Reduce College Costs By Going for 3 Years Instead of 4 Years

First off, I know the three-year plan isn’t practical for some schools, especially a lot of engineering schools.  But most of the time, 5 years isn’t really necessary either.  With that out of the way, on with the post…

Most bachelor’s degree programs can be completed in 3 years time instead of 4 years, which will save you a year’s worth of college expenses (which is a big deal if you haven’t saved adequately for college). Some colleges have specific programs designed to trim the time required to get a degree; while others allow students to arrange their schedules in such a way that they can graduate sooner to alleviate some of their costs.

Think about the money saved when you go to college a year less than planned. You’ll save on housing, transportation, meals, and tuition.

Some colleges, like Hartwick College in New York, offers specific three-year bachelor’s programs. Students end up following a modified schedule that includes fall and spring classes, and a single class taken over January term when the others are still off on their Holiday/Winter break. For students graduating a year earlier from Hartwick College, the savings is a staggering $40,000. Students attending less expensive state schools may not see savings quite so high, but even a few thousand dollars can make a difference in your financial future in economic times like these.

Another benefit to completing your bachelor’s degree program a year earlier is that you can enter the workforce a year earlier and begin making money. For students who are covering the cost of their college education on their own, this is a very tempting option! Schools who are at their limits for student enrollment will also experience a benefit if more students graduate a year earlier as it allows them to accept more incoming students into their college.

If your college doesn’t offer a specific program for completing your degree in three years instead of four – try taking an extra class each semester. Most college charge per semester rather than per class (up to a certain number of credits each semester) and you can easily fit in an extra course each semester. Additionally, you can take courses online or over the summer at reduced costs to help complete your degree program faster.

For students still attending high school but thinking about going to college, you can very easily reduce the number of years you’ll need to spend in college by taking a few college courses while still in high school. Many high schools across the country provide University in the High School programs, or Advanced Placement programs which actually give students college credits that can be transferred into the college of the students choice when it comes time to go. Many high school students have taken these courses (at a fraction of the cost charged to university students) and have entered college as sophomores rather than freshmen because of the number of college credits earned while still in high school.