Baker University’s Four-Year Guarantee helps students stay on track to graduate in four years or remaining courses are free!

Baker University, the first university in Kansas, introduces the Four-Year Guarantee program to help incoming freshman meet the requirements to graduate in four years or the remaining required courses are free.

“I am so pleased that Baker University offers students a quality education and a plan to graduate on time,” said Dr. Darcy Russell, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Today’s students are more motivated to complete a degree as quickly as possible while also receiving the college experience they desire.”

Nationwide, less than 50% of first-time, full-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree graduate on time. The Baker University four-year graduation guarantee is our promise to incoming freshmen to keep them well informed and provide them with an academic advisor to aid them in developing a personal plan for satisfying the requirements for their degree in four years, whether they spend all four on the Baldwin City campus or finish their last two years in the nursing program in Topeka. To take advantage of the four-year guarantee, interested students must follow required guidelines and sign a contract with their advisor before the end of their freshman year. If a student meets the requirements and finds that they are unable to graduate in four years, Baker will cover the tuition for the remaining required courses to complete the degree for free.

To achieve the Four-Year Guarantee, students must fulfill the following requirements:

* Declare a major by the end of your freshman year, or based on a review of a changed major by the academic advisor at any time.

* Maintain full-time enrollment in an undergraduate program for eight consecutive semesters.

* Successfully complete all degree requirements for at least one academic major.

* Maintain good academic and disciplinary standing.

* Pass all classes required for graduation and earn a grade higher than a C (or 2.0 GPA) in classes required in the major.

“Baker University faculty and staff remain committed to the success of our students and to their futures,” said Dr. Lynne Murray, president of Baker University. “It is important that we provide students and their families a workable plan for graduating in four years and the support to achieve it.”

For more information about the Four-Year Guarantee, visit bakerU.edu/four-years/.

The following are Four-Year Guarantee Program Exemptions:

1. The music and secondary education academic programs and majors may require more than eight semesters and therefore are not eligible for the Four-Year Guarantee.

2. The Four-Year Guarantee is not offered at the School of Professional and Graduate Studies for its undergraduate degree programs.

3. In the event that a student falls out of compliance with the contract due to financial constraints, academic performance, change of major, or other issues, they should work closely with their advisor to determine if options are available to get back into compliance.