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The first day of freshman year to your senior year can go by so fast, and you can easily get wrapped up in the college lifestyle, from the many friends you make along the way, to the nights out at the bars, to cramming for finals, to those late nights of cooking ramen at 2 a.m. One of the things people look forward (and don’t look forward to as well) is graduation. Not only is it a day full of celebration and success, but it’s also a scary day because you’re officially out on your own in the real world. You can argue people say that about high school graduation, but college graduation is when you’re officially out on your own and have to find a job tailored to your degree.
Everyone says “College is the best four years of your life.” But when happens you can’t spend the full four? Maybe you’re graduating a semester early or a year early, even?
I graduated high school in 2014. When I was all set and registered for my college, I was originally put in with the Class of 2018. It made sense for me to be put there because I was, technically, a freshman. Even when I was decorating my high school graduation cap, I put the numbers “2018” on my cap. I was excited to go to freshman orientation and be a part of the “freshmen.”
However, I also came in with a lot of credits. I took a lot of college and AP classes in high school to knock off some gen eds and almost every single one of those credits transferred. I had a C in one of those classes, and it still transferred. I even had a class required for my major taken care of because of a college class I took. When I looked on the program that checks my degree progress, it said I was registered as a 1st Semester Sophomore. I thought, “Wow, that’s insane.” Almost all of my gen eds were completed. I knocked off all three of those gen ed classes that year and began to focus more on completing my major.
After that, I became a “First Semester Junior.” My eyes popped. I was a junior already and it was only my second year. I was now able to take upper division classes that a normal junior or senior would take. Because my major only required 42 credits out of the 122 I need to graduate and I’m 90% done with it, I picked up a minor in Political Science to fill up credits so that I wouldn’t have to take a bunch of bullsh*t classes like Anthropology 111 and Basket Weaving 101, and I’m still graduating early with the minor.
A lot of my friends who took the same college and AP classes I took in high school were surprised that all of my credits transferred. I had friends that went to big name private schools who had very little or none of their credits transfer, but they were getting the full fledged four years. I’m not. I’m graduating in three years.
What made me decide to graduate early? For starters, to save money. Although my school’s tuition and everything is only between $22,000 – $23,000, college is still not cheap. By graduating early, I’m saving a good $20,000 or so and my loans won’t be too bad. I have friends who go to schools that cost $40,000, $50,000, or even $60,000 and and many of them are graduating in four years. The loans for them are going to be almost impossible to pay back.
The other upside to graduating early is the ability to live in the upper class dorms before any of your sophomore peers. Next semester, I’m moving to the fancy townhouse complex, known as “The Village,” and only juniors and seniors are allowed to live there. Well, now that I’m a junior, I’m allowed to live there. Might as well make the most of the semester I have left.
However, graduating early has its fair share of downsides.
One disadvantage, for me, is not being able to drink at the bars in town…legally. Graduation is usually in May at my college and my birthday is in August. I would be turning 21 three months after I graduate, which kind of sucks because I wouldn’t be able to celebrate my 21st birthday with my friends in college. By then, I would be worrying more about trying to find a job and a place to live than where the hottest bar in town is.
Another disadvantage is you have less time to build up your professional life. That includes creating resumes and cover letters, applying for (and getting) internships, making demo reels and portfolios (if you need them), getting involved in clubs and organizations that are relevant to your major, and so much more. The typical college student who’s graduating in four years wouldn’t really worry about this stuff until the spring of their sophomore year the earliest, but the college student that’s graduating a semester or a year early has no time to mess around.
Lastly, the third disadvantage to graduating early is the fear of being out in the real world. Although it’s a scary thought to truly be out on your own once you graduate, it’s gonna be even scarier if you’re graduating early. You’re going to have the belief that you haven’t learned everything yet about what you want to do. In fact, you may have regrets about the degree you decided to get or the career path you’ve decided to follow. It’s a scary thought to go out to the real world so quickly and you don’t know what to expect. Some people can’t hack being out there alone, especially when you think you haven’t learned or done enough at college.
Right now, you’re probably thinking, “My major is right for me. I have no regrets.” Regardless of whether you’re graduating early or not, you’re going to hit that period where you think your degree’s not right for you. Even right now, I’m having quite a few doubts about my major. My doubts are not only consisted of the common questions like “Will I get a job?” or “Will I be able to make money and provide for myself?” but for someone who’s graduating early, they also include “Will I be able to get something I can put on resume?” or “Will I move up to a big position, do something big, or get something I’ve always wanted to do at the organization I’m in by the time my last semester comes?”
If you’re scared of going out the real world so quickly, want to graduate alongside your friends, or just want the full four year experience, then that’s fine. Do it. You can always pick up another major or add a minor or two. Just don’t do anything that will screw you out of getting a degree on time or will cause you to graduate later than you expect. If you are graduating early, whether it’s a semester or a year, kudos to you. But the big question is, are you ready to take on life after college so soon?
