Like the respondents in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, more than half of the respondents in 2002-2003 reported that they graduated from BGSU in four or less than four years. This rate is much higher than the average baccalaureate degree four-year graduation rate at BGSU, which is 30.0% for 1998-2002, 33.3% for 1997-2001, and 29.3% for 1996-2000. "I changed majors" and "I worked while enrolled" were the major reasons more often cited by those who took more than four years to graduate.

During the past three year more students have reported that "I transferred to BGSU and needed different courses", "my major takes more than four years to complete", "I dropped one or more classes because I was dissatisfied with the quality of instruction", "I had problems with the academic requirements for my major" were the major reasons for them to extend their undergraduate study. At the same time, fewer students have claimed "I was undecided about a major when I started" and "I had a double major" as the major factors for them to take more than four years to graduate.

Differences Between Groups in 2002-2003. Minority respondents were more likely than European-American respondents to cite "I received poor academic advising", "My major takes more than four yeas to complete",  "I wanted to maintain or improve my grades", and "I had a double major" as the major reasons to extend their undergraduate study. European-American respondents, on the other hand, were more likely than their counterparts to cite "I worked while enrolled" and  "I chose not to enroll for one or more semesters" as the major reasons for them to take more than four years to graduate. While males were more likely to declare "I worked while enrolled" as the main reason for extending their undergraduate study, females were more likely to claim "I changed majors" as the main reason to take more than four years to graduate.

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences were most likely to report that they get their bachelor's degree in four years or less among the students in six colleges. Students in the College of Education and Human Development, the College of Musical Arts, and the College of Technology were more likely than the students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Health and Human Services to report "My major takes more than four years to complete" as the major reason for them to expend their undergraduate study. Students in the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Technology were more likely than the students in other colleges to claim "The classes that I needed were not offered when I needed to take them" as the main reason for them to take more than four years to graduate.

Students in the College of Technology were most likely to cite "I worked while enrolled", "I commuted while enrolled", "I attended part-time", and "I was involved in cooperative education/internships" as the major reasons for extending their study. Musical Arts graduates were most likely to cite "I had to take developmental classes" as the major reason for extending their undergraduate study. Respondents in the College of Health and Human Services were most likely to claim "I transferred to BGSU and needed different courses" and "I had problems with the academic requirements for my major" as the major reasons for them to take more than four years to graduate.
 

Academic, Social, and Financial Information

The majority of the 2002-2003 survey respondents indicated that they were living on campus or near campus during their college years. Minority graduates, when compared with European-American graduates, were more likely to spend three or more years living on campus. Male graduates were more likely than female graduates to spent three or more years living in an apartment or house near campus. Among the graduates in six colleges, Technology graduates were most likely to live at least five miles away from BGSU and commut. 

How many times have you changed your major?

Half of the 2002-2003 survey respondents changed their major at least once during their BGSU years. Females were more likely to change their majors than were males. Musical Arts graduates were least likely to change their majors among the graduates in six colleges.

While enrolled at BGSU, did you ever ... (Percent Responding "Yes")

	2000- 2001	2001- 2002	2002- 2003
work at a job off campus	74%	73%	72%
participate in volunteer/service work	66%	71%	65%
work at a job on campus	57%	57%	56%
participate in an internship or co-op	53%	54%	55%
participate in a social club, fraternity, or sorority	50%	55%	54%
serve as an officer in a social club, fraternity/sorority	33%	38%	34%
participate in a professional or student government organization	27%	26%	23%
participate in varsity/intercollegiate athletics	19%	17%	15%

Like the graduates in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, most of the 2002-2003 graduates worked at a job either on or off campus while they studied at BGSU. They were more likely to be involved with volunteer/service work, an internship or co-op, and a social club/fraternity/sorority than to participate in varsity/intercollegiate athletics and in a professional or student government organization.

Differences Between Groups in 2002-2003. Female graduates were less likely to work at a job off campus than were male graduates. They were, however, more likely than males to serve as an officer in a social club, fraternity or sorority, participate in volunteer/service work and in a professional or student government organization. While European-American graduates were more likely to work at a job off campus, minority graduates were more likely to work on a job on campus. They were also more likely than European-American graduates to participate and serve as an officer in a social club, fraternity or sorority. 

Among the graduates in six colleges, Musical Arts graduates were most likely to participate and serve as a officer in a social club, fraternity or sorority. Technology graduates were most likely to participate in an internship or co-op. Graduates in the Colleges of Heath & Human Services and Musical Arts were more likely than the graduates in other colleges to participate in volunteer or service work. 

On average, per year, how much of your educational expenses did you cover from each of the sources listed below ? (Percent $1,500 and Over)

	2000-2001	2001-2002	2002-2003
Parents, relatives, friends	58%	57%	57%
Other college loan	22%	23%	30%
Other college grants/scholarships	21%	24%	26%
Savings from summer work	25%	24%	25%
Ford Direct Loan	31%	25%	22%
Off campus jobs	12%	16%	19%
Perkins Loan	11%	11%	14%
Other savings	10%	11%	12%
Pell Grant	6%	8%	11%
Other loan	5%	9%	11%
On campus jobs	5%	6%	8%
Ohio Instructional Grant	2%	3%	7%
Other than listed	5%	6%	6%
Other private grant	2%	4%	4%

Family, other college loans/grants/scholarships, savings from summer work, and the Ford Direct Loan were the sources of financial support most often cited by BGSU graduates. Students got more support from all the sources listed on the survey except from family, savings from summer work, and the Ford Direct Loan for the past three years.

Differences Between Groups in 2002-2003. Female graduates were more likely than male graduates to have other college grants/scholarships and other loan to support themselves. Minority graduates were more likely than European-American graduates to get support from the Pell Grant, Ohio Instructional Grant, Perkins Loan, other private grants, and other college grants/scholarships. Among the students in six colleges, Technology graduates were least likely to get support from their parents, relatives, and friends.

Over sixty percent of the respondents owe some amount of student loans by the time they graduated from BGSU.