Good Luck with the 4-Year Plan

Most schools try to get you thru their doors in four years, but not the UW system.  Sadly, Sarah is learning this first hand right now.  I learned the same thing when I was attending UWM – the class structure that you need to graduate in 4 years does not exist.  Sure it might look like it on paper, but in reality, UW makes it virtually impossible to do.  Whether it is conflicting class times, or pre-requisites, UW makes it as difficult as possible to get thru college in the expected, 4-year time frame.

Sarah, for example, is a biology major.  As such, she has to take biology 101 (or whatever the course number actually is) and Chemistry 101.  Both are freshman level, introductory classes that are shown on her recommended class list structure to get thru her program in 4 years (and both classes contain a lab as well).  However, since these are basic level classes for many different majors, the number of students that NEED these classes is huge.  This means that the enrollment is high and sections fill up fast.  So of course you can’t take 2^nd semester biology, or second semester chemistry, until you have completed the 1^st semester course.  And if you don’t get one, good luck getting back on track to graduating in 4 years.  Plus, many other classes have these into level courses as prerequisites as well.  So you can’t take biochemistry until you have finished (and passed them of course) the first two semesters of chemistry, which can now put you back another semester.  So it becomes a snowball effect.  In order to possibly get back on track that means taking upped credit loads, and possibly summer sessions, or maybe interim sessions if they are offered to make up some of the credits you miss.  Of course doing this also means extra tuition (if you go the summer session route) which UW loves.  Mo’ money, Mo’ money, Mo’ money!

So I don’t feel like I am lying when I say that UW system universities are not 4-year schools.