When I went o school years ago, there are people who missed getting that one class they need to graduate and had to do another year. Usually that one class is offered once a year and caps out at 30 students, taught by that one professor who just can’t be forced to teach any more than that. This is likely the most common reason students in UC/CSU need more than 4 years to finish.
HOWEVER, most people actually just didn’t want to leave. I met a super senior who is on his 7th year because according to him, mom and dad foot the bill for him to live on his own and party, why leave? I guess that’s the Van Wilder Complex.
I took 5 years by choice because between graduating in 4 years with a low GPA (meaning no job, no grad school) vs adding a GPA booster year to get into grad school (which having one year with 4.0 really boost that), the decision was a no brainer.
I suspect from reading all your posts that many of you were smart determined students who would never think to game the system. I on the other hand, needed every trick in the book to get to where I am. A 5th year worked out well for me.
There are also a small subset of students who for the first two years were just clueless on what they want. It may take them 1-2 years to settle on their passion and set serious. HS really does not prepare them well for their future careers. Unless you have parents who are in a certain occupation, you really wouldn’t know much about it. My own kids have zero clue what I do, but I know enough about them to know I wouldn’t push them into own own field(s).
In my spare time, I teach a Bio class in my local CC. At least every term, there is 1-2 students who graduated from a 4-year university, can’t find jobs, decide now they want to be a nurse and end up in my class because it’s a prerequisite for CC’s nursing program. In my mind, I’m not sure if I rather my kids do 6 years and find direction vs finish in 4, and having to come back and take CC classes again when they have no job prospect.
is 6 year rate “normal” ? No. But happens. For many reasons.