Just one-third of full-time students at the University of Hawaii’s four-year campuses take 15 credits a semester, putting them on track to actually graduate in four years.

That’s a big concern for university officials, who point to research that shows the longer students take to pursue a degree, the less likely they are to finish.

So, as part of efforts to increase its graduation rate, UH is launching a new campaign to urge full-time students to take 15 credits each semester, rather than the minimum 12. Fifteen credits usually translate into five courses.

Officials point out that taking 15 credits generally won’t cost students more at four-year campuses, where undergraduate tuition is capped at 12 credits and additional credits are free.

Linda Johnsrud, UH executive vice president for academic affairs, said taking 12 credits has become the norm for full-time students locally and nationally — but it shouldn’t be.

"What we’re really trying to do with this campaign is shift the culture to say, ‘Hey, you can take 15. You’ll probably do better and you could save money,’" she said.

The university decided to push higher credit loads after finding in an analysis of its students that those who were well prepared and took 15 credits a semester had better GPAs overall than their well-prepared peers who took 12.

"It’s not the conventional wisdom but you’re better off taking 15," Johnsrud said, adding that while there may be some students who should take 12 credits and not 15, they are the exception.

"If you’re able to go to school full time, dive in and really immerse yourself."

PUSHING STUDENTS to take 15 credits a semester will require changes to the university’s own advising programs.

Johnsrud said a number of advisers had previously encouraged students to take 12. UH-Manoa’s "first-year programs" also suggest freshmen take the minimum.

The "15 to Finish" campaign comes as UH looks to increase its graduation rate, which has remained relatively steady over the past decade.

In 2010, UH-Manoa’s six-year graduation rate was 50 percent, and UH-Hilo’s was 33 percent. By comparison, the four-year graduation rate at UH-Manoa was just 17 percent; at UH-Hilo it was 12 percent.

Education onlookers are supporting the push for full-time students to take 15 credits, saying it’s a small change that could make a big difference.

Kamehameha Schools career and post-high school counselors already tell students that they should complete 30 credits a year, said Stacy Clayton, extension educational services director at Kamehameha Schools. She pointed out that students could take summer school to boost their annual credit load.

"College completion research supports, and we also believe, that by remaining full time and accumulating up to 30 college credits, especially during a student’s first year in college, our students will stay on track to finish their bachelor’s degree in four years," she said in an email.

"Completing 30 credits each year also contributes significantly to a student’s feeling of major academic gain."