<p>Four-year degree guarantees, as they have become known, are being offered at a growing number of smaller private colleges. They work as a marketing tool, giving colleges a way to ease parents fears that their children might enjoy college enough to stick around for five or six costly years. And they help to focus attention on the task at hand: graduating in four years.</p>
<p>Randolph-Macon began offering its guarantee this year; Baldwin-Wallace College, outside of Cleveland, will offer it next fall, becoming the latest of about 15 schools where it is available.</p>
<p>It does give you peace of mind that the school is paying attention to this, said Debbie Wileer of Warrenton, Va., who was on campus this month with her son, Chris Kruchten, to sign the guarantee. Now they have a vested interest in having Chris graduate in four years, too.</p>
<p>The four-year graduation guarantee is an approach we will see more private colleges take in coming years, said Tony Pals, a spokesman for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. More students and parents want assurance that their tuition payments are going to be worth it.</p>
<p>According to federal Department of Education figures, about 80 percent of undergraduates earning degrees at private colleges and universities do so within four years; at public institutions, where tuition is typically lower, it is 50 percent.</p>
<p>"First, most promise to pay only if the extra year is the result of a problem they caused — a required class not offered when the student needs it, for example. A student who changes his major halfway through senior year, fails courses or goes backpacking through Europe for three semesters would generally not qualify. "
from the article</p>
<p>Some publics offer it as well, but there are certainly a lot of caveats. Kind of like the “price match” promises by the hotel companies which turn out to be remarkably hard to collect on.</p>
<p>Here are CU Denver’s requirements:</p>
<p>Students must begin studies in a fall semester and enroll in UC Denver course work as specified on the student plan of study for eight consecutive fall and spring semesters.
Students must complete all required course work by the end of the eighth semester.
No fewer than 60 semester hours of applicable course work must be completed successfully by the end of the second year (24 calendar months); 90 semester hours by the end of the third year (36 calendar months); and 120 semester hours by the end of the fourth year (48 calendar months). Students must successfully complete an average of 15 semester hours each semester.
Students must meet with their college advisor and their major advisor for academic advising during the first, third, fifth and seventh semesters of study.
The major must be declared no later than the end of the first semester of study and students must not change their major or any options within the major.
A required plan of study toward the major must be agreed upon and signed by the student and advisor at the end of the first semester. Thereafter students must make satisfactory progress toward completing the major, as defined by each major, and the general education requirements. Courses with certain grades may not meet the satisfactory progress requirement of this guarantee. A statement of what constitutes satisfactory progress and what grades are acceptable is available from the major or departmental office at the time the major is declared.
A minimum of 30 semester hours of college general education courses should be completed by the end of the second year, including core curriculum courses that also meet major requirements and foreign language proficiency.
All lower-division graduation requirements must be successfully completed by the 90-semester-hour mark.
Students must remain in good academic standing according to their school/college academic policies.
Grades of C-, C or C+, as defined by the college/school, must be earned in all course work required for the major, and students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all major course work attempted.
Students must register each semester within one week of the student’s specified eligibility to register.
Students must take courses that are specified in the student plan of study approved by their advisor.
Elective courses must be avoided if they conflict with required major or general education courses. Elective courses must not be given a higher priority than required courses.
Students must meet all departmental, school or college and university policies regarding graduation requirements.
The college/school must be notified in writing of the student’s intent to graduate no later than the beginning of the seventh semester of study. A graduation application must be filed no later than the deadline for the appropriate graduation date. The student must complete a graduation checkout/senior audit with their advisor.
The student is responsible for and must keep documentation proving that these requirements were satisfied (e.g., records of advising meetings attended, advising records and instructions, etc.).</p>