This is the third in a series of articles about experiences in college that can affect graduates’ engagement and well-being after college. Read the first in the series here, and the second here.

A recent poll of nearly 30,000 college graduates conducted jointly by Purdue University and Gallup, Inc. looked at the relationship between college experiences and college graduates’ lives post-graduation. The study examined workplace engagement and graduates’ sense of well-being as well as factors influencing students’ life while in college.

According to the results of this study, six factors emerged as important influences on graduates’ engagement and well-being. Over the next six weeks, our series, College Experiences That Lead to Well-Being After Graduation will examine each of these factors and how students can take control of their college experiences to make sure that they participate in the activities in college which will help them in the future. We hope parents will share these ideas with their college students to help them work to pursue these important experiences.

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This is the second in a series of articles about experiences in college that can affect graduates’ engagement and well-being after college. Read the first in the series here.

A recent poll of nearly 30,000 college graduates conducted jointly by Purdue University and Gallup, Inc. looked at the relationship between college experiences and college graduates’ lives post-graduation. The study examined workplace engagement and graduates’ sense of well-being as well as factors influencing students’ life while in college.

According to the results of this study, six factors emerged as important influences on graduates’ engagement and well-being. Over the next six weeks, our series, College Experiences That Lead to Well-Being After Graduation will examine each of these factors and how students can take control of their college experiences to make sure that they participate in the activities in college which will help them in the future. We hope parents will share these ideas with their college students to help them work to pursue these important experiences.

My professors at college cared about me as a person.

Less than a third of graduates in this study, 27%, strongly agreed with the above statement. Obviously, this means that the large majority of students who attend college do not feel that they make a strong enough connection with their faculty members for the professor to care about them as a person.

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The ”four year degree” is no longer a reality for many college students.  Five years has become closer to the national average for time necessary for students to complete a bachelor’s degree.  There are many factors that can contribute to extra time needed, and for some students the time frame is much more realistic. However, there are also a growing number of students who attempt to complete their degree in less than the traditional four years.  Some of these students who take either fewer or more than four years may be looking at a December graduation from college.

The decision to take extra time for a degree or to attempt to finish early is a very personal one and each student’s motivation is different.  Some students are unhappy with their college experience and anxious to be finished.  Other students are simply impatient to move on in their lives or hope to save on tuition costs.  Other students find that the pace of adding an extra semester makes the entire college experience more manageable.  Still other students find that they have no choice but to add time because of a poor semester or possible change of major or direction.

Whatever your student’s reasons for considering a December graduation, there are some factors he should investigate.  For some students, December is the perfect time to complete college.  For other students, waiting an additional semester may be the best course of action.

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