<p>Berkeley and UCLA have four year graduation rates of around 70%, which are around the top of all public universities. Four year graduation rates at UCs have generally been rising over the years, as the UCs get more selective, despite the defunding by the state.</p>
<p>Four year graduation rates appear to be well correlated with entrance selectivity and list price cost of attendance. A super-selective expensive private school will likely have a very high four year graduation rate, but a not-very-selective school will likely have a very low four year graduation rate (e.g. many CSUs under 20%, despite some offering four year graduation pledge programs giving registration priority to students following their majors’ course plans and not needing remedial courses).</p>
<p>Remember that late graduation is often due to other reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li>Needing remedial courses (English and math are common needs, especially at less selective schools).</li>
<li>Voluntarily taking light course loads because the student cannot handle a nominal full time course load (more common at less selective schools).</li>
<li>Failing courses and needing to repeat them or take additional other courses instead.</li>
<li>Changing or declaring major late.</li>
<li>Taking a semester off school, which delays graduation by calendar time, but does not require an extra semester of tuition and other costs of school.</li>
<li>Part time enrollment (common at less selective commuter-oriented schools like many CSUs).</li>
</ul>
<p>Berkeley’s class registration system allows all students to register for about half of their schedule in the first phase, then up to about the nominal full time course load in the second phase, then up to the maximum course load later. Courses also have reserved seats for students majoring in subjects that need those courses.</p>
<p>You can ask on the school-specific forums about course registration at each school.</p>
<p>Many community colleges have the worst problems with overflowing classes, because they are open admission and therefore cannot limit students to the capacity that they can handle (which is reduced due to budget cuts).</p>