<p>I'm about to be a junior so I have to go ahead and plan my senior year and I was wondering if colleges look down on students who graduate in December? I'll have all my credits at the end of my first semester my senior year so I dont know why I would go on for the second. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>If you want to got to the top 50 USNWR colleges, then don't graduate early. All the kids at my high school graduated early in order to either: got to another country and study there, go to a community college, or wait a year to go to a state college. If you want to go to a top school, then don't graduate early, learn more, and take more subjects, even if it is "extra credits".</p>
<p>My friend graduated in December this year. She will be attending Northwestern this fall. She wanted to get a job and earn money to pay for college because her parents wouldn't pay for any of it. </p>
<p>If you have a good reason for leaving early, as in getting a job to pay for college, then I say go for it, but explain to colleges why you are leaving early. Don't leave early because you just don't feel like it. 2nd semester senior year was so much fun, in and out of school, so I think you shouldn't leave early.</p>
<p>Call the admissions offices of the schools you're interested in (or pick a representative few, if there are a lot) and see how they'd feel about it. The first thing they'll ask is, what you'll be doing during the spring semester that will be more valuable than taking more classes at school. Saying "I don't need to be there because I've earned all my credits" seems like your goal is to graduate, not to take advantage of opportunities to learn. On the other hand, leaving early to work, travel abroad, or pursue some other opportunities in your community would be a unique and enriching experience, and would arguably be more impressive than another semester of classes.</p>