How long did it/will it take for you to graduate?

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TangoDown

TangoDown

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As many of you know, a lot of people aren't able to graduate college in 4 years anymore. Right now, just to transfer into a Bio program at a 4-year as a junior, it's going to take me at least 3.5 years with classes all year round at my local CC. Now in my case, this is partially due to my CC being extremely impacted, as well as testing into a math class equivalent to Algebra I (hadn't taken math in ages - course was a peace of cake though..."Intermediate Algebra," here I come 😳), but I'm sure 4 years is out of reach for a lot of people - especially when they're majoring in a STEM discipline.

So how long did it/will it take for you to get your undergrad diploma?
 
TangoDown said:
As many of you know, a lot of people aren't able to graduate college in 4 years anymore. Right now, just to transfer into a Bio program at a 4-year as a junior, it's going to take me at least 3.5 years with classes all year round at my local CC. Now in my case, this is partially due to my CC being extremely impacted, as well as testing into a math class equivalent to Algebra I (hadn't taken math in ages - course was a peace of cake though..."Intermediate Algebra," here I come 😳), but I'm sure 4 years is out of reach for a lot of people - especially when they're majoring in a STEM discipline.

So how long did it/will it take for you to get your undergrad diploma?
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A lot of people aren't able to do college in 4 years? I was not aware this was a problem for a lot of people.

I graduated in 4.
 
Last edited:
8.5 years

I took medical withdrawal 3 times and took over a year off to receive treatment for a rare autoimmune disease. I am also an electrical engineering major, where it is common to take 4.5-5 years.
 
I'm hoping to graduate a semester early, so 3.5 years. I go to a small school where it is really easy to get the classes you need as long as you pay attention to when things are offered.
 
Graduated last May, 4 years. Technically 3.5 as I lost a semester on medical leave.

I do know a lot of people stay on for 4.5 at my university, as everyone that has above a 2.5 GPA in my state gets 4.5 years of a lottery scholarship (nearly full tuition).
 
4.5 years. Wasted a semester on electives.
 
Longer than it should have.

And let's leave it at that.
 
4 years

if I had better knowledge at the start of things I could've shaved off an entire year....graduating with over 150 credits....
 
You guys are so lucky. How many credits are you taking a semester?

I guess we just have a ton more GEs in California.
 
For us gunning pre-meds - 4 is probably the most common because we are so ambitious and focused.

At my undergrad U of Colorado - Boulder - many many took 6 years - just because they had to work, not sure what htey wanna do, some pre-meds took extra years for grade repair...etc etc
 
rcheech7 said:
Graduated last May, 4 years. Technically 3.5 as I lost a semester on medical leave.

I do know a lot of people stay on for 4.5 at my university, as everyone that has above a 2.5 GPA in my state gets 4.5 years of a lottery scholarship (nearly full tuition).
Click to expand...

I used to live in NM as well; the state has been massively improving its educational system 👍


It will take me 4 years, although possibly 4.5 since a lot of my courses didn't transfer into my degree (coming from a CC).
 
Doctor Strange said:
Er... What? A lot of people take longer than four years to graduate? I'll have finished 143 credits in four years; that's 14 more than I actually need to graduate...
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Over 35% of college students transfer undergrads nowadays, and it almost always takes a little more time to graduate when transferring.
 
Stumpyman said:
Over 35% of college students transfer undergrads nowadays, and it almost always takes a little more time to graduate when transferring.
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not necessarily. Someone can easily finish an associates in a year and transfer for 2 additional years to finish up a bachelors
 
torshi said:
not necessarily. Someone can easily finish an associates in a year and transfer for 2 additional years to finish up a bachelors
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Ehh... That really depends. I finished an associates in a year, and about 70% of the classes I took didn't transfer into my intended degree. Some schools are a little more transfer-friendly in that manner (smaller state schools, I'd imagine). Plus, if you're transferring out-of-state or to a private school, I wouldn't expect one to be able to finish up in 2 years (unless they're taking 18+ a semester).
 
Currently at 140.3 quarter units at the UC I attend. I'm expecting to graduate on time with 192 units.
 
I expect to graduate with a total of 7.5 years. I spent extra years at my CC filling in from what I didn't learn from home school and kept changing my major. At the end I will have a marketable microbiology degree. 😀
 
I technically can finish in 4, but I transferred and refuse to give up my double major (two very different fields with absolutely no overlap), so I'm planning on 5 years. Hopefully that'll give me time to make much more impact at my new school and qualify for some year-long research grants.
 
Stumpyman said:
Ehh... That really depends. I finished an associates in a year, and about 70% of the classes I took didn't transfer into my intended degree. Some schools are a little more transfer-friendly in that manner (smaller state schools, I'd imagine). Plus, if you're transferring out-of-state or to a private school, I wouldn't expect one to be able to finish up in 2 years (unless they're taking 18+ a semester).
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That comes down to personal mistake. If done and planned out right then there should be no problems.

True. Only can be done if taking above average amount of credits. But, definitely feasible and not as deterring as one may see it. If not working full-time - being a full-time student it is doable if managed right.
 
Well one thing is for sure, pre-meds are a bad group to ask this question to. Most of us seem to have finished in 4 years or less, however in my experience this is far from the norm for the average college student. I think this is because most people who enter undergrad in a pre-med mentality just want to get it over with rather than spend time learning about a subject which "doesn't matter" (e.g. Calc, Orgo.....).

I graduated in 4 years with a chem major and math minor. With that said, HS really mattered for me to be able to do this. I had a fair amount of general ed requirements coming into college and took approximately 30 credit hours towards my minor or just classes that seemed fun. I'm really happy I went that route, and without high school I probably would have taken 5 years. In all actuality, I wanted to take 5 years but ended up only taking 4 due to the fact that funds were going to run out.

