Does it matter how long it takes to get a degree?

[FoBoT]

only as to how soon you get a job vs. being a non-producer

i started college in Aug. 1984 and got my degree in Jan. 1996

but that wasn't straight through of course, full time for 1.5 years, then several years in the Navy and then night school to complete my degree

 

[Feldenak]

I started college in the fall of 1992 and finished a degree in the spring of 2005. Now granted, I wasn't in school or a full-time student during all that time but I haven't yet had an employer or potential employer say anything about it.

 

[chusteczka]

How is anyone supposed to know how long it took to complete the degree? The date you earned your degree will be put on the resume, not the date you started taking classes. I have never been asked this question in an interview.

 

[NuclearNed]

Yes - it does matter. When you enter college, you enter under the requirements of their current catalog. The catalog is like a contract between you and the university, determining the requirements for a particular degree. The catalog has an expiration date (in the case of the school where I went, it was something like 6 years). A new catalog is printed every year, but the only one that applies to you is the one that was current when you entered school unless you are in school past your catalog's expiration date. In that case, I'm pretty sure that the current catalog takes effect, and you may have some new unexpected requirements that you need to fulfill for your degree.

 

[Dualist]

It truthfully does matter, when it comes to fulfilling your college course requirements. If the requirements aren't met, you may not graduate on time and that can keep you behind. That is the top thing to do, on top of that you do have to get the necessary skills for the job field you're seeking.

 

[jiggahertz]

This thread got me thinking, I never realized how rare it's becoming to finish in 4 years. It seems the majority of people don't finish in this time frame because they switch majors. Now that going to college is the status quo compared to say 20 years ago, people go to college without having an idea of what they want to do. A lot of people just go to college because that's what you're supposed to do after HS. I think it used to be only highly motivated people went to college who had a very good idea of exactly what they wanted to pursue. /end masters is the new bachelors rant

 

[psixninja]

I agree with you jiggahertz. I don't think I should have gone to college right away, because I honestly did not know what I wanted to. "....that's what you're supposed to do after HS." <-- QFT

In the end though, I'd rather it take me 6 years to study what I want than 4 to graduate with something I might regret later on. Btw, for those concerned with college requirements, we only have a credit limit, not a time limit. You have a time limit on financial aid, 18 quarters, but for engineering the limit is 230 units. So, as long as you're under that you can continue to take classes.

 

[tigerbait]

I graduated EE in 3.5 years....not bragging, I was stupid. It didn't really help me in any way. I just went to work before my friends, so I was making money sooner, but more college would have been more fun.

 

[esun]

Only matters if your school doesn't allow you to stay the extra years. My school (Berkeley) is strict--you have to petition if you want an extra semester, and that is rarely given. One beyond that is almost never given. Then you get kicked out.

 

[SearchMaster]

As an employer, it doesn't make much difference to me. I interviewed someone the other day and didn't even notice that his undergrad had taken 5.5 years - when I showed his resume to a colleague, that was his only comment.