Is a Three-Year College Degree A Better Option?
One of the more interesting ideas in higher education that has been advanced by politicians is the three-year college degree. That was one of the reasons why I wrote a follow-up post about Butler University (IN). That school offers several options to earn a degree in three years–provided that a student has proved ready to take on the challenge.
I can appreciate the concept of a three-year college degree, especially from a publicly-supported university.
A student saves time and enters the job market or further education a year earlier. The state saves money; they subsidize this student for only three years through a scholarship or direct assistance to their public institutions. The universities can enroll more students if enrollment turns over faster. It is conceivable that students will study harder because the work will come faster. If they study harder, some might reason, they will have less time for mischief.
There are some true opportunities to graduate in three years, even if a high school transcript shows no advanced courses or dual enrollment.
Last week I met up with a rep at one such school, Johnson and Wales University (RI and NC). There one can earn a degree with 90 to 96 credits. Students who chooses one of these programs will truly be finished in three years. They have fewer courses outside of their major. However, the schools offers this opportunity in only four majors. The other programs offered by the university require more time to complete.
The College in 3 Exchange lists schools that are advancing three-year opportunities.
Some take approaches similar to Johnson and Wales. But others require summer courses or advanced standing attained through AP, IB or dual enrollment courses. A student might also need to accumulate credits during semester breaks. In that case the student will have paid for almost four years of credits. S/he would just accumulate them in less time.
Here are three examples from public institutions in my home state, New Jersey:
- Rowan University expects summer courses. But that school alludes to the possibility of scholarships to help cover costs.
- The College of New Jersey offers three-year degrees. However, they expect at least two AP courses with a 4 or higher on the AP exam or a 5 or higher on an IB exam. In addition, when I found a page for their most popular major, Psychology, students were advised not to go this route if they were serious about medical school or a doctoral degree.
- Kean University offers a three-year path to a BS in Nursing. But that also requires 120 credits
A three-year college degree might be attractive to someone who wants a shorter road to law school or medical school, and is so focused that s/he is not interested in much beyond studying. The College of New Jersey is one school that accommodates such students through a partnership with Villanova Law School. Seton Hall University accommodates such students through a partnership to the MD with Hackensack Meridian Medical School. Both partnerships award the bachelor’s degree in three years; the next year is the start of the JD or the MD.
The three-year option is also fine for the adult student who has a job or other responsibilities. There are schools that grant credits for competencies gained through employment as well as previous academic coursework such as military services courses.
But a college degree is more than an accumulation of credits.
If managed properly, it can be an effective lifetime plan to help you learn what you truly want to do. Sometimes that involves pursuing a degree, such as education, engineering or nursing, that could be exceptionally difficult to complete over a three-year schedule. This is es[ecially true if there is insufficient rigor in the high school education.
Other times an educational plan involves pursuing a second major or one or more minors. And, when a major doesn’t work out, students may need to back track to take introductory courses in another major that might be easier or more fulfilling to complete.
However, much of the college experience happens outside of the classroom.
Among the things that a good college does is provide a network for life. That network might start with friends, but it will also grow to include faculty, administrators and alumni, among many others. A three-year degree gives full-time students less time to build their network.
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