I just started my freshman year of college this past week and my counselor pointed out an interesting opportunity. Fortunately, because of AP credits and dual enrollment credits, I am able to transfer the maximum number of credit hours that my university will allow (30 hours, which amounts to a full year’s worth of credits). During the counseling session that all freshmen go through, my counselor asked me if I was interested in graduating early. I said I wasn’t sure because honestly I had not realized it was a possibility. So I guess my question is more of a call for any pros or cons anyone can think of for graduating in 3 years vs 4 years. Thanks guys!
Hmmm that sounds like a tough decision! Is it something you need to decide right away?
Some pros of graduating early:
-You save money from one year less of tuition/room/board
-You start making money a year earlier
-If you don’t like college, you get to leave a year earlier
Some cons of graduating early:
-You may have fewer chances to take a variety of courses (whether it is going deeper into your major or branching out and exploring other subjects)
-You would get one year fewer to mature before you have to tackle adulthood head-on
-It may be more difficult to get as deeply involved in the community
-If you like your college a lot, you have one year less there
-You won’t get to walk with a lot of your friends
Pros: Saving tuition. Start earning income 1 year faster
Cons: Less chances in internship and academics, which lead to less chance for good graduate school or job
Where you get your ug degree might not matter much. But where you do graduate school or the first job will likely have a huge impact for the rest of your life. Don’t take it even if you are full paying and have to get more loan to graduate in 4 years instead of 3.
I started as a junior at my college because of AP credits. I still went all 4 years, got my BA and BS, and it provided an opportunity to explore a wide range of topics because of all the extra credits.
The con of 3 years is that you have to plan very, very carefully because most majors are set up assuming you’ll go for 4 years. You’ll also only have 2 years of summer opportunities (internships, study abroad, etc) instead of 3.
The pro is that it can (potentially) save you money.
I knew there would be some info I forgot to add! I’m very lucky financially, what I owe to the university per year is very small, so in my mind saving on the year of tuition is basically negligible. My major is poli sci with my eye on law school.
@SculptorDad Do you think this would have a large impact on applying to law schools?
@OrchidBloom It’s not something that would have to be decided right now but as @romanigypsyeyes pointed out iit would require more careful planning so ideally I would like to know by the time I sign up for classes next semester
@mandy563, Not law schools, if your gpa won’t drop for possibly rush taking some courses AND you are sure you can get high enough LSAT for your target school with target scholarship. Unlike your ug financial aid, law school scholarship is almost purely dependent on your ug gpa and lsat score.
@SculptorDad, full-pay at a private even for a year is a ton of money.
But if your fin aid covers almost everything, why rush?
@SculptorDad Thanks for your input, it’s both reassuring and scary to know law school hinges on stats so heavily
I disagree with this. Lots of us don’t get jobs even close to the field that we actually want to work in right out of college.
I think in earlier generations, that would be correct. I don’t think it’s correct for this generation.
If you don’t have to pay much for a fourth year, I’d recommend staying for the full 4. It’ll give you more time to put together a stronger application. If you’re still torn though, maybe plan out your courses for the first semester so that you could still graduate in 3 and finalize your decision once you experience college?
@OrchidBloom true, I can plan out my semesters in anticipation of graduating in 3 years and then at any time decide I don’t want to, that seems like a good option.
Are you at a school where you can finish your undergraduate work in three years and get either a second BA/BS or a masters?
If not, I suggest getting out in three years. Start your real life, travel, work, put money away.
In the earlier generation, the first job nearly defined the carrier. It’s no longer true. But it still has a huge impact. Sure we change employment often. But it’s much easier to get a good employment if you already had a good employment to reference, whether in the same or different industry.
@techmom99 Something else I hadn’t really considered! As long as I planned my schedule out correctly, I am assuming I could finish a second BA/BS in the four years, though probably not a masters because my uni doesn’t offer coursework beyond the 4000 level in my field. Not sure what I would do with 2 degrees instead of 1 but if I could do it in 4 years, why not
Just remember that your second major/degree is not worth if it is going to lower your GPA, if you plan to go to a law school afterward.
Depending on what you choose to study, a second degree doesn’t have to ruin your GPA. Also, being able to earn two degrees in four years could make you more attractive to a law school.
No it doesn’t. Not enough to matter anyway. Law schools almost exclusively care your gpa of all classes you took before your first bachelor’s degree. And LSAT. If you add that CS 2nd major/degree to your political science major it it will make you a more attractive law firm applicant after you get the degree, but not a more attractive law school applicant.
Many college kids can’t wait to finish college, that is, until they actually do 
You could minor in something or double major, take something off center like ballroom dancing (or whatever) and just broaden your experience academically speaking. I wouldn’t rush to get into “real life” unless you just aren’t enjoying undergrad…just set yourself up to graduate early to hedge your bet, then re-evaluate after you have more time in school to see how you feel, say after this first year.
One of mine had same opportunity but wouldn’t give up that last year - his network of peers at school is amazing and the time with them is certainly worth it from a future connections and friends for life perspective. Senior year with a light load is awesome and he is still finishing with major and two minors.
If you are considering graduating in fewer than 8 semesters, be sure to plan your schedule carefully to clear prerequisites needed for your major. You may have 30 credits, but not necessarily the ones that will get you 2 semesters ahead on prerequisite sequences that some majors have.
For pre-law, you may want to read the following:
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/application-prep/ugraduate
For law school admission numbers and plots, you may want to look at:
http://schools.lawschoolnumbers.com/
For employment rates by law school, you may want to look at:
http://www.lstscorereports.com/schools/
Consider a full year of study abroad as a junior, where you’d still be under the favorable aegis of your home schools’ tuition structure, but could take any class that appealed to you without jeopardizing your graduation requirements.