Most College Students Won’t Finish School in Four Years—Why?

Only 19% of full-time students will complete their four-year degree in four years and 40% of students will take six years to complete their program.

Ask one of my young grandchildren what they want to be when they grow up and they will probably give you a different answer each time you ask. Sadly, this indecisiveness isn’t just limited to 4-year-olds. According to Dr. Fritz Grupe, “Eighty percent of college-bound students have yet to choose a major.” With the buffet of options available for majors and programs—not to mention trying to choose a school in the first place—it can be confusing to know where to focus your education.

Since most college students enter school with only a vague idea of what they want to do or major in, it’s no surprise that 80% of them will switch their major at least once. 37% will actually switch schools, leaving some of the valuable credits they’ve completed behind.

And, according to a report from Complete College America, the idea of finishing school in just four years is a myth for most. They report that only 19% of full-time students will complete their 4-year degree in four years. A staggering 40% of students will take six years to complete their 4-year degree program—and that comes with a heavy price tag. By taking six years to graduate, instead of four, most students will spend 40% more and will increase their student debt by nearly 70%.

Why Is This?

USA Today College gives four reasons for this trend:

1.     “A Lack of a Clear Plan or Advising”

2.     “Change of Majors”

3.     “Change of Universities”

4.     “Unnecessary Courses Taken”

All of these reasons fall under the umbrella of simply lacking direction in what to study—what do I want to do and how do I get there?

Camp Infinity: Offering Direction in STEM

If you follow Camp Infinity you probably do so because your child or grandchild loves STEM and is inquisitive and driven. But there is a veritable buffet within STEM of fields to choose from and it can be a daunting task to try and make that decision. So, what can parents and grandparents do to help give their child direction as he or she looks toward college? Well, we’re here to help!

At each of our camps we expose campers to a wide variety of STEM activities. This allows them to try new things and figure out what they gravitate toward. Do they like the math part where they figured out the equation? Or was it programming the robot that captured their interest? Maybe it was building the robot or engineering the bridge? A wide variety of STEM activities that integrate all different fields helps campers taste what’s out there for them to pursue.

And there’s nothing quite like talking to a real person to help give you some direction. Each of our counselors are either currently enrolled in college pursuing a STEM career or are working in a STEM field. Their personal experience of how they chose their major, what it’s like in their program, why they chose that program, and what they hope to do with their degree, can be eye-opening for campers. It gives them a feel for what’s out there and may help them narrow down their options—or alert them to a fascinating field they didn’t even know about!

Camp Infinity is an investment in the mind and heart of your young person. I encourage you to consider Ci for your academically-driven young person. Mark the dates for our upcoming camps on your calendar and stay tuned for application information. We hope to see your camper this summer!

Camp Infinity

Where Science & Technology Meet Truth