The 2010/2011 school year is providing Kent State students with a faster way to completing their degrees.

On a campus where the “5-year-plan” tends to dominate over the ability of finishing in 4 years, KSU is now offering the Automatic Overload Option, allowing students to exceed the previous limit of 18 credit hours.

SOT Megan Morris

“BASE ON OUR GPA YOU CAN TAKE SO MANY EXTRA HOURS. SO I WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE 21.”

The University wants to reduce the road -blocks that are preventing students from graduating in four years… And they believe that allowing the overload option will do just that.

SOT Megan Morris

“I’D JUST LIKE TO GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS, ON TIME, WITH ALL MY FRIENDS THAT ARE GRADUATING.”

STAND-UP:

“MANAGING CLASS TIME, HOMEWORK AND SOCIAL LIVES IS SOMETHING ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH. EXCEEDING 18 CREDIT HOURS MAKES THIS AN EVEN GREATER STRUGGLE. I MET WITH ACADEMIC ADVISOR, AMY WILKENS TO SEE WHAT SHE THINKS ABOUT THE ABILITY TO BALANCE 20 CREDIT HOURS AND WHETHER OR NOT SHE RECCOMENDS DOING SO….”

SOT Amy Wilkens

“18 HOURS IS A HEAVY LOAD AS IT IS. SO ANYTHING ABOVE AND BEYOND 18 CREDIT HOURS, I DO THINK THAT STUDENTS NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT.”

Overloading is not for everyone. Students need to remember that time-management and knowing their personal learning style is the most important factor when making educational decisions.

SOT Miles Foisey

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SPEND TWO OURS STUDYING FOR EVERY ONE HOUR OF CLASS TIME. SO IF YOU ARE TAKING MORE THAN 18 CREDIT HOURS YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING THREE FULL DAYS WORTH OF TIME ON CLASS.”

SOT Amy Wilkens

“IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THEIR GPA, THEIR STUDY HABITS, THEIR TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND THEIR OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES.”

For TV2 News, I’m Lauren Forthofer