CSN is a two-year college, for the most part. That means we offer all sorts of degrees that require students to earn 60 credits. A little elementary school math will tell you that means 30 credits a year will get you done in two years.
You could do 15 credits a semester and take the summer off. Or take 6 credits in the fall, 18 in the spring, and six over the summer. Voila, 30 credits. Do it again next year. Move on.
Wait. What’s that? You haven’t been taking 30 credits a year?
You should. You really should.
“What the studies find is that the fewer credits a student takes in a given year, the less likely it is that they’ll complete a degree,” said James McCoy, CSN’s associate vice president, academic success.
Did you catch that? If you’re not taking 30 credits a year, you have a smaller chance of graduating.
You want some hard data? Fine.
Only 3 percent of Nevada community college students taking less than 12 credits per semester graduate within four years with an associate degree. And yet, 62 percent of students earn their associate degree when they complete at least 30 credits in their first year.
Plus: Money. The longer you take, the more it costs you. The longer you take, the longer you wait to enter the job market. Did you know community college grads earn an average of $10,000 a year more than those with just a high school diploma? It’s true. Data from the U.S. Department of Education data says so.
So why wait?
You’ll see us talking about this in the upcoming months. A lot. We’re calling it the Finish in 2 campaign. It’s a nice slogan, isn’t it? But it’s more than that. We’re talking about your future here.
So go on. Get motivated. Get your degree. Your professors, your family, your friends and even the CSN President will hold a celebration in your honor.
It’s called commencement and it’s calling your name.
