The Race for the 3-Year Bachelor’s

Will Degree-Hacking or 90-Credit Programs Ultimately Succeed?

More than a few states have approved or are looking into three-year bachelor’s degree programs. Basically they accomplish this by reducing the amount of credits required for degree completion from 120 to 90. Historically, universities in the United States prided themselves on turning out what they refer to as graduates with broad foundations rather than narrow career training. In their opinion, Americans should be knowledgeable about a variety of topics, making them well-rounded, critical thinking members of society. This trend rose after WW2 and is still common practice, but seems to be challenged more and more of late.

I recently co-authored a piece entitled Tradition Be Damned with HigherEd Insights, which describes the recent trend referred to on social media as Degree-Hacking. In this scenario, students are accumulating college credits from numerous sources and applying them toward the 120 credit requirement needed to obtain a bachelor’s degree. From places like CLEP, AP, Dual Enrollment, and Concurrent Enrollment students have successfully entered college with upwards of 30-45 credits. Students can take it even further. Some schools allow them to bring in up to 96 credits, requiring only their final year taken in residency.

Seeing this shift toward a faster, cheaper means to earn a degree, colleges are trying to keep up with the growing population needs. Students lately seem to prefer the European model of education. They are not seeing the need for the general education requirements. To these students the time, cost, or effort is not worth the outcome. Perhaps it is the money and time, or perhaps it is something else. On numerous occasions students have told me it just isn’t worth it. They see the news where college graduates are not employed, or are underemployed. They are accruing tons of debt. They are not seeing the return on investment.

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are allowing some private institutions to pilot 90-96 credit degree programs. Indiana, Iowa, North Dakota, and Utah are currently testing three-year programs across their public school systems. Georgia and Maine are looking into ways to build upon their associate-level systems to build a 90 credit degree. Virginia and Ohio recently formed a joint state initiative to work on the creation of a 90 credit, three-year bachelor’s degree model. The initiative, called “College in 3” aims for more curriculum efficiency, cost savings, and faster entry into the workforce without giving up academic integrity. It seems states see the need and are working toward the creation of a new system.

In the interim, more and more students are figuring out ways to hack their way toward the 120 credits required for the current bachelor’s degree. I see many high school students graduating with more than 24 credits, eliminating many of the required general education courses they would normally take freshman year. Add some CLEP or Coopersmith exams and some summer courses, already they are figuring out how to turn the traditional four-year program into three or less. As stated in my prior piece, if they are doing this because they intend to use the money and time saved to pursue graduate study, then they made a smart, carefully thought out plan. Some students may be in a rush but not exactly sure why. Our jobs as school counselors and IECs is to help them think it through and create the best plan for them. Often the students I meet these days are both entrepreneurial and persistent. With a little coaching I expect they will go far, and eventually help create newer and better systems for future generations.