Dear college students,

Graduating "on time," which means in four years, is the pressure that has been placed on all of us, starting from the time we were high school seniors and transitioning into incoming college freshmen. To add to the pressure, most scholarships stop funding students after the fourth year. It makes sense to want to graduate in four years. How will you pay for college if you don't? How will you explain to your parents that you have to pay out-of-pocket or get another loan to pay for another semester or a fifth year because your primary source will not be able to cover your increased tuition?

Graduating in four years is traditional. However, graduating within six years is the norm. Let's face it. College is tough. You spend countless hours studying for classes. No matter what anyone says, biology classes, especially anatomy and physiology, are not a joke. You should feel blessed to pass those classes with anything higher than a D. Some majors are harder than others. You understand the material and comprehend the lectures different than others. Because your major's classes were too hard, you probably needed to switch to a different major. Maybe, you discovered that your original major was not the right choice, so you wanted to find a major that better fits your desires. A career is more satisfying when it is something you are passionate about and enjoy doing. You do want to have a job that you enjoy doing, right? Maybe, your previous semester was hectic, so you need to take on a lighter load in the next one. Maybe, you needed a break from school and decided to take off for a semester. You could be a part of the one-third of all students that transferred to another college. How many of your credits were actually accepted by your current college?

As you can see, there are reasons, not excuses, for why you are not graduating "on time." However, do not let your reasons transform into excuses for why you cannot maintain endurance to finish the race to get your degree.

"We recognize that not every student can or will graduate on time. And there are understandable reasons. However, something is clearly wrong when the overwhelming majority of public colleges graduate less than 50 percent of their full-time students in four years" - Complete College America

So what if you are in your eighth year. It doesn't matter how long it takes because everyone is different. Your DNA is different from your classmates' DNA. The majority of us walk and work at a different pace. Some will finish quicker. Some will finish on a regular time frame. Some will finish later than normal. What truly matters is getting the job done. Finishing is what matters. Graduating is what matters. If you are one of those not graduating "on time," please do not worry. Your time will come. Don't give up on your degree. Hopefully, this article will motivate you to keep moving forward. One day, it will be your time to shine and walk across that stage, too.

With best wishes to your future,

A college graduate