Completing a degree or certificate is key for students to fully benefiting from the time and money they invest in higher education.
Students who graduate are more likely to earn a higher salary, succeed in their career, and experience greater job satisfaction.
A number of things can help students succeed in earning a degree:
- Completing dual credit and AP classes. By earning college credit in high school students can get a head start on college and finish a degree in less time and at less cost.
- Following a degree map – a list of courses required by a college or university for a specific degree. A degree map can help students complete the courses they need for their degree and prevent them from spending time and money on course they don’t need.
- Making a plan to graduate on time. The longer students stay in school, the less likely they are to graduate. Students should:
- Know how many credits are required for the degree they are seeking.
- Earn an average of 15 or more credit hours a semester to graduate with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four years.
- Consider all their options – summer classes, online courses, and dual credit and AP classes taken during high school can help them earn the credit they need.