<p>Are there any disadvantages in graduating in 3 years when it comes to grad school admissions or finding a job? Would it seem like I'm a slacker and want to take fewer classes, or would it make me seem like a hard-worker? I'm doing it for financial reasons. I want to hopefully do the MFE program at Berkeley (anybody have any suggestions for this?) or masters in IEOR or something, so I'll still have the full 4 year college experience hopefully.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>The biggest disadvantage I can think of is that you might be a less appealing candidate for graduate school admissions than you would be if you took a fourth year. How so? Well, you could probably do more research, get to know more profs or the same number of profs better and have better letters of rec, take some or more graduate classes in the field and more undergraduate classes in the field that will better prepare you for being in graduate programs, as well as make you, I imagine, a better candidate (although the undergraduate classes are less important, given you've taken a broad range of classes in your field, than better letter of recs more research or some research rather than none, and a grad class or more). I don't know your field as well as others, so perhaps these apply to a different extent than I know. I think you could graduate early and take a research internship in your field or something that makes you would enjoy and makes you look like a great candidate, as well as give you a good letter of rec. But I imagine research opportunities and great letters of rec are available to you at Cal, and generally these things make or break grad school applicants as far as I know, but again, I know your field less than others.</p>
<p>That's the main thing- you might miss out on certain other opportunities as well, social or otherwise. A friend of mine calls the undergraduate years 'the last playground' before, you know, the 'real world' or whatever. This might be the last time for a long time you'll be able to take classes in something you're interested in, study abroad, learn a new language, master calculus- whatever. It's something to keep in mind. </p>
<p>I don't think many would be judged as a slacker, but I do think you would be judged a hardworker by some.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>