Plan of Study - Soar in 4

Four Year Graduation Program

Iowa State University’s Soar in 4: Four-Year Graduation Program provides the opportunity for students to take a proactive approach towards completing their undergraduate degree in four years (or eight semesters).  Through careful planning with their academic advisers, students can complement their undergraduate degree with experiences such as study abroad, internship, and service learning.  By graduating in four years, students can reduce their tuition costs and accelerate their entry into the job market or advanced education compared to students who take more than eight semesters to graduate.  The program encourages students to work collaboratively with their academic adviser to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester. 

Students participating in the Soar in 4: Four-Year Graduation Program are expected to:

• Keep in close contact with their Iowa State academic adviser, who will guide students’ academic decisions and keep students up-to-date with university policies and procedures.
• Take required courses at the times they are available.
• Maintain student registration at ISU during off-campus experiences.
• Register for classes promptly and monitor academic progress on a regular basis by reviewing the degree audit and with his/her adviser.

Iowa State University will provide the academic advising services and degree-audit mechanisms to assist students in accurately monitoring progress toward graduation. ISU is also responsible for providing class space in the courses required for the student's respective major in order to complete a bachelor's degree within eight consecutive semesters.

Four-year (eight-semester) templates for ISU programs of study

Iowa State University offers over 100 majors in six undergraduate colleges.  All but two programs, architecture and landscape architecture, may be completed in four years.  ISU's bachelor degree programs require from 120 to 143 credits; therefore, students must average between 15 and 18 credits per semester. To assist students in creating their own personal four-year academic plans, eight-semester templates are provided for all programs of studies covered by the Soar in 4 program.

To participate in the program

Students can sign up to participate in Soar in 4: Four-Year Graduation Program after consulting with their academic adviser either during orientation or their first-year at Iowa State.  A student’s decision on whether to participate is often based on a variety of factors including academic preparation, academic interests, and outside of class commitments. Additional information and the Soar in 4 Four-Year Graduation Plan application form are available from: 

http://www.provost.iastate.edu/what-we-do/undergrad-initiatives/soarin4