The Office of Student Academic Success offers various programs in an effort to encourage and maintain student success at NIU.

One of those programs is the Four Year Degree Path.

“One of the goals of the office of student academic success is to collaborate with colleges, advisors and academic support units to develop and maintain common tools to assist students with academic planning and pacing,” said director Dana Gautcher.

The goal of the Four Year Degree Path is to encourage students to graduate in a reasonable amount of time. Each college of NIU offers a degree path map that details the appropriate classes to be taken for that study plan.

“Degree paths show students the proper timing and pacing of major and general education requirements and assist students in taking ownership of their education,” Gautcher said.

The office also employs student success specialists from each college in order to help out students from those colleges.

Sherrie Williams, freshman elementary education major, said the program has helped her plan for any changes that might happen during her college career.

“I am in the College of Education and since enrolling in the Four Year Degree Path program, I know I can graduate in four years but I also know my options if I decide to add another major or minor,” Williams said.