a full course load. She can fill her schedule with classes for a second major, a minor, or just classes that interest her that are open to non-majors.
Live at school without paying tuition (or taking classes)? No. Do a co-op while living in the dorms? That is unlikely as many co-ops are done out of town and really, living in a dorm is not ideal for someone working 9-5.
If it is a bigger school, it is likely upperclassmen don’t live on campus anyway and that students graduate at all different times due to working, co-ops, study abroad.
I don’t know.of any college that would allow the plan you suggest. I do know one person who came in with advanced status and stayed a fourth year to get a master’s degree so that may be one option (but you would have to pay for the extra year of graduate study).
I expect your D will develop some friends who are in her graduating class through coursework so graduating with that group should not be an issue. Both of my kids had friends a year ahead of them in college.
I guess I was still in HS mode when I assumed it would be meaningful to graduate with kids her age - but it seems that other issues are more important, and yes, cost is definitely one of those issues!
I graduated with my friends from high school (Class of 2014). Four years later, most of my friends graduated from college. I wont until 2021. I got behind and failed one class.
I think graudating in high school with her friends is more beneficial then graduating in college. Not everyone in college will know her.
Community college: 2014-2017
Four year school: 2017-2021
Way back in the day when I was in college, people in my Freshman class graduated at all different times. Some in 3.5 years, 4, 4.5, 5. When people graduated depended on who overloaded credits, who changed majors, who needed to retake classes, etc. We even had a few who wanted to go to med school, so they stayed a fifth year to take Organic Chem I and II alone without any other major classes.
Everyone’s circumstances are different. We just attended whichever friend’s graduation was taking place, and celebrated with them!
I always wonder “what’s the rush?” I think there’s a benefit to being away at college for four years. Joining clubs, playing intramural sports, getting very active on campus, having a robust social life. It would be challenging to do both upper level and master level classes and all those activities in 4 yrs. Also, from a job perspective, I’m not sure how valuable a masters level education is without any real work experience. Maybe it’s a ton. In the business world, it has very little weight other than things like getting your Masters in accounting (5th yr) because you typically need 150 credits to be eligible for the CPA. MBAs want you to have 3-5 yrs professional work experience prior to enrolling. Most corporate development jobs will take a smart kid straight from UG and train them.
Maybe as the pathway to a PhD. That I can see and would knock some time (and money) off several additional yrs of study.
My daughter will be considered a second semester sophomore when she starts but other than possibly graduating on time with a six month co-op, the benefit is having more flexibility with her gen ed requirements, and priority scheduling.
My D started with a sophomore standing almost a junior and is graduating in less than four years and will have completed a coop. Coops where my daughter goes to school are every other semester. When you finish your coursework you have graduated. Coops are before you complete all required classwork not after. I imagine it depends on the school, but we do not pay tuition while on a coop rotation. At her school you can live on campus if you so choose and many students do. Her credits from ap and dual enrollment allowed for alot of flexibility.
My daughter started with almost (but not quite) sophomore standing and she’s taking her time. The extra credits have given her the option of studying abroad, double majoring, writing a senior thesis required for a honors degree in one of those majors, taking time to incorporate research and internships into her schedule, and probably a lot of other things I’ve forgotten. She’s taking her time based on my advice. (I went off to college at 16 and graduated before I turned 20.) The credits have allowed her to pursue her passions and explore things she wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. She’s making the most of her four years, will graduate with an extra year or two of surplus credits, and has enjoyed every minute of it. She’s “doing college right”. And, I think she’s getting her money’s worth as a result. In fact, she’s applying for a “Take Five” option at her school that provides a tuition-free fifth year for students who want to explore courses of study on the undergraduate level that they’re interested in (anthropology and ASL for her…two things that interest her and that she can see linking to a public health/microbiology). I have a young friend who actually started at University of Minnesota with 60 credits, almost junior status, and she’s taking her time, too. Last time I talked to her, she was considering a quadruple major.
If you can afford it, I think taking full advantage of the college years can be incredibly enriching.
Why is important that she graduates in the same class as typical freshmen at the college? It’s not uncommon for students to take a variety of years to graduate at different colleges, for various reasons. For example, ~40% of engineering school students do a co-terminal MS at Stanford. Among this group, the percentage graduating in different number of years is below:
4 Years (or less) – 18%
5 Years – 50%
6 Years – 25%
7+ Years – 11%
I came in with the maximum ~1 year’s worth of credits, so I was able to complete my first co-term in under the median of 5 years. Costs were obviously lower than they would have been with 5 years. There were also some less obvious advantages, such as never having to have a tier 3 bad housing draw year by drawing 3 years as an undergrad and 1 year as a grad. However, there are also advantages to instead graduating in the more typical 5 years, such as being able to take lower course loads, more time for sports/jobs/community service…, more flexibility for studying abroad, more opportunities for double majors and other combined/joint degrees, more flexibility with pre-med requirements, easier to pursue research and other unique opportunities the college, etc.
If money is the priority, then adding a year of idle dorm living won’t help much.
I think most top students now start as sophomores at schools that give credit for AP. In reality, that credit allows them to skip some of the lower level introductory courses but does not truly make them a “sophomore” in terms of learning, experience, and maturity. I would rather the student take all 4 years but pick a less expensive school than go to a more expensive school and finish in 3 years.
Many nowadays question the value of a 4 year residential college and I think that is legitimate. But for a serious student the 4 year experience is a wonderful developmental time of life.
Keep in mind that your daughter’s friends may not be freshmen. Almost all my child’s buddies are older and have now graduated. This played a role in graduating a semester ahead of schedule. Its not the same.
Well the good news is that your DD’s sophomore standing will give her lots of options - no need to decide for certain how to take advantage of it at this stage but it’s a great problem to have.
My D is starting this Fall as a 2nd semester sophomore - for her graduating a year early makes sense as she plans to go to OT grad school and basically created her own 5 yr accelerated plan since she did not love the schools that offered a formal 5 year program. For her, mission accomplished if she stays on the OT path. If not she will use the full 4 years of undergrad to maybe double major and pursue a different career goal. Options are good, and if plan A works out, the year saved allows us to help her with expensive grad school.
Anyways, keep flexible and do what works best for her and your family.
My D entered with sophomore standing, and decided to still spend 4 years in college. The credits she earned BEFORE college allowed her to study abroad, and complete 2 minors without having to “overload” her schedule s she could ENJOY college.