With college students so often graduating later they anticipated, graduating early or even just on time is a bit of a challenge. If saving time and money is your priority, however, it may be possible for you to graduate a semester or even a year early. Not only is graduating early a possibility if you plan it right, but there are many benefits to shaving a semester or two off the length of your Bachelor's degree.
If you are a high school student thinking about your college plans, now is the time to consider the steps you can take for an early graduation. Most colleges accept your AP course credits from high school as legitimate college credits. Of course, you will have to get a high score on the AP exam for each class you take in order to get credit for your work. If you are an ambitious student who is willing to work hard, it is possible to take as much as a semester's worth of college credit during high school, saving you thousands of dollars.
You may even be able to take community college courses during high school and during the summer between high school and college. Community college courses are even a great choice for summers in between the years of your Bachelor's degree program, if your college is willing to accept these credits. The cost per credit will likely be considerably cheaper at a community college, and getting some general education classes out of the way in the summer months or during the holiday break may allow you to graduate early.
You stand a better chance of graduating early if you combine AP and summer college credits with a full course load during the regular academic year. Regularly taking only 12 credits in a semester is not enough to graduate early or even on time. If you can handle the rigors of an 18 credit course load, do so. You'll save time as well as money.
Why graduate early? If reducing the amount of time it takes you to complete a Bachelor's degree is even a remote possibility, it is worth your efforts because of the financial savings. After all, AP classes and community college credits are a free or relatively inexpensive way to earn credits outside of your four-year degree program, saving you a semester's worth of tuition dollars.
You'll also get a jump on the competition for finding employment. Graduating a semester earlier means you'll likely be graduating in the winter rather than the spring. This gives you months of extra time to find a job before the rest of your class leaves college.
Graduating early does not work out for everyone. Dropping classes, changing majors, or taking on a second major or a minor can all hinder your plan to shave a semester off of college. Your Bachelor's degree is not something that can be rushed, so only plan to graduate early if you are comfortable with the pace of your degree.
It takes a lot of hard work and a bit of luck to pull off an early graduation. If saving time and money on your Bachelor's degree is right for you, you'll find a way to make it happen. Online colleges also offer students the opportunity to go to school year round.
