<p>So I keep seeing claims around the other forums here that "people cannot graduate in 4 years because they cannot get the courses they need because of budget cuts". But that complaint does not seem to appear here, which makes it seem like a "sour gripes" complaint from people not familiar with Berkeley as it is today.</p>
<p>I remember that those who took longer than 8 semesters from freshman to bachelor's degree were mainly those who took <15 units/semester on average, but not because the classes were full or unavailable -- they took <15 units/semester because they wanted an easier workload. A student back then who wanted to spend just 8 semesters in school could do so.</p>
<p>So, these days, do any current students here anticipate involuntarily taking more than 8 semesters in school due to classes being full or unavailable? (not counting semesters not in school while at co-op jobs or internships or the like)</p>
<p>Most people I know who take an additional semester are double majors. It seems that people who (involuntarily) don’t finish up their classes in 8 semesters try to do so the summer after their last semester, I’m guessing since it’s cheaper.</p>
<p>its also faster, in that you graduate only a couple of months later because you put yourself on the degree candidate list that summer. Since you can ‘walk’ with the rest in Spring, before you have officially completed the last courses, you get to do the ceremony just as if you finished in the standard four years, you receive your diploma only a couple of months later, and you invest only that one extra summer. </p>
<p>With so many students who take courses one or more summers, they are able to absorb any pressures from missed classes or scheduling complications to stay on track to finish in the eighth semester - ignoring summers as semester fractions. Those that can’t wrap it up in the eighth semester, often late change of major or dual/triple degree situations, may use the summer after 8th or they may stay for one or two full semesters more. Not that common to find people who had to do that.</p>
<p>I was going to double major in Poli Sci and Spanish, the former of which is heavily impacted in upper divs, and minor in public policy, and I had fit it all into my schedule for four years with room to spare. This is without me taking summer classes and taking more than 16-17 units a semester. I had room for breadth and even a couple courses for “fun.”</p>
<p>But then I wanted to study abroad and screwed it all up, haha.</p>
<p>The four year graduation rate is about 52%.
The six year graduation rate is about 87%.</p>
<p>So, about half the students on campus will take an extra semester or two. That being said, a lot of students who do this are not behind and do so voluntarily. For example, if you take even one class during a summer session and you still graduate “on time” with the rest of your class (i.e. NOT a semester early), you are automatically considered a “greater-than-four-year” student and you contribute to the five or six year graduation rate statistics. Taking a course during a summer session counts as one extra semester. No idea why Cal does this, as it just makes them look bad.</p>
<p>Lots of students take summer classes simply because they are required to stay in Berkeley during the summer (for jobs, internships, or whatever reason) and it is a time-killer. These students - many of which are former freshmen going on to their sophomore years - are not by any means behind. They’re getting a head start.</p>
<p>The other thing with “four year” graduation rates is that they are calendar years, from what I understand. So someone who took 8 semesters, but over more than four years due to a semester off at a co-op job or internship (somewhat common in engineering, for example) would not be a “four year” graduate, even if s/he took 8 semesters (and no summer sessions).</p>
<p>But I get the impression from the responses so far is that involuntary greater than 8 semester graduations (or having to take summer sessions) due to not getting needed classes is rare (as opposed to voluntarily choosing a double major, changing major late, studying abroad, or intentionally taking light course loads). True? If so, then that seems to be in variance with the common claim (usually from those not associated with Berkeley) that “you won’t be able to graduate in four years because you won’t be able to get the classes you need”.</p>
<p>^Exactly. A lot of students simply choose to take their education to the next level (in my opinion, at least) and study abroad, get an internship, volunteer during the summer while taking classes, etc.</p>
<p>As a tour guide here, I constantly get questions regarding graduation rates. No matter how I phrase things (ucbalumnus’s post is a good outline of my usual spiel), it’s almost never a good enough answer for visitors thanks to the discouraging percentages. Graduating in four years is entirely possible. I can’t say I know anyone who has had issues with getting into classes and graduating on time.</p>
<p>Someone told that if you don’t graduate in 4 years you get kicked out, is that true in some majors? I will be a freshman in the fall, and am thinking about majoring in psy and taking pre med classes. I also would like to have the chance to study abroad. I don’t mind taking an extra yr or semester. I’m just worried they might kick me out :/?</p>
<p>With a single major, you can take either 8 semesters with unlimited units; if you take more than 8 semesters, you will not be allowed to register if you have greater than 130 units if you have one major, 136 units if you have more than one major. AP and IB units, college course work completed before high school graduation, and a few other categories of credit units are excluded when determining this unit ceiling.</p>
<p>The other to watch out for is if you get financial aid, you need to check to see if it will continue after 8 semesters.</p>
<p>yes and no, upmagic. leases tend to be for an entire year, not 10 months, thus housing costs are not incremental and the fees for classes are quite a bit less than a regular semester, since they are by unit and not a fixed amount like the official semesters.</p>
<p>When a student at a private goes on away for summer classes abroad, they don’t masochistically count that as an extra year to graduate. </p>
<p>Why does class standing or telebears seniority not count summer then if it is equivalent to a regular semester? Why not call it a trimester system if it is the same? Schools on the quarter system may do this, because they are in fact more symmetrical, and this may be a UC wide policy that is foisted upon Cal in spite of its use of a semester system that doesn’t align to fit intent of the metric, informing potential students of their risks of extending beyond four years from start to degree. </p>
<p>If we can agree that the actual experience is that not many go more than four calendar years start to finish, unless self-inflicted as in late change of major or dual/triple degree, then we should agree that a statistic that suggests a very different situation is misleading and unfortunate.</p>
<p>One class during one summer out of three will show up as a five year graduation? </p>
<p>No wonder there is this widespread perception that students are unable to get the classes they need and are all delayed by rampant shortages and frustrations. while it might feel that way the morning of a telebears appointment, that is not the usual experience, but the statistics imply it.</p>