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June 28, 2007

A Longer Route

More students are having a hard time graduating in the traditional four-year plan

Story by: Diana Golobay

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Robert Rodriguez

Photo Illustration

Electrical engineering junior Yancy Schneider has taken classes at the university since spring 2001. While working 30-hour weeks in an engineering firm in Fort Worth, he maintains a marriage and a 2-and-a-half-year-old son.

He plans to graduate in 2009 — after eight years of college.

While many students enter their first year of college eager to follow their counselors’ advice and complete the traditional four-year degree, more and more are finding that life gets in the way.

After seven years of classes and countless distractions, Schneider can finally consider himself an upperclassman.

“Technically, I’m a junior,” he said. “I’ve got all my core courses, all my history and stuff. I was classified as a junior last semester, but this is the first semester I’ve taken junior-level courses.”

Because of his work and home schedules, Schneider attended classes part time for his first three years. Prior to coming to the university, he attended a junior college in Mississippi and earned his associates degree in electrical technologies, which he calls “job training for being an electrician.”

Schneider wanted to take the next step in his education, knowing it would be instrumental in helping him achieve his goals. So he moved to Texas and pursued a degree in electrical engineering.

Schneider has always been employed while taking classes. He worked at two electrical companies doing commercial and residential electrical work. He was project manager for a residential remodeling company before being hired at the firm where he now works.

While some students must deal with the burden of managing a career while enrolled in classes, others are planning ahead for professional careers.

Mechanical engineering senior Paul Pritchard plans to graduate in December 2007. He has taken college courses since graduating from Azle High School in 2002.

Pritchard knew he would need professional experience to secure the career he wanted. He decided to take a year-long break from classes for an internship with Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. This sabbatical caused a gap in his degree plan. However, it was a year of valuable experience Pritchard will benefit his career.

“It was definitely possible to do in four years, but companies are looking for more experienced people,” he said.

Pritchard attended Weatherford Community College for a year before deciding to major in mechanical engineering. His indecision to declare a major right out of high school was shared by friend and fellow mechanical engineering senior, James Watson.

Watson began at the university in fall 2003. He attends classes full time during regular semesters and works full time in the summer and takes online courses.

“If you take only 12 or 14 hours a semester, you’re not going to finish in four years,” he said. “In my opinion, 17 or 18 hours a semester is just too much. It’s up to the student to decide whether to take summer classes or go more than four years.”

While working hard, Schneider’s graduation is much further on the horizon. Though 30-hour weeks are technically part-time employment, his responsibilities demonstrate how little time he has outside of class for his studies. His wife of seven years is working on her Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Together they can accommodate work and school schedules while caring for their son.

“I think if I was able to go to school full time without work or any of that, I could definitely have done it in four years,” Schneider said.

He admits his circumstances have delayed his graduation, but he says the university has not done its best to help students graduate quickly. He said the MyMav system is not user-friendly and that he feels intimidated when he approaches his teachers about his frustrations.

“Interdepartmental relationships are miniscule,” Schneider said. “There are a lot of changes that need to occur in the engineering department to make it more do-able. Right now, it’s ineffective and inefficient. It’s a pretty tough curriculum to do in four years.”