The five year plan is nice if you have someone paying for your schooling, or you're going to a state school that's cheap. There was
NO WAY IN HELL Mama and Daddy Munchkin were going to pay for a fifth year at this joint--they actually want to retire sometime this century. Which is fine...at this rate, I've sucked the marrow out of this experience we call college...and I'm ready to move onto bigger and better things, like grad school.
Why would someone want to get out of school in four years or less? MONEY. MONEY. MONEY. Some schools are expensive, and a lot of people are on financial aid.
My school, unless you've taken a leave or are doing a program that requires 5 years (like a 5 year masters or a dual BS/BA degree), requires you to get outta there in 8 semesters. We have a track...by the end of your freshman year, you must complete 7 classes, 15 by your sophomore, 23 by your junior year, and 30 by the time you graduate. (Most graduate w/ 32 credits--4 a semester). Plenty of people take soul-searching leaves, or time off to work. But, you have to complete a degree in 8 semesters. You can't even use AP credit to shorten your time.