WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Governor Greg Abbott recently announced a possible push for undergraduate students to complete college in three years instead of the traditional four.
- “I think it would be easier; I want to get school done as soon as possible," said Baylor University student Talea Carson.
- “I think the four years in the college experience are important," said Baylor University student Will Lester.
“I think it’s a good idea, but it really depends on the student," said Baylor University student Talea Carson.
Carson thinks Governor Greg Abbott’s push for undergraduate students to graduate in less than three years could work.
Carson, a psychology pre-med student, thinks she would be up for graduating in three years if the option was available.
“I think it would be easier; I want to get school done as soon as possible. So, I think for me three years would be awesome, but if I need four years I wouldn’t be upset," she said.
Another Baylor student, Will Lester, is studying business. He said there are some pros and cons to graduating in three or four years.
“I think the four years in the college experience is important…just from getting away from parents and trying to live your own life and get your own habits away from your parents, but I do think it's important to get more students into the workforce, especially with a college degree," said Lester.
According to the Texas Tribune, the governor has directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to design a plan that would allow undergraduate students the option to earn a bachelor's degree in three years. Abbott believes this would allow students to save money on tuition and get into the workforce faster.
One author who published a book titled Education Is Freedom said maybe there’s a different way to tackle this.
“We can encourage state universities to expand early college and let a student, while there in the 11th and 12th grade, begin to accrue college credits so that by the time that they get out of high school they already have one year of college behind them. To me that’s a far better solution," said Author Jim Keyes.
While Keyes has a different solution than Abbott, he said another factor to consider is how well students understand the material they’re studying.
"It depends. I think if you’re really good and you're really determined, I think you could grasp it all, but I’m not sure if, you’re just like me, if you would be able to," said Carson.
