<p>May, when did you celebrate? My daughter is making me happy by finishing up a semester early(glad not to have to pay the extra semester) but we feel a little off because she attends a small LAC. She will be finishing December 2014 instead of May 2015 and the college only does one ceremony a year and it will not happen until May. She is a chemistry major/math minor and it was not possible for her to graduate a whole year early because of the flow of classes. She is like in this in between weird stage by graduating early. Extending her stay at college would have been some what of a waste of money, since she was already having problems adding meaningful classes to her schedule. The college has so many traditions for seniors and the staging of the these traditions are off for her. I am trying to make it as special as it really should be and want to plan ahead. </p>
<p>She does plan to apply for grad school so hopefully this will not be the last of school for her. </p>
<p>First, my D’s LAC allows second semester seniors to go to school part-time, pay a reduced tuition and stay on campus. Maybe call to see if that is an option.</p>
<p>Or, if you don’t live too far from the school and she is finished after her first semester, I’d encourage her to keep in touch with friends and go to as many events as possible. I’d imagine she could arrange be on campus for senior week (either stay with a friend or perhaps call Residential Life and see if she can stay in a dorm for that week) and take part in all the activities senior week as well as the May graduation. </p>
<p>Hasn’t she been invited to events before and during graduation? Can she contact the school and get a room, or stay with friends? Has she asked administration?</p>
<p>My daughter is in the same position for different reasons-delayed graduation due to health. She was to graduate in 2012, then 2013, and then did graduate mid year which is considered March 2014. Despite warm invitations to walk and go to dinners and events any of those years, and even to walk with any of those classes, she is choosing not to. She is not big on pomp and circumstance. </p>
<p>But the school made it clear she could be fully part of any class she wanted, for graduation.</p>
<p>She doesn’t want to go another semester because she is having a hard time already filling her last semester with what would be meaningful classes to her. </p>
<p>She tried to go to the senior activities that are going on now but because she is not graduating this May they pretty much shut her out. </p>
<p>I am sure she could go stay a few days before the end of school next May but the things that make it special are done through out the last semester. </p>
<p>I just don’t know when it would be best to celebrate her achievement. I will try to see if her diploma will have 2014 or 2015 on it. </p>
<p>Are you talking about your family celebration? I would suggest you celebrate her graduation when she completes her courses in December. Have a special family dinner, perhaps in her college town with friends.</p>
<p>I graduated in March for undergrad (ceremony was in June) and July for Masters (ceremony was the following May). I didn’t attend either ceremony. I had a job by the time graduation came…plus, I had been away from the college and didn’t care to go back. </p>
<p>But my family celebrated my graduations with me when I actually completed my classes.</p>
<p>Oh, my, I know so many kids who do this. They have FREE time to look for jobs, relax, do community work, or so many things. I’d have a just family celebration in December and then use some of the extra money to send her back to her college to enjoy grad celebs with her class, and go to the grad ceremony. </p>
<p>I went to a nice restaurant with my parents and sister at the end of the semester (in December) to celebrate graduating, going off to start my career, that sort of thing. No need for some whole big elaborate thing in my opinion. </p>
<p>I don’t have a diploma but I have a picture of what it would look like, and it says “2013,” as I graduated this past December. </p>
<p>We’re allowed to go back to go to the normal commencement in May. I’m not planning to, it’s too far away from where I live now. </p>
<p>My nephew was done in December but is walking next month at graduation (and his family is having the big celebration in May as well). He’s used this time off to move to Chicago, find a job, etc., but the celebration will have no less meaning just because it happens four months later! Plus he’ll get to walk with his friends, reunite, catch up, etc. I like the way they’re managing this because it lets him do both.</p>