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Students toss their caps in the air with excitement as they close a chapter of their life (ShareAlike 4.0 International)

After getting ahead and taking many rigorous courses, some students are presented with the option of graduating a semester or even a year early. Is it a good idea, or will they miss out? 

Some students graduate early so that they can get ahead and start college early. Starting college early gives students the opportunity to get their degree quicker, and they can start doing what they want to do early on in their life.

“You can take that semester off and think about what you want to do after you are done with high school, or if you have something in mind, you can go directly into community college. Or sometimes even certain four-year colleges. You can get one semester ahead, and it can help propel you forward in your future,” senior River Glenn said. 

Starting college early is not the only option. If students are unsure of what they want to do in the future, graduating early allows them to have time to plan their futures and think about what they want to do.

“Graduating early gets you ahead in life, and you can think about what you want to do in the future. You have more time to plan out what you want to do before anyone else, and you [have time to] get situated,” junior Lenny Rodriguez said.

However, students do not have to graduate early in order to get ahead. During their senior year, students have the chance to take many AP classes and dual-credit courses that can help them receive college credit and progress in their studies. These classes also cost a lot less than the cost of a college class, so students are able to get ahead at a much cheaper price.

Graduating early also makes students miss out on their senior year and the experiences that go along with it.

“If you graduate early, you do not get to experience your final year in high school and the activities that go with it, like Prom or sometimes even the graduation ceremony,” junior Kay Castro said. 

Whether you think graduating early is a good idea or not, if you are given the opportunity, make sure to compare the pros to the cons before making your decision.