Assistant Vice Chancellor for System Analytics and Business Intelligence University of Alabama System Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Session Abstract: Earning a college degree opens doors to higher earnings, but the costs—tuition, fees, and foregone income—can be substantial. Reducing the time students spend earning a degree can help minimize these costs and improve institutional efficiency. This session highlights findings from a recurring time-to-degree project across three public research universities. We will explore multiple measures of time to degree, including elapsed years, number of enrolled semesters, and attempted versus earned credit hours. The session will also address critical factors such as major migration, disciplinary differences, and data weighting approaches. By examining time-to-degree trends alongside retention and graduation rates, we will explore how these metrics together provide a more nuanced understanding of student success and highlight strategies institutions can use to support timely degree completion and improve advising practices.
Keywords: Time to Degree; Retention; Graduation Rates; Student Success; Major Migration
