How to Graduate Early

One of the main reasons why so many individuals want to bypass college, apart from the high tuition fee, is the long time it takes to graduate.

Many high school students, for a variety of reasons ranging from personal to financial, choose to start working straight out of school over going to college. This not only impacts the quality of work they get, but also their earnings and advancement opportunities.

The good news is that it is possible to cut the time you need to spend in college and graduate early. So, if you want to learn how to graduate early, read on.

One of the surest methods of graduating early from college is to enroll for a degree that requires minimal time commitment, such as an Associate’s degree which can be completed in two years as opposed to the four years needed to finish a Bachelor’s degree.

Associate’s college degree programs are available in a wide range of fields and focus mostly on applied knowledge rather than theory. While the scope of learning with an Associate’s degree is limited, it can help you get a variety of entry-level white collar jobs.

Fast Track Graduation

Those who are wondering how to graduate college early probably already know that many schools also offer accelerated degree programs that allow students to finish their education in a much shorter span of time than usual. Such programs are available at all levels – from Associate’s to Doctoral degrees.

While the duration of an accelerated program will depend on your school, level of degree, and many other factors, students must know that all of them involve very intense coursework, no or minimal mid semester breaks, and little time to participate in extra curricular activities since your entire curriculum has to be condensed into the fast track schedule of an accelerated degree.

Accelerated degree programs may be offered on campus, online, or include elements of both classroom and distance learning. Such programs, known as hybrid degrees, are extremely popular among working professionals who want to graduate early, but also want more flexibility in terms of class schedules to manage their other commitments.

Also, by minimizing the time you spend in college, you’ll be able to save money on tuition and other miscellaneous expenses such as lodging, food, fuel, etc. Another advantage of an accelerated degree is that it allows you to join the workforce sooner than a normal-paced college program.

But before you enroll for an accelerated degree, you must evaluate if the benefits – financial and otherwise – of such a degree are worth the heavier course load, faster learning pace, and the limited availability of time to build relationships and take part in other activities.