The end is in sight for seniors graduating this May, but some have been crossing off their calendars for longer than the traditional four years.

The number of "super seniors" -- students who take five or more years to graduate -- is growing at the University and nationwide as well, University Registrar Warren Haffner said.

"The percentage that graduate in four years is declining. The percentage that graduate in five years is (also) declining," Haffner said. "It's obvious that students are taking longer to graduate."

In an analysis of the University's Class of 1988, the Registrar's Office found 36 percent of students who started at the University in 1984 graduated in four years, Haffner said.

"If you don't go to summer school it seems you can't finish in four years," said Terri Anderson (senior-health planning and administration), adding that she will not be graduating this May because she switched majors. "I'm tired of it now -- I've been here one year too long."

"I figured I'd be four years and out," Joe Bellini (senior-civil engineering) said, looking back to his freshman year. Instead he is graduating this May, six years later. "It seemed like my graduation date kept getting pushed back further and further."

"I guess you could say I'm sick of school. I'm sick of studying," said Bellini, who transferred from Point Park College in Pittsburgh after his sophomore year and spent one year doing a co-op.

While he said he is not experiencing senioritis, he admitted, "I'm kind of getting tired of State College. I don't go out as much. I'm tired of going out up here, so I don't blow things off as much."

"I could graduate next fall, but the course load would be too heavy," said Jim Reath (senior-nutrition science), who is extending his graduation date until next May.

Haffner said concern about course loads helps to explain the super senior phenomena. "Some students seem to take less than the recommended credit load and are placing emphasis on grades," he said.

"I must admit there are some students who haven't graduated because they couldn't get the required courses," Haffner said, citing other reasons that students extend graduation past four years: switching majors, using late-drop credits, and failing courses.

When the Registrar's Office examined the transcripts of 200 random graduates last semester, Haffner and his staff could not determine any one pattern to explain why students are taking more than four years to graduate, he explained.

"Students are more inclined to pick up another minor or a double major through their own choice," Haffner said, adding that many majors require credit loads of more than 17 credits each semester and some - like architectural engineering - are designed as five year programs.

Some students, such as Lynn Fultan (senior-accounting) still graduate on time."I don't want to be here any longer than I have to," Fultan said. "We're on the count down -- fifty-some days."