Every year you spend in college costs you another year of tuition, so it’s important to know if your school will help you graduate as soon as possible. There’s actually a way to measure that. It’s called a graduation rate, and it can help you in deciding which schools are best for you.
Ask about graduation rates when you visit.
Some colleges have a better record than others when it comes to helping students graduate in four years. Do the schools you’re considering have good graduation rates? Find out by asking these three questions on your college visits.
Online sources for graduation rates
Go to collegescorecard.ed.gov and search for the schools you have in mind. But be aware of these two very important points:
- This page uses an 8-year graduation rate. You want to know the four year graduation rate, so be sure to ask the school.
- The site projects your “median salary," but you probably won't earn that much until the middle of your career.
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