The Daily OrangeSuper seniors receive an extended stay for various reasons
By Greg Miller
Posted: 10/8/09, 4:10 AM EST Section: Feature
Kristen Isbell, a fifth year English and textual studies major, was put off track when she transferred schools. She spent her freshman year at the University of Hartford in Connecticut before transferring to Syracuse University.
"I'm the first kid from my family to go to college," said Isbell. "So I didn't know what I was doing and just applied to a bunch of random schools…I hated it."
After finishing her freshman year, Isbell started looking into transferring and was accepted to SU, which was one of her reach schools. But that reach didn't come without a cost. SU accepted a mere 10 credits of the 28 she had completed at Hartford, leaving Isbell with freshman status.
"I transferred in as what I understood was a sophomore," Isbell said, "So I basically started over."
The tradition of spending four years in an undergraduate college program is a typical one, but more and more students are finding it necessary to spend an extra semester or more working towards a Bachelor's degree.
"There are various reasons why students make the decision, most commonly because they need more credits for the (major) requirements," said Ann Corbett from the Registrar's Office. "Maybe they failed a class and need to repeat it after the fact."
Katie Allyn, fourth year junior public relations major, needed to stay at SU for a completely different reason, unrelated to academics. Last fall, Allyn was forced to take medical leave after heart problems arose.
"When you go on leave, you don't get any credit for the semester," said Allyn. "Even in my case where I had been there most of the time."
When she came back, she was met with the choice between graduating on time and going abroad to London as she had planned before.
"Going abroad has always been a priority for me," Allyn said. So the decision wasn't difficult - she left for London to study for the spring 2009 semester, and is now debating whether to graduate in December 2010 or stay the full year until May 2011.
"I'm the first kid from my family to go to college," said Isbell. "So I didn't know what I was doing and just applied to a bunch of random schools…I hated it."
After finishing her freshman year, Isbell started looking into transferring and was accepted to SU, which was one of her reach schools. But that reach didn't come without a cost. SU accepted a mere 10 credits of the 28 she had completed at Hartford, leaving Isbell with freshman status.
"I transferred in as what I understood was a sophomore," Isbell said, "So I basically started over."
The tradition of spending four years in an undergraduate college program is a typical one, but more and more students are finding it necessary to spend an extra semester or more working towards a Bachelor's degree.
"There are various reasons why students make the decision, most commonly because they need more credits for the (major) requirements," said Ann Corbett from the Registrar's Office. "Maybe they failed a class and need to repeat it after the fact."
Katie Allyn, fourth year junior public relations major, needed to stay at SU for a completely different reason, unrelated to academics. Last fall, Allyn was forced to take medical leave after heart problems arose.
"When you go on leave, you don't get any credit for the semester," said Allyn. "Even in my case where I had been there most of the time."
When she came back, she was met with the choice between graduating on time and going abroad to London as she had planned before.
"Going abroad has always been a priority for me," Allyn said. So the decision wasn't difficult - she left for London to study for the spring 2009 semester, and is now debating whether to graduate in December 2010 or stay the full year until May 2011.
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