Graduate on time or take an extra semester?

Transfer Students
1

<p>I'm transferring from a community college to a 4 year state school to finish my degree. Although I have a decent amount of credits coming with me, I still have a lot of classes left to take. Since I transferred most of my classes transferred, but not all of them. I have about 50 credits towards my degree already after you take out the credits that will not transfer.</p>

<p>My dilemma is whether or not to try and graduate on time, in May 2014, or take an extra semester and graduate December 2014. If I choose to graduate on time it will be challenging, but worth it in the end. I would need to max out my schedule to do this though and I'm not sure if I can handle that, though I really would like to graduate on time. If I take an extra semester things would be easier but it would be a huge letdown to me that I wouldn't graduate on time.</p>

<p>I guess I feel like December is such an awkward time to graduate and part of me would be disappointed if I didn't graduate on time. I'm not sure why I'm so reluctant about the extra semester, but that's how I feel. On the other hand I feel like I should try to focus on doing well in college and taking an extra semester would be less stressful and would allow me to do so. Would the extra semester be my best bet or should I try to graduate on time?</p>

2

<p>If you take classes in the summer to ease your load during the year, you could still graduate within four years. Sometimes just a class or two can lighten the load.</p>

3

<p>I was in a very similar situation. Though I had completed 4 full semesters and a summer class at my Comm. Coll., the school I thought I would be attending required 73-75 credits for me to graduate. </p>

<p>Initially I was mildly upset. I don’t know how old you are, but I am in my late 20’s and probably had a stronger sense of urgency in terms of finishing up my undergraduate degree. My original plan had to be adjusted.</p>

<p>I looked at it like this. The main point of my time as an undergrad is to excel at such high level in my classes and properly network, in order to gain admission into a highly respected graduate studies program at an affordable cost.</p>

<p>Since I applied to schools hundreds of miles from my current city, I knew I had the added stress of a relocation in addition to new surroundings and people at a different school. In order to graduate “on-time” I was looking at 4 semesters of 17-18 credits and having to take 1-2 classes in the summer also.</p>

<p>I didn’t think this was the best recipe for success for me. I decided on a plan that would delay my plans 8-12 months but would let me build momentum and familiarize myself to the new setting.</p>

<p>Semester 1=12credits, S2=12cr, Summer 1=6-7cr, S3=15cr, S4=15cr, Summer 2=employment or internship, S5-13-14cr.</p>

<p>Financially I could chose either one, I had enough scholarships, financial aid, and military benefits, this was not an issue for me, it may be a stronger factor for you.</p>

<p>Maybe you are looking for immediate gainful employment after graduation and already have something in mind. If so, dropping a few points off your GPA is not a huge concern, handling a heavy course load every semester once you start is doable in such a situation.</p>

<p>If your concerns are based more off the comments of friends and family, remember it will be you, not them, who will be applying to grad school or doing the job interview. Gain confidence and prepare yourself accordingly. In some cases a 3.4 or a 3.75 will get the job done, however, there are occasions which that difference may have serious financial and other types of consequences.</p>

4

<p>Good advice from GLOzzy. Keep in mind that your GPA starts over at the four-year college/ university, so the GPA may be an important consideration.</p>