<p>if by “typical” you mean low-income, then probably yes–9 semesters. but so what? for a low-income kid (or a kid with some sort of disability as compmom pointed out), getting a degree is a victory in itself. there are kids walking these campuses whose families exist on $6000/year!! imagine making it to college after coming from that kind of poverty. the 4-year graduation model has evolved and changed, and i don’t see anything inherently wrong with that.</p>