Fewer fees for the same quality education

Today, tuition and fees at public universities are 50 percent higher than what they were 10 years ago. Since it is unlikely that colleges will lower their costs anytime soon, the next best option for students is to reduce the number of semesters they are enrolled in a university.

Gov. Mitch Daniels has been pushing for Indiana colleges to offer students the choice of earning bachelor’s degrees in three years rather than four. Manchester College and Ball State University have already implemented similar programs.

Considering that the average college student graduates with an average debt of $21,000, the proposed three-year degree program would be beneficial to students whose parents are not paying for their college tuition. Eliminating a fourth year of college could cut a student’s costs by up to $25,000, helping to significantly lessen the burden of college loans after graduation.

This program is especially helpful to students planning to attend graduate school, which is often just as long as college and even more expensive, because it allows them to put the last year of college tuition toward further education.        
Speeding up the undergraduate process also allows students to begin earning a salary quicker than graduates of a four-year undergraduate program.

In addition, cutting costs may allow students to have the time and money to travel or live abroad, move to a more preferable location or settle down and start a family.

Some might argue that four years of college is necessary to achieve a well-rounded undergraduate experience, but for students living with a tight budget, saving thousands of dollars outweighs abstract benefits.

While four years of college is useful for students who are unsure of what major to choose, students who have already chosen career paths don’t need time to take extra classes and explore different options.

The accelerated undergraduate program is a sensible proposal, as it saves some undergraduate students a significant amount of time and money while retaining the traditional four-year program for those who want and need it.