The One Most Important Thing to Track in College
There’s a lot going on during college. Classes, homework, studying, exams, social events, job fairs, and more – it’s sometimes difficult for students to focus on what’s important. Most students already know that grades and internships are critical to advancing in school and securing employment after graduation. But these aren’t the most important things to track – instead, it’s college credit.
Credits play a huge role in college – one that sometimes goes unnoticed by students. Here are a few reasons why you should focus on credits and understand the different roles it plays in your education.
Credits Determine When You Graduate
We all know that it takes four years to earn a bachelor’s degree – but that’s only because this is how long it takes to earn the necessary credits. At least, that’s the theory. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, today, the average time to graduate for a bachelor's degree is now 5.1 years. This is attributed to students stopping their education or dropping below full-time status. Keeping track of your college credits and ensuring that you are taking enough per semester can help you stay on track to graduate on time.
Pro Tip: Keep your degree audit handy and refer to it often. It’s the official document of record kept by your university that tracks how many credits you have and how much further you have to go to graduate.
Credits Determine How Much You Pay
Tuition will be the bulk of your expenses while you pursue your education. These rates are ultimately calculated on a per-credit basis. Your college’s cost per credit hour and the total number of credits required for graduation determine how much you will pay for school. Therefore, you should keep these two numbers in mind and try to figure out how you can save (more on this below).
Pro Tip: If you want to start to make education more affordable, this is the place to begin. Textbooks, housing, and transportation savings are helpful, but focusing on finding cheaper credits will reduce your education bill the most.
Credits Determine How Much You Can Save
Many students know the importance of earning college credit while in high school (commonly achieved through the AP Exam). Finding credits early reduces both academic and financial pressure – but the opportunity to transfer in credits doesn't go away when you start college. In fact, you can still earn credit from outside sources up until you graduate. Your college may set specific standards and requirements on the types and number of transfer credits accepted, so be sure to research these. While this may take extra effort to figure out, the savings could make a serious dent on the amount that you pay for your education.
Pro Tip: For an in-depth guide on how you can cut your education cost, see how our College Savings Guide can help.
TuitionBusters is an organization committed to helping students and families figure out ways to make education more affordable. Too many overpay for their education – learn how you can prevent this from happening to you by subscribing to our Knowledge Base. You’ll receive new content weekly and catch all our latest tips and best practices. If you have any questions or additional topics you want to know about, get in touch with us.