I had a friend who realistically could have graduated with a chem major in 3 years if he/she so wanted due to high school credits. Yet, on the flip side, I know many people who took between 4.5 and 7 years to graduate with various degrees (Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, ect.). It all depends on what you want to do and/or learn in college.
 
4 years for my BA🙂


Then spent 6years in postbacc😛
 
TangoDown said:
You guys are so lucky. How many credits are you taking a semester?

I guess we just have a ton more GEs in California.
Click to expand...

My school gen-ed/major requirements totaled 120. So 15/semester or whatever combination got you to 120 in 4 years.
 
So I assume most of you guys that aren't prior military and graduated in 4 years are starting MS1 at 22 or 23?
 
TangoDown said:
So I assume most of you guys that aren't prior military and graduated in 4 years are starting MS1 at 22 or 23?
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I'm a few years older. Came out of UG with low stats, thought I wanted to do research, changed my mind, fixed GPA, and applied this (current) cycle.
 
3.5 years. Would have been 3 years flat if 4 more of my classes had transferred from my previous college.
 
torshi said:
That comes down to personal mistake. If done and planned out right then there should be no problems.

True. Only can be done if taking above average amount of credits. But, definitely feasible and not as deterring as one may see it. If not working full-time - being a full-time student it is doable if managed right.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's most definitely feasible, just not as easy as the typical high school kid going into a 4-year (and kids generally have at least a few AP credits which get them by some classes).

Looking back, I would've done what you said-- planned it all out when I was a 15-16 year old lad. Plans changed way too many times, though.
 
It's going to take me 4.5 to graduate because I am behind on my Chem and I need the physical credits. Some of my CC credits didn't transfer either. It might take me longer if I have to go back and do some re-takes but honestly, I don't see it as a big deal. Medical School has people from all ages and walks of life. Who really cares how quickly you got through your undergrad?
 
I could've graduated last year (3 years) but I stayed for my senior year because well, it's my SENIOR YEAR OMG.
 
TangoDown said:
As many of you know, a lot of people aren't able to graduate college in 4 years anymore. Right now, just to transfer into a Bio program at a 4-year as a junior, it's going to take me at least 3.5 years with classes all year round at my local CC. Now in my case, this is partially due to my CC being extremely impacted, as well as testing into a math class equivalent to Algebra I (hadn't taken math in ages - course was a peace of cake though..."Intermediate Algebra," here I come 😳), but I'm sure 4 years is out of reach for a lot of people - especially when they're majoring in a STEM discipline.

So how long did it/will it take for you to get your undergrad diploma?
Click to expand...

4 years is traditional, although some do it in 3 years.

MelissaThompson said:
For us gunning pre-meds - 4 is probably the most common because we are so ambitious and focused.

At my undergrad U of Colorado - Boulder - many many took 6 years - just because they had to work, not sure what htey wanna do, some pre-meds took extra years for grade repair...etc etc
Click to expand...

That's pretty unfortunate (and excessive). 4 years is normal. 3 years is gunner.
 
6.33 years, continuous with no breaks

I'm special 😳
 
3 years, if I take no "for fun" classes. I have quite a bit of units from AP classes. I entered as a Sophomore (almost junior) and I'll be a senior some time in my second year.

4 years if I take all the classes I want to take because of academic interest. (Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology, and Ethnic Studies). You're only an undergrad once in your life, so why rush it?
 
Four years, as a double major. If I stuck to one major I could have finished in 2.5 or 3 years. Most people I know take/took 4 years, with the usual exception of Engineers.
 
Stumpyman said:
Yeah, it's most definitely feasible, just not as easy as the typical high school kid going into a 4-year (and kids generally have at least a few AP credits which get them by some classes).

Looking back, I would've done what you said-- planned it all out when I was a 15-16 year old lad. Plans changed way too many times, though.
Click to expand...

I entered college after 2 years of high school.
I started planning at the age of 16, but I always made back up plans in regards to which classes I need to take in order to finish etc and if I couldn't which class I can take in place so it won't slow me down - watching out for pre-reqs for certain courses, potential drops etc. It's good to plan, but also a back-up plan helped me throughout the whole process because mine have changed countless times, but it was no big deal due to little detours I had to make in order to still finish early.
 
Five years.

California schools ended up being severely impacted a year or so back, and we had a cap on the number of credits we could take. We also lost a ton of open courses and labs. As you can imagine, it set a lot of us back.
 
Hopefully, 3.5 years for a BS in biology. Or else, I'm screwed.
 
Daneosaurus said:
Hopefully, 3.5 years for a BS in biology. Or else, I'm screwed.
Click to expand...

Why would you be screwed? Running out of moolah for tuition? Maxing out the GI bill (think I read you're a former Marine)?
 
TangoDown said:
Why would you be screwed? Running out of moolah for tuition? Maxing out the GI bill (think I read you're a former Marine)?
Click to expand...

Correct.

Part of what the new GI Bill pays for is housing. It only pays for 36 months - they figure 9 months in an academic year, times 4 years = 36 months. Because I need that money in the summer, too, I have to go at least 12 credits, or I'm wasting my benefit, as it counts against my total time. I count on that housing money to be there, and when it dries up, times are gonna get real tough, real quick.

I am on pace to achieve my bio degree in that time. I just have to make sure it happens, with high grades and studying for the MCAT (next spring).

Edit: Once a Marine, Always a Marine. There is no such thing as a former Marine 😉
 
was going for 4 years honors but decided my last semester that i wanted to graduate early, so ended up doing a regular bio degree in 3.5 years. think it varies from school to school more than academic ability - mine was small and allowed for the flexibility. i don't think it's particularly because i worked harder/am smarter than my friends who graduated in 4.
 
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