14. Nontraditional Students are the New Majority

15. Students are wasting time on excess credits ...

16. …and taking too much time to earn a degree.

17. Full-time Students Taking 15+ Credits Per Semester
Most students DON’T take the credit hours necessary to graduate on time.
Full-time Students Taking 15+ Credits Per Semester

18. FULL-TIME
IS 15

19. Just because you’re “Full-Time” doesn’t mean you’ll finish on-time.

20. What is Academic Momentum?
The academic momentum perspective proposes that the speed with which undergraduates initially progress in college significantly affects their likelihood of completing a degree.
As described by Attewell, Heil, and Reisel (2012), this perspective is based on three core notions, namely:
a.) an undergraduate’s initial course load and progress set a trajectory that strongly influences degree completion,
b.) early momentum is associated with degree attainment over and above the student’s socioeconomic background and high school academic preparation, and
c.) encouraging early momentum by enrolling in summer courses will improve student completion.

21. Build YOUR Academic Momentum
Essentially, students that proceed through college with a certain rate of speed are more likely to complete their degrees than similar students who progress more slowly (Adelman 1999, 2006). Controlling for academic preparation and demographic characteristics, those students who enrolled in 15 or more credits a semester are significantly more academically successful then those who enroll in less. When students take too few courses in the first semester or academic year, it negatively affects their academic momentum (Belfield et al 2016).

22. Time is Your Enemy
Often less-prepared students are advised to attend part- time, or take less credits, but there is no evidence that lighter course loads help their completion rate. In fact, regardless of academic strength, work schedules, race, gender, or socioeconomic categories, almost all students are more likely to complete with a real full-time load (NCES report rev).
When students take too few courses in the first semester or academic year, it negatively affects their academic momentum (Belfield et al 2016). The truth is that speeding up, not slowing down, gets the best results. Students who take more courses each semester get better grades and are less likely to drop or fail their courses.

23. The Power of 15 Credits: More students graduate when they complete 30+ credits in their first year.

24. Students who take over 30 credits per year:
More likely to graduate on time
Earn better grades
Complete courses at a higher rate
Pay less for their degrees