This week, Bradley was ranked among the top 200 colleges in the nation by the 2026 U.S News & World Report. The institution was recognized as the 40th best engineering school and 126th for social mobility.
The university hopes to build on this with new three-year graduation tracks for majors across all five colleges.
Sixteen programs, from criminology to cybersecurity, will have access to these accelerated paths, which require students to take summer and January-term courses.
University President James Shadid calls this an opportunity to “save both time and cost, while still receiving a comprehensive Bradley education.” This is precisely what they need for many students, and this opportunity could be a selling point for potential applicants.
But many other students don’t want to save time.
Losing a year of college means missing out on new experiences, relationships and opportunities you may otherwise receive.
Extracurricular activities are good resume builders, and when you go for just three years, there’s less of a chance to build leadership roles.
Additionally, a full four years gives students plenty of time to prepare for life in the real world, while benefitting from a safety net to fall back on. The extra year in the workforce is touted as a positive, but as of Sept. 25, there are more unemployed people in America than advertised job openings.
Back on campus, expanded off-semester course offerings can help four-year students add majors or minors, but summer and January-term classes are unappealing for many students who want to enjoy their break, and the lack of financial aid for these credits could discourage students who may otherwise venture out.
These accelerated paths are a positive development, as long as they expand the major offerings. Every college is represented, but the option should be extended to as many students as is feasible.
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