A Fast-Track Degree in the US: Student Profile

Business administration major Alanna Barrera explains why she chose a fast-track degree to get her career off to a speedier start.

Completing an undergraduate degree in the US usually takes at least four years, and for many students that’s great – more time to explore a range of subjects, and more time to enjoy student life.

But how about if you already know what you want to do, and you’re keen to get ahead? A faster degree course could help you get your career started earlier, while also saving on tuition fees, and proving yourself to be driven, ambitious and high achieving.

For Alanna, the answer was the three-year bachelor’s degree program at Hartwick College, in Oneonta, New York.

“I was really looking to get a head-start on my life, as well as trying something different,” Alanna says. “I felt that I didn't challenge myself enough in high school, and I realized that college was the best place to start taking on new challenges.”

So she wanted challenges – and the course has definitely provided them. The workload for students on the three-year program is more intensive, and at times this has been difficult, Alanna says. “It can be tough watching your roommate vegging on his or her bed watching their favourite TV show, while you've got three papers, two tests, and one book to read.”

At times, she says, this pressure has “brought out the ugly stress monster in me”.

However, overall she’s found the experience to be very rewarding, and good preparation for the future. “It has taught me how to properly manage my time, my thoughts, and my mind,” she says.

“It's strange just how much college has changed me, and it has certainly changed me for the better. I really think that Hartwick’s three-year program helped kick-start that change within me. Without it, I don't think I would be as well-prepared to take on the world as I feel I am right now.”

The main downside to the shorter course is that there is less time to explore new subjects. Alanna expresses regret that she won’t have time to take more modules in theatre arts, a passion she’s only recently discovered.

Nonetheless, she’s in no doubt that the program was the right choice for her – and she believes it will give her a strong foundation from which to pursue a career in business, theatre, or indeed combining both.

“I feel that people look at a three-year degree student and see that they have a different set of skills, and a burning desire to achieve their goals.”

Would she recommend the fast-track option to others? “Yes, but only for those students who are ready to take on the work and commit a lot of their time to balancing school work and college life. If they are ready for this, then I say go for it.”