<p>Is it true if it is that would suck and I would have to look into private universities.</p>
<p>at UCLA, they have a unit cap which is 210. (roughly 5 years at 36 units per year/12u per quarter) so yes, you have to finish within 5 years if you start as a freshman; if you transfer, then it takes as much time as it took you to transfer, in addition to a max of 3 years (i don’t know if this is the policy that’s in place at all of the UCs though or just UCLA)</p>
<p>[University</a> of California: StatFinder](<a href=“http://statfinder.ucop.edu%5DUniversity”>http://statfinder.ucop.edu) indicates that four year graduation rates have been increasing at UCs (although not by very much at Riverside compared to other UCs) despite the defunding of UC over the years (with the main effect being the rapid rise of in-state tuition). The UCs have financial incentive to get in-state students graduated as quickly as possible, since in-state students who stay longer use up more in-state tuition subsidies.</p>
<p>For example, the 1995, 2000, and 2005 entering freshmen had the following four year graduation rates:</p>
<p>Berkeley: 48.1%, 61.7%, 71.4%
Davis: 32.0%, 41.5%, 52.1%
Irvine: 32.4%, 44.4%, 65.4%
Los Angeles: 42.3%, 57.2%, 66.9%
Merced: NA, NA, 35.7%
Riverside: 39.7%, 38.3%, 43.7%
San Diego: 49.8%, 55.0%, 56.9%
Santa Barbara: 40.0%, 58.9%, 67.3%
Santa Cruz: 39.9%, 49.2%, 52.0%</p>
<p>And yes, Berkeley also has unit caps – if you are past 8 semesters, you need to graduate by the time you reach 130 or more units (120 needed to graduate, 13 is the minimum per semester where a normal course load is 15).</p>
<p>Note, however, that the economics works differently at community colleges, where students come and go, and tuition (or subsidy for in-state students) is on a per class or per unit basis. There have been lots of reports about overfull classes at community colleges in California. Not sure how the economics works at CSUs or whether getting classes to graduate on time is a big issue there.</p>
<p>It surprises me that UCs have such low 4-year grad rates, considering that they grant credit for most AP courses taken in CA high schools.</p>
<p>Cal’s College of Engineering requires its undergrads graduate in 8 semesters.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>A few reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Someone may have taken time off of school to work at a co-op jobs or for other reasons, so s/he may take more than four calendar years, but only eight semesters or twelve quarters in school.</p></li>
<li><p>I have seen claims that taking a summer session in addition to eight semesters or twelve quarters causes the student to not count as a four year graduate; if this is the case, it could lower the four year graduation rate.</p></li>
<li><p>In-state students have discounted tuition, so they may not have as much incentive to graduate on time as out of state students or those at more expensive schools, though the reduction of the tuition subsidy is increasing pressure on students to graduate on time.</p></li>
<li><p>A lot of students repeat their AP credit for various reasons (particularly pre-meds).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>
Those rates are actually high for public Us (excepting Merced and Riverside). The national average for graduation is about 55% within 6 years. [How</a> Bad Are Our Graduation Rates? — The American Magazine](<a href=“http://www.american.com/archive/2010/april/how-bad-are-our-graduation-rates]How”>http://www.american.com/archive/2010/april/how-bad-are-our-graduation-rates) And many (most?) public Us also grant AP credit.</p>
<p>On a side but related note, the governor of Ohio is pushing to allow three year college graduations from Ohio Public Us. Get students out contributing to the economy even more quickly.</p>
<p>UCBalumnus:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I get a little different numbers from the 2010-11 CDS for the 2004 cohort because I don’t know if they have the official numbers for the 2005 just yet, especially, the outdated statfinder:</p>
<p>Four Year Graduation, 2004 Cohort</p>
<p>Berkeley, 68%
UCLA, 68%
UCSD, 57%</p>
<p>I wanted to see if the numbers for the B4 figure were consistent for UCLA because it used 3722 for the denominator. But cross-checking with the admissions website, it verified that UCLA enrolled 3723 students in 2004, a down year in enrollment. The two years prior were 4269 and 4257 for 2003 and 2002 from the admissions site, cross-checking with the CDS of 4263 and 4257, for the 2009-10 and 2008-09 years resp of the CDS.</p>
<p>I think a reason for SD’s lower rates might be because it probably has a higher % of science students (slightly?..a decent % more?) than Cal and UCLA.</p>
