Cortland Deal
MC 301 Contributor
Students at Jackson State University are urged to take advantage of graduating in four years with Mississippi’s Finish in 4 Campaign.
The Finish in 4 Campaign helps students: decide which courses they need each semester, enroll in all required courses during their first two semesters, and complete at least 15.5 credit hours on average per semester, to finish college in four years. Only 48 percent of Mississippi students complete a bachelor’s degree on time, according to the Finish in 4 campaign.
More time equals more money. According to studies done by the campaign, students may accumulate up to $44,000 in fees after four years, which can increase to more than $88,000 after eight years, including extra tuition.
According to the Institutions of Higher Learning, JSU has enrolled 9,508 students this fall. Enrollment at Jackson State has grown 6.6 percent over the past three years with the record breaking 1,202 freshman students that made JSU enrollment history. Jackson State’s Finish in 4 campaign targets both current and incoming undergraduate students.
Leslie Brooks, a freshman political science major from Jackson Miss., believes that the Finish in 4 campaign will have a positive impact on all students that strive to graduate on time.
“With the Finish in 4 campaign, I believe that we will be motivated to graduate in a timely manner without the excess college expenses. I think that this campaign will give students a great outline for planning the amount of credit hours needed for a successful graduation,” said Brooks.
The campaign asserts that part-time students that take a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester are less likely to graduate even with the extra time that part-timers need. Depending on the students major, taking 12 credits each semester means graduating with a bachelors in 5 years or more.
Brian Washington, a junior elementary education major with a minor in social work from Greenwood, Miss., said the Finish in 4 campaign will not be as helpful to some JSU students.
“Even though the Finish in 4 campaign brings forth good information regarding graduating on time, certain classes are not available every semester and some classes are even canceled due to low enrollment when we really need to take them. That really holds most students back from achieving graduation in a four year span,” said Washington.
Jasmine Johnson, a senior social work major from Canton Miss., said that the Finish in 4 campaign has pros and cons like any other program.
“Every student wishes to complete college within four years or less but personal life, major departments, and your work schedule are some things that can slow the matriculation process down. JSU has to make some adjustments when it comes to having classes available at times that students need them, however I do believe that this campaign will inspire students to enroll in the proper amount of classes in order to graduate on time,” said Johnson.
For more information on the Finish in 4 Campaign, visit: http://riseupms.com/finishin4.
