<p>So, I always thought that if you accelerate your study- e.g. complete your undergrad in 3 years rather than 4 by taking more courses every term, you save a year's worth of tuition money. </p>
<p>Now I just read this on the Harvard website:
A student who has completed degree requirements in fewer terms than the number required had he or she worked at an average rate of four half-courses per term may petition the Allston Burr Resident Dean for waiver of the residence requirement. If the petition is granted, the student will be charged extra course fees for each half-course taken above the normal rate of four. Such half-courses will be calculated at one-fourth the full tuition rate in effect during the term in which the final course work for the degree was completed. (See also Residence Requirement, Rate of Work, and Degree Credit For Study Out of Residence.)</p>
<p>So you save NO MONEY by acceleration? Is this true just for Harvard or is this common practice for most schools?</p>
<p>That is not common practice, afaik. Normally you pay as you go for the courses you take and when you’re done, you’re done paying. You still would save the room and board, and presumably the extra student fees.</p>
<p>It does depend on the individual colleges what the requirements are to get a degree from them. Many schools have residence requirements, but I don’t think too many make it ornerous to graduate in three years. There appears to be a failsafe clause in the Harvard rules too. What it seems to be saying is that you have to discuss the situation and get permission. You are not on the auto list for a degree in three years because you have made the course requirements. That is the case for all sorts of situations at many colleges or anything, for that matter. THe way the rule is enforced is much more important than its existance. Ask about it. It may be that most requests are honored for 3 year grads.</p>
<p>A lot of schools charge by the credit hour for tuition. So if you take more classes in a semester you are charged more tuition that semester. My daughter has taken anywhere from 14 -18 hours each semester so has paid more tuition some semesters than others. If she were to graduate early (which she is not) she would save on the other costs - living expenses etc - but not on tuition as she has to pay for the classes she takes, whenever she takes them.</p>
<p>It sounds like Harvard allows you to take extra classes without charging but if you then decide to graduate early they will charge you so that you are paying the tuition price for the classes required for your degree. I would think this is pretty much the norm. You will save on living expenses.</p>
<p>What if you use the extra classes to get a second degree? You don’t pay more tuition then do you? I’m considering Penn’s Jerome Fisher Management & Tech program- a dual degree between Business & Engineering; it doesn’t say I will have to pay twice the tuition though I will definitely have to take more classes (though not twice as much) as someone doing one degree. </p>
<p>If I went, for example, to Stanford and constructed my own dual degree- would I have to pay twice more tuition for taking more classes?</p>
<p>It depends on the school and how they charge tuition. At a school that charges by the credit hour you would definitely pay more more. My daughter is thinking of doing a minor or double major and will have to pay for the extra hours. If she takes 130 hours she will pay 130 X $x. If she takes 190 hours she will pay 190 X $x. But aT schools that charge by the term/semester rather than by the credit hour (which seem to be the schools you are talking about) you may not pay more - though some might limit the number of credits you can take per term. You would really have to check at each school.</p>
<p>Most schools’ residency requirement is something like “first 90 credits or last 60 credits” (assuming it takes 120 credits to graduate). It doesn’t say how long it takes to earn those credits.</p>
<p>Many institutions have a max number of credits allowable under what constitutes a “full-load”.
Sometimes these are adjusted by degree program. If a standard credit load is 15-16 per semester, certain credit heavy majors or dual degree pursuits may have a limit of 19-21 for those in those specific program.</p>
<p>Anything above an institution’s “max” would be subject to an overload or overlimit fee, and the additional credits charged ABOVE the normal tuition on a per credit basis.</p>
<p>You might be able to get this waived, but it is normally done only a case by case basis.</p>
<p>Read the institution’s undergrad handbook carefully for specific policies and exceptions. There is no “norm”, as each school handles this differently.</p>
<p>Way back when, I accelerated my degree. I didn’t save on tuition, because my school charged by the credit hour. However, I did save fees and room and board, not to mention that I started earning a college graduate’s salary a year sooner. I worked for a year and saved money for law school, then went on to law school and still graduated when I otherwise would have.</p>