<p>I'm a frosh at Bryn Mawr, and I recently spoke to my dean about accelerated graduation. He said I'm more than qualified to graduate in 3 years, because through my high school's dual enrollment program and taking summer class I entered with 20 credits (from Wilkes University to be specific). I am very interested in taking this route. I'd only have to take four more summer classes. It would save my parents a lot of money, and although I like BMC, it is very small and I can see myself getting a bit sick of it after four years. Learning I could graduate in 3 years was a dream come true.</p>
<p>However, I am worried this will negatively affect my chances of getting into grad school. My dean said as long as my transcript doesn't look "thin," and I'm not simply taking all political science courses (that is my major), I should be fine. Also, the courses I took were legitimate college courses. None of my credits were earned through the AP program or anything like that. I'm not sure what my gpa is going to look like, but I'd imagine not absolutely stellar since Bryn Mawr is known for grade deflation. I'm not looking to attend Harvard or anything, but I'm interested in top poli sci programs at NYU, Fordham, George Washington, Georgetown, American, maybe Penn... essentially any school located in New York, D.C., or Philly. </p>
<p>Will graduating in 3 years hurt me that much? I've heard different things. On one hand I've heard that it is detrimental, but others have said that it shows initiative. </p>
<p>Also, would taking a gap year be a better option than going straight into grad school? I was thinking I could get some work experience under my belt, or take graduate level courses locally. </p>
<p>Any insight would be appreciated.... sorry the post is so long.</p>
<p>I suppose I could get research experience if I took a gap year?</p>
<p>I would really like to graduate in 3 years, and do anything I can to make up for the year that I shaved off, even if it means taking graduate level class locally… which my dean said could be an option.</p>
<p>I’m assuming its a cost issue, then? Sure, you can do the three years, and then do a year of research work. This may not be feasible, though, in the present economy. Professors doing work prefer to use current students who will work for free, or PhD candidates who they are already paying. </p>
<p>It is definately a cost issue, and like I said in my post, Bryn Mawr is small and I really think it would be hard for me to be there for four years. </p>
<p>And thanks LongPrime, I will post my question there.</p>
<p>I am a junior at Bryn Mawr and am hoping to pursue a PhD after college. Like you, I had the option to graduate in three years. I seriously considered it because I would run out of classes in my major very early on, and because I was unhappy at Bryn Mawr in general but could not transfer due to finances. (That was before I got my Green Card, and there is very little financial aid for international transfer students.) </p>
<p>I eventually decided to stay for four years because I realized that the extra year would give me time to make myself a competitive applicant for some of the most selective graduate programs in the field. I started taking graduate courses at Bryn Mawr in my second year (luckily my major department has a graduate program, which most departments don’t have) and now I am commuting to Penn to take graduate courses there. Technically our cross-registration agreement with Penn only covers undergraduate classes, but the instructors at Penn let me take the classes for an undergraduate independent study credit.</p>
<p>I got the opportunity to work with a professor at Bryn Mawr the summer after my freshmen year (and I got paid :)) and this past summer my professors here set me up to work with a professor at Cornell. This was a very interesting experience because I got to observe the dynamics at a big research university (nowhere near as “warm and fuzzy” as life at Bryn Mawr!) and I got to see what current research was like. I also learned a ton of new material and met very many interesting and accomplished people.</p>
<p>I am telling you this because I want to show you that there are many opportunities to seek out if you decide to stay for four years. But I understand that it might make sense to graduate early if finances are a burden.</p>
<p>^ Seconding the above post. Staying on for that fourth year can really open up opportunities that can strengthen your application for graduate school. I understand the financial issue, but thinking you’ll get sick of it - well, you might, but there are other ways to mitigate that. I studied abroad my junior year and during my senior year, I just spent a lot of time off-campus with other friends that I’d made who went to other universities. Everyone was doing their own thing by senior year at my school, and a lot of my friends lived off-campus anyway, so I wasn’t there all the time.</p>