<p>And I’m not sure how the graduation %’s would be affected for Cal if spring admits were factored in. It would have to be lower because these students have to start midstream of their frosh years, forgoing their fall semester terms.</p>
<p>
</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I’m not sure about 1-3, but I think 4 should be something approximate to:</p>
<p>The AP credits towards a UC degree can either be used towards minimum units needed towards graduation or can be waived and not apply towards the maximum. For instance at UCLA, social science and humanities students probably use them to graduate early or on time at four years with >> 70% graduation rates. The engineering students tend to waive them: </p>
<p>Chem Engineering Students:</p>
<p>Units at Graduation, 247
Units taken at UCLA, 202
Four Year Graduation, 36%
Five Year Graduation, 54% (Exclusive figure, not a catchall including four-year grad rates)</p>
<p>EE Students:</p>
<p>Units at Graduation, 237
Units taken at UCLA, 193
Four Year Graduation, 41%
Five Year Graduation, 52%</p>
<p>CS Students:</p>
<p>Units at Graduation, 223
Units taken at UCLA, 189
Four Year Graduation, 47%
Five Year Graduation, 46%</p>
<p>So clearly not only are these three groups taking more than the a decent amount over the minimum at UCLA, but they are surpassing unit caps with total university credits. The engineering students at UCLA are probably the reason why the school won’t approach an 80% graduation.</p>
<p>Transfers tend to follow these trends for both non-science and science students set at two and three years instead of four and five.</p>
<p>A couple other notes, besides the redundant stuff going on in my very poor explanations:</p>
<p>The engineering stats were for the 2007-08 academic year, the last year provided. </p>
<p>The graduation stats can vary from year to year: for instance, in one year for EE’s, 0% graduated in four years, and 77% in five. But the number of total U credits is always over the max caps as well as total units taken at UCLA is at least decently over the mins.</p>
<p>And I would think the five year graduation %'s would include anything over four: 4 and 1/3, 4 and 2/3, as well as the full 5.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>At Berkeley, AP credit does not count toward the [unit</a> caps<a href=“usually%20130.1%20units%20if%20you%20take%20more%20than%208%20semesters”>/url</a>, but they can be used as units toward the minimum to graduate (120 units). So if you have 10.6 units of AP credit, then you can graduate after taking as few as 109 units at Berkeley, but the AP credit will not force you to graduate any sooner than if you did not have it (i.e. any number of units in 8 semesters, or 130 + whatever you can get in the last semester if you take more than 8 semesters).</p>
<p>However, repeating the course in which one has AP credit (e.g. taking freshman calculus after getting AP calculus credit) cancels the AP credit (or is supposed to, [url=<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/counselors/ap-credits/index.html]according”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/counselors/ap-credits/index.html]according</a> to UC web sites](<a href=“http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html]unit”>http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html)).</p>
<p>IMO, the biggest reason for the lower grad rate is lack of financial aid which covers the full cost of attendance. The UCs pride themselves on recruiting low income kids, but financial aid is not great. Thus, many/most? have to work part-time to pay for their education. Others work PT to send money home to help the family. In any event, students eventually drop to a minimum load due to work hours.</p>
<p>From a policy perspective, I’d love to see UC crank up the financial aid per year, but then cap it at 4 years (or maybe 4.5); stick with a major and get out, just like at the privates. Heck, just try it as an experiment at one campus.</p>
<p>I have to ask, where would this great FA come from?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is exactly what I hear from friends who are UC professors. They’ve got students working full-time jobs, and squeezing in classes and homework where they can. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>And this California taxpayer would be glad to help pay for it. :)</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad:</p>
<p>Right now, the state awards a grant to any low income student pursuing a degree half-time. Thus, the six-year plan is financially rewarded. Cut it back to ~4, and voila, instant $$ available.</p>