PBA Home > Institutional Research & Analysis > Surveys > Senior Survey 1998 > Overall Satisfaction > Time to graduation codes and themes

Senior Survey, 1998

The "Dear CJ" - Time to Graduation Codes and Themes: Open-ended question

TWO PARTS: 
   *  Reasons for taking LONGER than four years, and
   *  Reasons for taking FOUR years to graduate  

Most themes are mutually exclusive and used to answer only ONE of these choices
(took 4 versus longer than 4 years);
a couple of the themes could apply to either question.  Note that the definitions
of the themes are straightforward and wording is very similar to that shown in the
tables of the report.  (This document is most useful to map the codes to themes 
when searching the full listing of comments for particular minor themes.)


NA      Received, or overcame (for took 4 years), bad or no advice

AD      Got good advice

EX      Did Extras: double major, time off, explored interests, study abroad

FP      Family/personal problems

GP      Took light load/dropped course--for GPA

WH      Worked hard (took 15 hrs a term, etc)

NC      Did NOT change major

CM      Changed major

PM      Major program was difficult/required extra time

MJ      Took time to pick a major

MO      Motivated to go on to other things: e.g. be done with school, start 
        work, go to grad school

MM      Motivated by cost of attending CU

HF      In no hurry to graduate, take it easy

NX      Did NOT do extras-eg time off, double majors

OT      Other reasons for graduating in four years, OR for taking longer (not 
        covered in the main themes)

PL      Made and stuck to a plan, tracked requirements at beginning, etc.

SS      Started strong, came in with AP credit, major chosen early, etc.

TP      Transfer problems

UF      University failings: lack of classes available, core confusing, etc.

OU      Overcame University failings (core, class availability, etc)

WK      Had to work

Last revision 07/30/03