Super Senior (student who takes longer to graduate)
College is normally four years to receive an undergraduate degree; someone who stays longer is often called a “fifth year senior” or a “super senior.” “Heck, I’m a super senior!” was cited at Oklahoma State University in 1970, but the “super senior” term has become popular since about 1992.
A student who spends an extra year (or more) in school is often said to be taking a “victory lap.”
Wikipedia: Super senior
A super senior is a student in an American four-year educational institution such as a high school or university who has been attending the institution for 5 or more years or has more than the usual number of credits required to graduate without achieving a diploma or bachelors degree.
Google News Archive
30 September 1970, Altus (OK) Times-Democrat, “Affable Tim Find Notch In OSU Line,” pg. 6, col. 6:
STILLWATER—Don’t look now but it appears that Oklahoma State has patched up its defensive front four with a red-shirt product, who has had anything but an illustrious career at OSU.
He’s affable Tim Potts, a fifth year man on the Cowboy varsity, who laughingly says, “Heck, I’m a super senior!”
Google Groups: talk.politics.misc
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Daffy Duck)
Date: 19 Sep 92 00:13:31 GMT
Local: Fri, Sep 18 1992 6:13 pm
Subject: Al Gore speaks to students on National Student Day
(...)
Gore was introduced by a super senior at the University(fifth year student who couldn’t graduate because of lack of classes) who told the Bush/Quayle hecklers that they were at the wrong rally and this was the wrong year, and they stayed pretty quiet after that.
New York (NY) Times
Copying, Copying. It Never Stops
By CATHY SINGER
Published: January 24, 1993
(...)
Jason Giannetti, 22, a “super senior” in his fifth year of college at the State University at Binghamton, had just finished a philosophy paper, “Plato and the Question of Tragedy,” to fulfill an incomplete in a course.
9 March 1995, San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune, “When it’s late at State”:
Scott Puckett, a fifth-year “super-senior” at State and arts editor of The Daily Aztec, reminds us there are two categories of student residents: those with cars, and those without.
Central Michigan Life (Central Michigan University)
Fifth year of college, here I come
April 21, 2003 12:00 am
Lynn Wloszek
The end of the year is nigh upon us, and I’m getting misty.
Whatever the reason, it’s certainly not because I’m graduating.
See, I’m about to become what’s known as a “super senior.” The name might suggest it, but there’s nothing especially super about being a fifth-year college student.
Google Groups: alt.sports.college.utexas
Newsgroups: alt.sports.college.utexas
From: “Hoon Park”
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 22:26:40 -0500
Local: Tues, Jul 22 2003 9:26 pm
Subject: Re: FINALLY! Student Reserved Season Tickets are here!
(...)
Oh yeah, I’m enjoying and savoring every minute of it. That’s why I stuck around for an extra year 😊 (I like to call myself a “Super Senior”... taking my “victory lap”... actually, I have changing majors to blame, but whatever…)
Urban Dictionary
Super Senior
Taking five years or more of high school. during your 5th+ year you are a Super Senior. also known as being on the five year plan
John Smith failed again, looks like heas going to be a super senior!
by Nick Jan 3, 2004
Google Books
University of Notre Dame: Off the Record
By Anikka M, Ayala, Omid Gohari, et al.
Pittsburgh, PA: College Prowler
2005
Pg. 112:
Super Senior-a fifth year senior.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign—Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The Victory Lap!
Posted by Janel on September 05, 2009
“The 5 year plan”, “Super-senior year”, or also popular ’round these parts, “The Victory Lap”, call it what you will. It all refers to the same thing: your ninth semester, maybe a tenth, possibly anything beyond that. I’m on my 7th semester and I find that there are tons of people on their 9th. They’re here for various reasons and they’re not all transfer students.
The Echo (Bethany, OK)
Super seniors use time to take interesting classes, make new friends
Posted on October 31, 2012
By Ashleigh Buchanan
Victory Lap. Five year plan. Super Senior. These are just a few terms used to describe students who take five years to complete their college education.