You Don't Learn Logic in Journalism School

This article in the Seattle Times entitled "Seven tips to help you graduate from college in four years" demonstrates that they don't teach logic or statistical inference in journalism school (but ought to).

It may sound counterintuitive, but freshmen college students who take a full load of reasonably demanding courses are more likely to graduate from college on time.
That’s part of the message Western Washington University has been conveying to its students in a campaign called “15 to Finish,” which encourages students to work hard from the outset.

Why would it be counterintuitive? Because the author is committing the fallacy of Post hoc ergo propter hoc (Since event Y followed event X, event Y must have been caused by event X.) She observes that faster graduation rates follow demanding course loads and concludes that the course loads are what causes that.

Isn't it more likely that students who are innately ambitious and intent to graduate to get on with their lives are also innately more serious about academics -- i.e. interested in actually learning more on the way to their degree?

Ms Long labels herself a "higher education reporter".  Perhaps it's time to go back to school?