Related UH News video: 15 to Finish is a hit with students
The University of Hawaiʻi announced that more than 55 percent of first-time freshmen entering UH Mānoa, UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu enrolled in 15 or more credits in the fall 2014 semester, which will help more students graduate on time and enter the workforce sooner. The increase is attributed to the 15 to Finish campaign launched by UH’s Hawaiʻi Graduation Initiative in 2011 and the many campus initiatives focused on improving on-time graduate rates (2 years for an associate degree and 4 years for a bachelor’s degree). As a result of the campaign’s success, universities in 20 states have adopted similar initiatives.
“We are pleased to hear that an idea we created and implemented to help our students is being adopted across the country,” said Joanne Itano, UH interim executive vice president for academic affairs. “Our long-term goal is to increase the number of citizens with a college degree to prepare a highly skilled workforce and promote the economic vitality of our state.”
In Hawaiʻi and across the country, the norm has been to take 12 credits per semester, which results in an additional one to three years to complete a degree. The University of Hawaiʻi was the first university system in the nation to put together a comprehensive strategy to encourage students to take 15 credits each semester in order to graduate on time. The strategy was developed based on research that showed students who took 15 credits or more perform better academically than students taking fewer than 15 credits. The campaign to communicate with students supports individual campus procedures to improve on-time graduation.
In addition to the increases at the four-year campuses, the UH Community Colleges almost doubled the number of first-time freshmen taking 15 or more credits. The overall strategy has been endorsed by Complete College America, a national non-profit group that works with states to significantly increase the number of Americans with quality career certificates or college degrees.
“It’s nice to know that I’m on track to graduate on time and what I’m trying to do is not unusual,” said Micah Gowen, a social sciences student at UH West Oʻahu.
UH Maui College student Kelcie Rapoza said, “I was taking 12 credits already, so three more credits isn’t too bad. Plus, I’m the first in my family to go to college, and I just wanted to graduate on time to make my family proud.”
More on 15 to Finish on UH News
- Video: “Free books for 15 to Finish freshman” – April 29, 2014
- Story: “UH’s 15 to Finish campaign featured in national webinar” – April 29, 2014
- Story: “UH graduation initiative on national stage” – April 11, 2013
- Video: “15 to Finish is a hit with students” – March 6, 2013
- Story: “More incoming freshmen on track to graduate on time” – October 10, 2012
- Video: “15 to Finish is key to timely graduation” – July 31, 2012
- Story: “Students encouraged to take 15 to Finish” – July 13, 2012
