on a quarter hour system it is when you complete 45 hours.

Either way, it is when you have completed one year of full time study equal to 1/4 of the degree requirement.

It’s as simple as this:

1st year – freshman

2nd year – sophomore

3rd year – junior

4th year and beyond – senior

already graduated – graduate

note: students above 4 years (120 semester hours) are not post-graduates. They may be graduates but they may also still be undergraduates. In many places, while still undergrads, they are referred to as “super-senior” or “seniors with tenure” and are said to be “on the five-year (or six-year or seven-year) plan” while others (like myself; when I completed my second bachelor’s I had 196 semester hours) are said to be “professional students”.

Check your course catalog.

Sophmore – 2nd year

Junior – 3rd year

Senior – 4th year

Byeond 4th year -Post Graduate