The Early Bird Catches The Diploma
The ups and downs of early graduation
Eaerly graudate Nicole Mayer
After the long winter break, students from all grades return to school to finish the school year. However, some students no longer have to wake up early and get ready for school. Some are graduating from school a semester early, while others are graduating an entire year early.
“To be honest, I definitely don’t thrive in the high school environment,” junior Nicole Mayer said. “When I found out I had the opportunity to graduate [a year] early, I thought it would be good for me to take that opportunity and get a head start on my college education.”
Graduating early could offer benefits to the students that choose that option. It can free up time that might allow students to work more hours, jump start on college classes or can help students that just want to get high school over with.
“You have more time to decide on college, and no school for a whole semester [or year],” senior Addison Harston said.
Although graduating from school early does have its perks, there can be downsides that come from the option as well.
“You don’t see your friends everyday anymore, and you miss all the fun senior activities at the
end of the year,” Harston said.
Graduating early also requires some students to put in extra work. These students need to take classes over the summer or extra classes during the year to be able to meet the credit requirements to graduate early.
“I took health and personal finance over the summer before my sophomore year,” Mayer said.
Graduating early can give students the chance to start their college classes instead of taking another year of high school classes. It can really help students get a head start on college.
“I’m going to use my A+ hours to go to St. Charles community college for two years,” Mayer said. “Then I will go to a university outside of Missouri.”