<p>Also, Bryn Mawr is near a much better city (Philadelphia!) than my undergrad was (Atlanta, which was OK but not great). There are also a lot more universities there. Like the above poster, you could do research at Penn or Villanova or take classes there, and BMC has a domestic study away program that says that many poli sci minors study in D.C.</p>
<p>I think you should make a list of the pros and cons, you know? Make it your first-year individual project to find a list of opportunities that you could do during your four years that may be difficult or impossible during three. On the other hand, make a list of reasons why it might be a good idea to graduate early (not the least of which would be saving a year of tuition!). Then compare your lists at the end of your freshman year and make some decisions - but keep flexible in the event that you may change your mind.</p>
<p>If money is enough of an issue that you need to graduate in 3 yrs. I would work for at least a year after before you apply to grad school. Work experience (real life experience) increases your perceived and probably your actual maturity. You often can take classes for free (depending on the field). I think everyone should take time off before grad school for maturity reasons. I think this is definately the case when you take fewer than four years to graduate.</p>
<p>If money is not an issue, I would spread things out over four years. This will allow you to take extra classes unrelated to your field. I did this and was able to add a 2nd major + some fun classes. I probably would have killed myself I tried to do all my science classes in 3yrs.</p>
<p>^Keep in mind that if you work, at most places, you will have to begin paying back loans. It may be more financially feasible to study four years, and then directly enter graduate school.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice. I’m still leaning toward graduating in 3 years, because I’m definately the type who likes to move on from things quickly, but things could definately change in the next year or two. A lot of it depends on how likely it would be for me to get a job!</p>
<p>It just boggles my mind that a college is smaller than my first year biology or psychology class. So weird. I think if you can graduate and find good research/relevant work experience, do it. It might be better than research experience in a very small place anyway, but that’s just a thought, I have no idea. Remember there’s no right/wrong way. Weigh your options but someone’s positive/negative experience with it may not be your own.</p>
I just noticed you said you would have to take 4 summer classes to graduate in three years. At a rate of 2 classes per summer, these classes would consume both of your summers in college. That doesn’t leave you very much time to pursue internship or research experience, which makes it a <em>lot</em> harder to get an interesting job straight out of college. Summer internships are important for several reasons: find out what you are interested in, build a resume, network with people in the field, meet potential employers, etc. Just something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>^They are 6 week courses. I took 2 six week courses at the same university last summer, and they didn’t necessarily consume my summer, but I know what you mean. I’ll have to weigh that into my decision as well. </p>
<p>I have to ask, and this question is for anyone really, what are some examples of research opportunities? How do you go about getting things like internships and research experience? As a freshman, I’m a little confused about all of this, and I’d like to get on top of things like getting internships, especially if I do decide to graduate in 3 years.</p>
<p>I was just like you when I was a first year at Smith College. I was “I don’t feel at home here at Smith… I can graduate in 3 years if I really, really want to…” during my first semester. It’s much more common than you think because A) You’re not settled yet, really, you aren’t and B) Your high school years were probably a bit miserable in a way you just want to get the whole school thing over with and more onto Big League stuff with all the adults.</p>
<p>Even when I transferred to Colgate, I was granted early graduation (one semester early). I considered it. But as I neared my sophomore year (end of my first year there), I knew that I didn’t want to do it. I was having too much fun and I wanted to make the most of my major and minor departments, and the university itself. Yeah, I’m a serious academic like you. I didn’t study all the time- I looked out for lectures, events, etc to fill my time.</p>
<p>You. Slow down.</p>
<p>Junior year abroad will certainly eat up some of your time and refocus on what you want to get out of life. It’s also a good time to experience other places that are bigger than BMC.</p>
<p>Freshman year is all about exploring options. You are expected to visit the career services office, study abroad office, visit clubs and events, etc. See what it has to offer. