When asked why she wanted to graduate early, senior Layla Moore said, “I was showing really early signs of senioritis.”
Moore worked every single day during second trimester to save up money to travel to Spain, where she plans to take her Spanish studies a step further.
“I thought it would be a good way to further my language skills and to prepare for college now, as opposed to graduating in the spring and being burnt out on school,” Moore said.
Another student, senior Baileigh Goodlett, decided to graduate early because she has two full-time internships.
“I enjoy being able to devote more hours into my internships,” Goodlett said.
According to Goodlett, students who are considering graduating early should ensure that it is the best decision for them.
“Your counselor has to think that it is the right move for you. I recommend giving it some heavy thought,” Goodlett said.
Goodlett currently interns at Solution Tree, where she works with the company to find and discuss ways to shape the education system to the best it can be, and at an IU biochemistry lab, where she has been helping to research modifications for the HPV vaccine.
Another early graduate, Maggie Bui, has been interning for a Democratic candidate in the 9th district, Dan Canon, as well as taking part in a mentorship for an informatics class at IU.
She warns students who are thinking about graduating early that they shouldn’t make the decision simply to get out of school.
“If the reason is just because they don’t like high school, they should think about their education,” Bui said.
Graduating early is something that many students consider. Just this year, 69 seniors graduated early, which is a large increase from last year, where only 48 did.
Whether they have an internship, a job, college classes, or if they just want a break from school, the decision to graduate early should be for productive purposes.
To graduate early, a student must be a senior with all of their required classes/credits completed. There is the option of graduating in the fall or the spring depending on the student’s needs. After much thought and consideration, a student can talk to their counselor to set up their early graduation.
Graduating early can be a great opportunity for students who want to dedicate more time to their jobs or internships. The decision can be beneficial for many students, but harmful for others depending on how they decide to use their time off, which is why it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
