UPA Home > DID YOU KNOW...
February 2007
Did you know.... that the average number of semesters to graduation has decreased by almost a semester for freshmen entering NC State in the Fall of 1989 versus the Fall of 2000. The 1989 cohort graduated, on average, during the spring of their fifth year (9.3 semesters). The 2000 cohort graduated, on average, during the fall of their fifth year (8.7 semesters). This improvement came from a steady decline in the average semesters to graduation; of the last 11 cohorts, 9 of them graduated as fast or faster than the previous cohort. These calculations exclude summer school attendance and are limited to students who graduate in less than six years.
Between 1989 and 2000, every academic college at NC State observed reductions in the average semesters to graduation. The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences realized the largest reduction, dropping the average semesters to graduation from 9.4 in 1989 to 8.4 in 2000.
The College of Engineering, the largest college at NC State, realized the next largest reduction in semesters to graduation, dropping from 9.8 semesters in 1989 to 8.9 semesters in 2000.
While the exact cause of the decrease in semesters to graduation cannot be precisely calculated, some of the causes are likely adaptive university policies that encourage faster graduation, a cap in credit hour requirements for degrees, better advising, fewer major changes, and, of course, efforts by NC State students.