<p>I currently have my schedule planned so that I could graduate a semester early. If I do graduate early, I would just spend the extra time working full time in the research lab I work in now. However, I do have a full tuition scholarship, so it is no big deal if I stay. So I'm wondering if it would be better for me to graduate early or take advantage of the scholarship and stay for another semester and just take random electives?</p>
<p>Are you burned out on school yet?</p>
<p>My daughter is very, very burned out on school but has to take classes through the end of the year.</p>
<p>She said to me on the phone the other day, 'If I never sit in another classroom for the rest of my life, I’m pretty sure I will be happy with that."</p>
<p>If you still love school? Take the classes. Why not?</p>
<p>What year are you? If you are close to graduating, you might want to consider using that last semester as a buffer. In addition, you might want to pepper your entire schedule with research opportunities and practical electives such as technical writing. If you feel you can easily have a job lined up after graduation, then there is an advantage to getting out and getting right to work. If not, you can spend that last semester working toward finding employment and making yourself look more employable.</p>
<p>OP is a sophomore. I think it’s a little too early to make that decision. Maybe wait another year and see where things stand.</p>
<p>sorry. I thought you were a senior. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>My older son was in this position. He chose to stay the extra semester because:</p>
<p>1) he finally got to fit in some fun and interesting classes.</p>
<p>2) he wanted to go thru the “big spring graduation” rather than the smaller winter graduation.</p>
<p>He did take a lighter load that semester…around 12 credits, which was good because he had some grad school visits to do as well.</p>
<p>He also was able to work more, which it sounds like you’d be able to do with your lab work.</p>
<p>If you plan your schedule well, you can keep early graduation or not as an option to be decided later.</p>
<p>I agree that you can’t be SURE what you will be in position to do until very close to that last term. Our S had the option but we urged him to take at least some courses he enjoyed, which he decided to do. He took sailing, geology (& presented a poster & co-authored an article), and making a speaker/receiver or something where he learned welding and other skills he would have in his regular EE curriculum. We were glad we encouraged him to take the extra time. He had 3 great job offers in hand by February of his SR year, so we don’t feel the extra term hurt his job prospects either. He also worked in a lab throughout the year and had generous merit aid for all 4 years.</p>
<p>Our D thought she’d be able to graduate a term or more early & is ending up spending an extra two terms, so you really never know. Best not to count things before they are firmer–sometimes upper division courses can take MUCH more time and energy than anticipated, plus “stuff happens.”</p>
<p>What do you mean by “I would just spend the extra time …?” Are you going to graduate school? If so, heed the advice above. If, instead, you are going into the working world, are you in an industry that doesn’t hire new college graduates until May? If so, I’ve never heard of that. If not, note that some companies don’t like being flooded with new college graduates looking for work every May. You may have a better change of landing a job in December. Also, many companies open up more new jobs January 1 each year.</p>
<p>My daughter could have graduated one year early and toyed with graduating two terms early. In the end, she did not. Why? Because you only enjoy an undergraduate college career once, you work for a lifetime. Last semester senior year is the most fun for most kids and while it appears that you will still be on campus you might not be included in many of those activities. My daughter is very happy she still has 10 weeks left until graduation!</p>