Sunday evening I'm sitting at dinner with my family, explaining my ecstasy that fall break is approaching within three days, when my Mom proceeds to hand me an anvil and drops me from floating in the clouds. "I hope you enjoy your last fall break. Just think, this will be the last fall break you'll ever have in your life."
Bam, the high feeling is over! Back to reality and the realization that I'm graduating and enjoying my last fall break.
So I got to thinking. How many people really do graduate in four years and only get to enjoy four fall breaks like me?
My old roomie is one of the 52 percent at KUPhoto: Sam Bennett
Throw out your exception of geniuses like David Banh who graduated from Virginia in one year with a double major, and you're left with two-thirds of freshman at four-year colleges in Virginia graduate within six years.
According to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, the 2005-2006 stats at Kutztown University show only 29 percent of Kutztown students graduate in four years. Fifty-one percent though, graduate in six years.
This is pretty normal. A March 10, 2006 article in The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that the nationwide four-year college graduation rate is 34 percent, but the six-year rate is 56 percent!
In September 2005, KU released its Graduate in Four Task Force. Only 29 percent of KU students graduate in four years. Fifty-two percent graduate in five years and 58 percent in six.
So, as I'm in the minority of those who graduate in four, I realize that I have to make the most of my fall break. Maybe if I'd have planned things out a little better I could have stretched my college out to five years, so I could enjoy my last fall break next year, not this year. Just kidding! But, hey it's a thought.
Not your usual eHub post but I thought it a good one to post as break starts.