Super senior
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A super senior is a student in an American four-year educational institution such as a high school or university who is in his or her fifth (or later) year or has more than the usual number of credits required to graduate without achieving a diploma or Bachelors degree.
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[edit] Causes
Super-seniors usually have the minimum number of credits to graduate but do not for various reasons. These students will advance through the grades (freshman, sophomore, junior- senior) on schedule and are classified as a "senior" for two or more years.
[edit] Multiple degrees
Students who intend to complete two or more degrees at the same time are often required to earn 145 credits to receive their degrees, rather than the normal 120. It is often in the student's best interest to earn all desired/required undergraduate degrees at the same time as financial aid is more readily available to undergraduates than to graduates returning for additional undergraduate degrees.
[edit] Change of majors
Students may choose to change majors after they are well advanced in their schooling. These students often have enough general education credits and overall credits to graduate but do not have their major-specific credits completed.
[edit] Poor choice of classes
Super-seniors often include students who chose their classes without considering graduation requirements. They are often missing important requirements for their major or core/general education.
[edit] Low grades
In many schools, the grade of "D" is enough to receive credit for a class, but not high enough to count towards the student's major or core/general education requirements. A student who receives too many D grades may have enough credits to graduate but not good enough grades.
[edit] Desire to remain in school
Some super-seniors have enough credits and requirements to graduate, but do not apply for graduation. In most cases, universities do not automatically grant graduation without application, and as long as tuition is paid, students are not forced to leave the school. Not applicable to high school.
Some super-seniors may be in their fifth or later year in the school but do not have enough credits to graduate. These students appear on paper as juniors or (simple) seniors and do not have enough credits to graduate with their peers.
[edit] Difficult or multiple majors
Students in high-stress majors such as astrophysics or those who take a difficult double-major (within the same degree) may choose to take a minimum number of classes (two, three, or four depending on the number of credits offered per class) at one time in order to achieve higher grades or superior retention.
[edit] Difficult circumstances
Occasionally a student becomes ill or is injured in mid-semester and cannot complete/pass the classes he/she has begun. If this occurs after the drop-deadline, the school may make a judgement as to whether to count the grades against him/her or drop the student from the semester. In either case, the student would need an additional semester to graduate.
Students may have other difficulties that prevent them from completing the graduation requirements in the traditional four years, such as raising a child or being required to work full time, such students may only attend classes on a part-time basis, taking up to a decade to complete a Bachelors Degree.
[edit] Failing grades
Occasionally a student may keep his or her grade point average high enough to remain in school but still fail enough classes that they do not have enough credits to graduate at the end of his or her four years.
[edit] Effects
[edit] College or university
Some universities reduce or withdraw state funding after a student's fifth year. While fifth year students are becoming more common as more students choose to take a slow pace on a difficult course of study or take multiple majors or degrees, continuing beyond the 5th year is frowned upon in cases where there are no extenuating circumstances, such as family situations, illness or injury.
In addition, parents who are paying for their children's education and living expenses may lose patience and cut their student's funding.
[edit] High school
Public (state) high schools may allow a fifth year super-senior (who does not have enough credits to graduate) to continue attending their regular school, though students older than age 19 are usually required to attend "continuation school" meant for adults who have not graduated with a high school degree. Students forced into continuation school often choose to drop-out or take the GED.
[edit] Special education
In the US, federal law (ADA) states that public (state) schools are required to keep special-needs students in regular public schools (or a special education school if the student's IEP warrants it) until they graduate from that school or reach the age of 21.
[edit] References
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