Finish your degree in the summer. Get $1,000.

By Joshua Rosario | Published Oct. 21, 2017

The Kean University Board of Trustees passed a resolution at the Sept. 11 meeting to create a Graduation Incentive Program for students who complete their degree requirements in the summer sessions. Students who qualify can receive a $1000 bonus.

The university recognizes that students don’t always complete their degrees in the traditional four years and might fall nine to 12 credits short by the end of their fourth academic year. The students that fall into this category sometimes finish in the summer sessions of their fourth academic year, according to the resolution.

“Universities across the country are addressing the graduation rate issue, and Kean University is one of them,” said Margaret McCorry, Kean University’s Director of Media Relations. “We know that it is in the best interests of students to graduate in four years, and we expect that this program, when in place, will support students as they do that.”

To qualify for the incentive you have to have started in September. You must be taking nine to 12 credits during the summer sessions of your fourth academic year in order to earn your undergraduate degree. And you have to finish by Aug. 31 of said year.

“Students who take more than four years to graduate college incur tens of thousands of dollars in additional debt and also miss out on the wages they could be earning as college graduates,” said McCorry. “ In addition, students prolonging their college education could be at risk of losing financial aid.”

The summer session runs in two parts. In 2018, summer session I is from May 21 to June 28 and summer session II is from July 2 to Aug 9.

The cost for nine to 12 credits during the summer is between $4,077 to $5,436 if you are an in-state student. An out-state student’s cost would be between $5,976 to $7,968 for nine to 12 credits. It’s common for financial aid to not cover summer sessions, but exceptions can be made depending on the case.

In a discussion with a few Kean students, some of them were asked about the possibility of earning the $1,000 bonus and finishing their degree in the summer of their fourth academic year.

“My mother gave me no choice but to take summer classes but summer classes are better,” said Alyssa Larcruz, freshman criminal justice student speaking about summer classes in general.

The specific details of this program are being developed, according to McCorry.

“$1,000 is $1,000,” said Nabee Ray, sophomore criminal justice student. “I’m not saying no.”

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