Introduction
It is the dream of each student in high school to complete their high school studies and move directly into college. For many college degrees, the required years for completion is four, but some might span up to five or six years. Courses that require more than four years include most engineering courses and medicine. Due to different reasons, some students might choose to complete their studies before these stipulated course periods. It is not cast into stone that you should complete your studies within these periods. You can either finish earlier or later than this period, but it depends on many personal reasons. Finishing college earlier has advantages and disadvantages, and you should understand many things before you decide to graduate from your college education earlier. Students who want to finish college earlier than the given period for the respective course should put the following into determination, why they should graduate early, how they will achieve this and the pros and cons of doing so. All these perspectives are discussed in this article, if you want to graduate early, you can consider reading the article.
Graduating from college earlier than the allocated period can prove advantageous in some scenarios and disadvantageous from another point of view. An advantage is that you will save on school expenses and start making money earlier, while a disadvantage is that you might have fewer internships, externships, and research opportunities. There are some aspects to follow when you want to graduate early. You will need to start making plans early when still in high school, look for colleges that might offer 3-year degree programs, and makes talks with your academic advisor earlier. You should also know why you want to graduate earlier before you start planning on graduating early from college or university. Let us now look at everything you might want to understand if you are looking forward to graduating early from college.
Can someone graduate from college early?
Most college undergraduate degrees will take up to four years, some from the faculty of engineering and medicine that might require up to six years to complete. It is not a must that you should finish in this stipulated period, you can either finish and graduate earlier or later, depending on your reasons like availability of time and school fees. If you have the available funds and time allows you can decide to study faster and graduate earlier spending two and a half to three years in college. Therefore, it lies in your hands if you wish to finish college earlier, just in the stipulated period, or later than four or five years.
What are the keys/ways of graduating early from college?
Start planning to graduate early from college even when still in high school
In our modern-day lives, it is very important to start planning for things earlier. If you start planning for your college life while still in high school, you will be prepaid with everything you need to do to graduate early even before you join campus. Planning early will prepare you early and will make sure that you are ready psychologically, financially, and mentally, this makes your journey easy and achievable.
Start looking for universities that offer designated 3-year courses
Some colleges offer degree programs that can be completed within 3 years. So, if you want to graduate early you might want to look for this college that offers 3-year degrees. You will not find any difficulties in such situations because the school calendar directly integrates into the three-year programs.
Look for colleges that offer three terms/semesters per year
Some colleges offer only two terms or semesters per full academic year. Enrolling in such universities will mean that it will be impossible to rush your degree program. Therefore, if you want to graduate early, you should look for those that offer three semesters per each academic year and that you will be in session on both three semesters. This accelerates your learning compared to those who only attend two semesters per academic year.
Ensure you make talk with your academic advisor earlier
Some steps you take in your academic journey should involve your academic advisor, who can be your mentor, your high school teacher, your relative, or any other academic profession you are connected to on matters of education. Your academic advisor can advise you on whether the direction you are taking is okay for you or not. They can also guide you on more steps to follow so that you graduate earlier.
Prepare to be attending school during breaks
When you want to graduate early you should be ready to sacrifice your time and remain a hardworking student. Graduating early means that you should maximize any time you get, some universities will offer some programs when other students are on break. Maximize these breaks and do some course credits when your colleagues are on break.
Set a graduation date to be your goal
If you want to graduate early you should start by setting a graduation date or the day you want to graduate, then start working towards this goal. Your graduation date will act as the pacesetter of your studies.
Prepare to take online classes
Graduating early requires you to do extra things from those normal ones that you do with your course mates. These extra things you should do is taking extra classes and mostly online classes. You can arrange with your lecturers to take extra online classes during your extra time at home. This ensures that you take more course credits at the same time and this is where you should maximize to meet your course credit requirements earlier and graduate.
Make sure you take the maximum number of course credits you are offered per semester
Many universities allow their students to take 4-6 units per semester for many of the degree programs being offered. You can therefore make special applications to your department so that they allow you to take 6-8 units per term and this will help you finish the required units early and hence graduate early from college.
Ensure you have enough tuition fees and self-upkeep funds
Finishing your degree within a short time will mean that you will not have time for breaks to look for fees and upkeep money. Therefore, before you decide to finish your degree in 3 years or less ensure that you have money to cater for all your expenses for these three years when you be fully committed to your degree.
Reduce the number of electives that you pick
Pick only minor and major units that are requirements for your degree program. Reduce the number of electives that you pick, if it is a must to pick an elective pick those that are of high importance and might influence your career options or post-graduate studies directly.
Make sure you are hardworking
As we are all aware finishing a four-year course in three years could be hectic and requires more sacrifice and that is why you should be a hard-working student to avoid being overwhelmed and failing in those credits.
Advantages and disadvantages of graduating earlier from college
Advantages
- When you attend fewer semesters in college, you will save money.
- Graduating early will give employers a good impression that you are hardworking and they might consider you over others when opportunities arise.
- Graduating early ensures that you enter the job market early which keeps your working portfolio in safe hands.
- Entering the job market earlier increases the chances of getting promotions at your workplace earlier.
- When you want to graduate earlier you will maximize all your college days, especially during the summer-long holidays.
Disadvantages
- Might be somehow expensed in situations where the colleges charge expensive fees for extra units.
- You might fail on getting the full college experience because of the tight schedule you will have.
- You will have smaller networks with your friends.
- You might risk your final grades by taking on too many course credits at the same time.
- You might have less time to do research and interact with your lecturers,
- You might miss some summer programs, internships, and externships.
Conclusion
Most college degree programs will take at least four years. Some students prefer to graduate early than the stipulated time, due to different reasons. You can graduate early provided you have the time and funds to rush your degree programs. To graduate early than stipulated, you will need to do some extra work than your friends. You will have to take extra classes, and credits, study during breaks, and take three semesters per each academic calendar for you to graduate early. Graduating earlier has pros and cons. The main advantage of graduating early is that you will enter the job market earlier while a disadvantage of the same is that it might be expensive to rush your degree program and it also puts you at risk of failing when you do many course credits at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why should someone graduate early?
Graduating early is based on personal reasons, but when you graduate early you get jobs and promotions at a younger age and this is an advantage of its kind.
- What are the best reasons for graduating early?
Graduating early ensures that you finish your studies early and at a young age. Entering the job market earlier opens room for promotions.
- Is it a must to graduate early?
No! It is not a must to graduate early, people graduate early based on personal reasons, therefore you should not have the pressure of graduating early if there is no need.
