Traveling the road of degree completion

Dear Friends,

Purdue Calumet students tend to take somewhat longer than the norm to earn their baccalaureate degrees. Over the past three years, our graduates have averaged 7.5 years along the road of degree completion that is designed to be completed in four years of full time study.

For many of our students, “time-to-degree” stretches to accommodate work schedules and to avoid or minimize borrowing to pay for education. As they pursue higher education, these students often enroll in no more classes than they can afford or than they can accommodate within their life schedules. If they feel they are unable to pay the fees required of being full time students, or fit their classes into their work responsibilities, they enroll in fewer classes and reduce their expenses.

As a consequence, many of our students delay progress on their degrees by interrupting their studies or reducing their course load. What is positive about this is that these students demonstrate a high degree of fiscal responsibility. But at the same time, these students have made a conscious decision to delay the earning power and employment security that generally follow the attainment of a college degree.

According to 2006 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals 25 and older with an earned bachelor’s degree enjoyed average annual income of more than $66,000. In contrast, those adults whose highest education attainment level included some college, but no degree averaged less than $44,500.

What’s more, the 2.2 percent average unemployment rate recorded in 2007 among baccalaureate degree graduates was well below the 3.85 percentage rate of those with some college, but no degree.

Ultimately, each student must weigh the tradeoff of degree delay against debt. Purdue Calumet can help by making choices and options clear through financial aid counseling and by reducing the obstacles to student persistence.

Sincerely,

Howard Cohen,
Chancellor