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(U-WIRE) MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY—More part-time students, the need for work experience, and scheduling difficulties have contributed to an all-time low in the number of students who graduate from college within five years, said officials from The American College Testing program.
The organization reported this month in a nationwide study that 52.8 percent of students earn a bachelor's degree within five years, an almost 5 percent decrease since 1983, when the study began. The report summarizes data submitted by two- and four-year public and private post-secondary institutions.
At public universities, the five-year graduation rate fell to a record-low 44.2 percent, down from 52.2 percent in 1983, according to the report. The rate at private colleges dropped to 56.6 percent.
Kelley Hayden, ACT director of communications, said many reasons contribute to lengthened stays at colleges, including the increase in part-time students and because more students are going to college right out of high school.
"The percentage who finish within five years has been decreasing virtually every year for the last 15 years," he said. "The percentage of students who go directly from high school to college is increasing every year so you're getting more students who go right on to college and some of them aren't prepared."
Hayden also said at larger universities, the difficulty of scheduling and availability of courses can put off one's graduation date.
"You hear stories of students who can't get the classes they need in a timely fashion and have to pick them up in the fifth or sixth year," he said. "The future is going to be that four years will not be the standard. There will probably be more programs of varying lengths."
At MSU, the number of students who graduated after attending the university for five years increased each year between 1983 to 1987, then dropped each year after that until 1991. Graduation rates for four-year MSU students have decreased from 1989 to 1993. Rates for more recent years are not available.
"Some students never pick up on the fact that in order to graduate in four years you have to take an average of 15 credits a semester," said Barbara Steidle, MSU assistant provost for undergraduate education. "But there are many people who start out with an expectation and are very focused and move ahead."
Steidle said since many college students are working more or take time off for internships or volunteer work, they stay at school longer.
"Students are packing a lot more into their undergraduate years and consequently they stay longer," she said. "There are many students who come in and sail through here in four years."
Other things to consider in graduation rates are students who change their majors and repeat classes and the availability of courses, she said.
"In terms of the availability of classes, MSU has been very aggressive in trying to meet those demands, but it can't always do that with perfection," she said.
Matthew Duffy, a German and mechanical engineering senior, said because of changes in his major early on, he's been at MSU five years instead of four.
"In the beginning, I took classes my freshman year that were not related to either of my majors because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do," he said. "But I think it's up to the students more than the university (to plan for graduation) because it just seems like if you were focused, it's really not going to take a long time."