One of the strengths of George Mason University is the work ethic of its students. When I first began teaching in 1975, GMU’s population of somewhat older, working students was unusual for state schools. In an era where degrees were usually attained in four years, my students jokingly referred to their pursuits as “the six-year plan.” In 2010, no longer a joke, the six-year degree has become the norm.

The U.S. Department of Education has twice sponsored longitudinal studies of new college enrollees to measure their progress over six years. The latest study, 2003 to 2009, confirms the statistics of the first study, conducted from 1995 to 2001: Students are taking longer to get degrees — only 49 percent earning associate’s or Bachelor of Arts degrees within six years of first enrollment. Of students who began in four-year institutions, 58 percent had earned degrees within six years, compared with 34 percent of students who began in two-year institutions.