Completing an undergraduate education in four years can be a challenge. But the rewards can be many -- personal accomplishment, financial savings, and moving on to the next stage of your career-building.

“The value of finishing in four years to me is that I'll be able to graduate with minimal debt, while being able to jump into my career as soon as possible,” says Megan Butterman, a freshman from Rio Rancho, New Mexico. “I am studying to become an elementary education teacher, and I want to start helping other students learn as soon as I can.”

Finishing a degree in four years isn't always easy, though. That's where Finish in Four! comes in. Finish in Four! is an agreement that first-time freshmen can make with the college that guarantees students access to the classes needed to graduate in four years in exchange for deadline commitments.

Participating students work with Finish in Four! advisors to develop academic plans that identify critical course sequencing to assure a timely graduation, saving students the time and costs of longer undergraduate careers. Students in the program are also eligible for a $500-per-semester scholarship, starting with the second semester, and worth $3,500 over their college careers.

“The Finish in Four! program will help me to achieve my college goals in four years by helping me plan out the classes I need for both my major and minor scheduled out and know I can complete it all within the four years,” says Butterman.

“And the Finish in Four! scholarship has helped take another fraction of the burden of paying for college off of my shoulders,” she adds. “Since I am paying for college out of my own pocket, I understand how every extra dollar can make a difference.”

To be eligible, a student must be:

  • a first-time freshman;
  • college-level in reading, writing, and mathematics under the Colorado Basic Skills Assessment Policy; 
  • and ready to declare a major.

Eligible students need to sign up for the program before the Census Date of their first semester at Fort Lewis College. Census Date is the 12th day of classes in the Fall and Winter terms and the 5th day of classes in the Summer terms.

Find out more about the Finish in Four! program.