<p>Move toward three-year college degree gains momentum</p>
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[quote]
As a teenager, Christina Cruz was so organized that she planned her Sweet 16 party six months in advance.</p>
<p>As a freshman at Florida State University, she arrived with 30 credit hours from dual enrollment and advanced placement courses.</p>
<p>And this month, she graduated from FSU summa cum laude after just 2 1/2 years, thanks to her laser focus and FSU's Degree in Three program, which gave her a special adviser and priority class registration.</p>
<p>"I would definitely recommend it to others who are self-motivated," she says.</p>
<p>With students facing higher tuition and universities coping with tight budgets, some education leaders have urged expanding programs that help students earn a bachelor's degree in three years. This fall, former U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander laid out the case for offering three-year degrees in a cover story for Newsweek.</p>
<p>"Geniuses have always breezed through," wrote Alexander, a Republican senator from Tennessee. Most others take longer. On average, according to the U.S. Department of Education, undergraduates take about 55 months to earn a bachelor's degree.
<p>“I am not an advocate of rushing through the collegiate years, which are developmental, as a student matures into adulthood,” Glen Besterfield, a University of South Florida associate dean in charge of academic success programs for undergraduates, said in an e-mail to the Times.</p>
<p>I agree with Dr. Besterfield’s statement in the St. Pete Times article. No matter how one slices it, 1 or 2 years of college credits from high school days combined with 2 years of traditional college work is not the same as 4 years at a traditional college. Wish the news article had mentioned if Christina was continuing studies, got a job, or what is she doing now that she has her bachelor’s degree. </p>
<p>Motivated Florida students who bring credits to college as freshmen should have the opportunity to use unused Bright Futures undergraduate scholarship funds toward graduate degrees. If Florida universities want undergraduates graduating earlier, Bright Futures should be allowed for summer work. Too, course work over 15 semester hours (say a student taking 18 or 21 hours who gets approval from academic adviser) should be free. State universities are clogged up with many students taking only 12 hours/semester so they can keep grades up to keep Bright Future’s necessary minimum GPA (some only take 12 hrs because they are working too–that’s ok.)</p>
<p>I don’t understand what former Education Commissioner Alexander is talking about in the news article saying US universities will be more competitive internationally offering 3 year undergraduate degrees–seems to me students educated 4 years would be more competitive.</p>
<p>I read up on the FSU “Degree in Three” program on the FSU website; the program could be good for some students. Access to extra help thru advisors and priority registration offered with the program are real pluses. I have always felt having priority registration enables students to avoid having to attend college at least one semester to complete degree requirements. Link with info: [fsu.edu</a> | Degree in three](<a href=“http://www.degreein3.fsu.edu/]fsu.edu”>http://www.degreein3.fsu.edu/)</p>
<p>He means that European and Australian colleges take 3 years to grant Bachelor’s degree, i.e. its both less time and less money in England, Australia, etc.</p>
<p>What Lamar Alexander actually wrote in his Newsweek article was: </p>
<p>Whether they experiment with three-year degrees, offer year-round classes, challenge the hidebound tenure system—or all of the above—universities are, like the automakers, slowly realizing that to stay competitive and relevant they must adapt to a rapidly changing world.</p>
<p>The St. Pete Times article inaccurately has Alexander saying:</p>
<p>But helping well-prepared students graduate in three years would save them money and make American universities more competitive globally, Alexander said. </p>
<p>While I sort of did degree in three (graduated in 3.5 years cum laude), i sort of regret not taking an extra semester and finishing up the second degree I was working on. I think it just makes sense to earn an extra degree as opposed to graduating early. Sure it saves money but if finances aren’t really a problem you don’t actually gain anything tangible out of graduating at 20-21 as opposed to 22. Just my $0.02.</p>
<p>I would imagine students graduating in 3 years or less continue their education in graduate or professional school, et least my DD plans to do so.</p>