Erik Hansen is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Policy and the Mustang Daily graduate columnist.
Cal Poly is making a conscious effort to graduate students in a timely manner through its Expected Academic Progress (EAP) Policy. As stated in the EAP Policy, “every full-time undergraduate student is required to make reasonable academic progress toward completion of the bachelor’s degree.”
According to the 2011-2013 Cal Poly Catalog, reasonable academic progress means:
- First year: Completion of at least 20 percent of the total number of units required for the degree.
- Second year: Completion of at least 45 percent of the total number of units required for the degree.
- Third year: Completion of at least 75 percent of the total number of units required for the degree.
- Fourth year: Completion of at least 100 percent of the total number units required for the degree.
In other words, a full-time freshman entering into a four-year, 180 unit degree program will need to complete no fewer than 36 units by the end of his or her first year, no fewer than 81 units by the end of his or her second year, no fewer than 135 by the end of his or her third year and no fewer than 180 by the end of his or her fourth year.
Cal Poly uses a stick to enforce its EAP Policy and herd students toward graduation. The EAP of every Cal Poly student is reviewed during spring quarter. If a student is found to be making inadequate academic progress, he or she will be designated as having an EAP deficiency.
Having an EAP deficiency means the student could end up with a hold placed on his or her registration or being put on administrative-academic probation. Being put on academic probation means the student will be required to meet with his or her academic adviser and draw up a Degree Completion Plan, which will be monitored until they can resolve their EAP deficiency.
While it might also be due in part due to the overall increase in the quality of students admitted to Cal Poly, measures such as the EAP Policy — in accordance with the overall push to graduate students in a timely manner — have resulted in a significant increase in the university’s four-year graduation rate.
According to Cal Poly’s persistence rate trends, the fall 2005 freshmen cohort had a four year graduation rate of 31.1 percent. Compare this to only 15 years earlier, when the 1990 freshmen cohort had a four year graduation rate of just 7.6 percent.
The following ideas are provided to help spur your own thoughts regarding how you are going to graduate in a timely manner, if not on time.
Plan your course-flow. You are probably already a wizard with Microsoft Excel, so create a workbook for your course-flow and save it to your desktop. In the workbook, create a spreadsheet that breaks down all of the courses that you are going to take by year and quarter. Next, create a second spreadsheet that breaks down all of the courses that you are going to take by the quarter(s) that they are offered. Then, create a third spreadsheet that breaks down the prerequisites of each course that you are going to take. And then finally, PROFIT! Crosscheck — and even link — these three spreadsheets.
Take at least 16 units a quarter. When forecasting your course-flow, plan on taking at least 16 units a quarter.
Hypothetically, if your degree program requires 180 units to complete, and you take 15 units every quarter — excluding summer quarters — you could graduate in four years with exactly 180 units. This assumes you are going to get every class you want and need, in the correct order, every quarter. Good luck with that.
Avoid repeating a course. Understanding when and how to take a course credit/no credit can help you avoid repeating a course.
Are you fairly certain that you are going to get a C in organic chemistry? Then, if your degree program allows it, register for the class credit/no credit and avoid wasting time retaking the course to bring your grade up.
Summer school. Summer school can do a few things: it can help you get ahead, it can help you catch up, and it can free up some room in your schedule to take a fun class, like bowling. Why not explore taking a few classes over the summer? Better yet, why not consider taking a few classes over the summer at a junior college, where tuition costs approximately one-tenth of the amount it does at Cal Poly? It is also a great way to meet new girls or boys … if you do not mind slumming it.
Depending on where you spend your summers, visit the California Community College Chancellor’s website to find a local community college. If your summers are spent here in San Luis Obispo, you have Cuesta College locally, or Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.
Junior college. Speaking of junior college, just because you go to some four-year, public university, should not make you feel like you are above taking a course at a junior college. If you cannot get into a class you need in fall or winter quarter, try picking it up fall or spring semester at Cuesta or Allan Hancock.
Take advantage of your academic adviser. Figure out who your academic adviser is, make an appointment to meet with them and immerse yourself in their advice and experience. Chances are if you have a problem or question, they have already seen and dealt with it previously.
Try to decide and stick with a major early on. Most freshmen at Cal Poly will have already declared what they want to be when they grow up when at 17 years old. Not surprisingly, this sometimes does not always work out.
However, should you decide to take your life in a different direction and change your major, try to do so as early as possible. Changing your major well into your third year can significantly prolong your academic experience.
Carefully weigh studying abroad. Spending a quarter or two abroad can be an amazing experience. However, before taking that trip overseas, carefully consider the course offerings available to you abroad, and how much they could set you back academically. If the course offerings are limited where you want to go, and your academic department will not work with you to substitute courses, it might be worth looking into studying abroad at a different location.
Hopefully by now you have a graduation strategy of your own all planned out. The most important take away is that, unless you are able to somehow slip through the cracks, gone are the days of the seven year, Van Wilder/Tommy Boy degree. If you really want to stick around a couple more years, consider graduate school.