Graduating early is a decision not many get the opportunity to have and one that fewer actually make. While there are certainly upsides, it’s still something not to take lightly and everyone who is considering it should think before they act.
At Villanova specifically, only a handful of students graduates early. According to the Office of Decision Support and Data Integrity, of the undergraduate students who began their degree in the Fall 2022 semester, only 7.4% graduated in fewer than four years. There are myriad ways one can achieve this, and it often starts in high school. One may have stacked up on AP credits, overloaded their classes, taken summer courses or maybe a combination of all three.
At the start of my freshman year, I came in with more than a year’s worth of credits, making me a sophomore in standing before I even moved in. It was exciting, but after the frenzy of the beginning of the semester subsided and I started to feel settled in on campus, I realized that what was once something I celebrated had its fair share of considerations and drawbacks.
The thought sounds appealing at first. You save on tuition price, get an advance on potential internships and get a head start on other opportunities like graduate school. Depending on how you got to this point, you may also feel a sense of relief that the stress of your course schedule was well worth the late nights and sacrifices.
It’s a choice that has increased in popularity as well. According to an article by The Hechinger Report, around 9% of public and more than 7% of private non-profit university and college students are trying to graduate within three years. Here at Villanova, the percentage of students who opt to graduate early jumped from 5.9% for those who started in Fall 2018 to the 7.4% stated earlier for those who started in Fall 2022.
However, many people cannot shake the competitiveness their high school culture instilled in them or the eagerness to get it over with, and they often carry that mindset into college without stopping to enjoy the time they have. There is a pressure to proceed to the next stage of life as quickly as possible, which bleeds into other aspects of life and creates unnecessary stress. There are hidden opportunities you miss out on that eventually, and regrettably, reveal themselves.
“I feel like graduating early sounds cool at first,” freshman Ian Solano said. “But when I actually think about it, I would just feel like I’d be missing out because all your friends are still here experiencing their senior year, and you’re already done with it all.”
The fear of missing out is a very important factor, especially when it has been spent the last couple of springs on campus watching seniors take graduation photos with friends, attending their “lasts” together and being celebrated for this accomplishment with the graduating class they’ve been with since day one. Letting go of a version of the life you previously had will always be bittersweet.
One may also miss out on academic opportunities that are a very important part of the cumulative college experience. Suddenly, studying abroad for a whole semester doesn’t make sense, nor does adding that extra major or minor. Doing so would put one well over the minimum credits needed to graduate, which is difficult to justify given how expensive it is. To add, time in your clubs and extracurriculars is cut short, and therefore, the potential impact. One may lose out on social skill development, making career connections and further exploring their interests in an academic setting.
Linda Boettcher, the Director of Academic Advising for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), shared what she typically sees with students at Villanova and their decision-making.
“Whether or not to graduate early often depends on the student’s situation,” Boettcher said. “Most often, it is a financial decision. Sometimes graduating early is in response to a medical situation or a job opportunity. When students complete their degree a semester early, the University invites them back to campus to participate in senior week and graduation ceremonies with their friends, which makes the decision a bit easier for some.”
That option should comfort most students. Another alternative is to apply for Villanova’s combined Bachelor’s/Master’s degree program. It’s marketed as an extra year alongside some undergraduate courses you take in your senior year that count toward both degrees. But if you’re graduating early, you’re essentially getting two degrees in the timeframe of one.
Ultimately, I believe that what weighs on many students who have this opportunity is the overpowering urge to get out and save the money. Many people reminisce on their college years as the best ones of their lives, but if it’s not what makes the most sense financially, with a daunting job market that’s hard to argue against. It’s an impressive feat to accelerate your degree, but those who do so need to ensure they are well aware of the nuances that come with it before fully committing.
