Rising tuition costs and budget shortfalls may make graduating from Iowa State in four years a tight squeeze, but the “Soar in Four” graduation program is not seeing the effects.

The number of students signing up each year has not significantly changed since its inception in 1995, said Beverly Madden, “Soar in Four” coordinator.

In the 2000-2001 academic year, the total number of students enrolled in “Soar in Four” was 235. So far, the total number of students enrolled in the 2001-2002 academic year is 238. The number will increase, Madden said, as more people are expected to sign up this spring.

Despite the cuts, Iowa State must still provide services, she said.

“We have to worry about meeting the budget without affecting the quality of the students’ education,” said Madden, director of ISU Career Planning and Placement Services.

Surprisingly few students sign up for the “Soar in Four” program, she said, as she considers it a useful advising tool to assist students in setting up a plan to graduate in four years.

According to the ISU results from an annual survey, 60 percent of freshmen expect to receive a bachelor’s degree in four years, and 4 percent expect to graduate in less than four years. This survey, conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, shows that students are confident that Iowa State will get them through in four years, Madden said.

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs Howard Shapiro said he anticipates seeing more students in the program after the budget cuts. But there are those who want to spread their credits over five years, he said.

“Some students generally don’t want to make it in four years,” he said.

Students get three opportunities to sign the agreement, and can sign up at any time, Madden said.

The full two-page agreement is available from academic advisers and in the new student-orientation packet, which parents receive on orientation day.

Information also is included in one of the five letters sent out to students who have been accepted to Iowa State, she said.

Raymond Hauser, freshman in agricultural studies, signed up in the middle of the fall semester.

“Our adviser told [us] it won’t hurt us if we don’t make it, but it’s good if we do,” he said.

Visit the “Soar in Four” Web site at www.public.iastate.edu/~career_info/soarin4.html.