“Class of .....”: Examining advisor-advisee relationships and contributing factors that delay graduating

In colleges and universities throughout the United States, undergraduate students are taking longer to graduate from school. Previous research and studies have been conducted examining the environmental, individual and institutional factors that contribute to the delay of the time-to-degree. However, it is important to recognize that change occurs over time and because of this, some of the specific factors that were identified in previous studies may or may not be relevant to the present or there may be new factors that were not identified or examined. This study involved investigating the institutional, individual and environmental factors that contribute to the delay of the time-to-degree among college undergraduate students. It also involved ascertaining student-advisor relationships at the undergraduate level at Bowie State University. The study's findings revealed that students at Bowie State are taking longer than four years to graduate, students strongly agreed that poor academic advising, changing their major, lack of financial aid and having family responsibilities were the most common factors that delay graduation and that the academic advising program at Bowie State University is in need of an overhaul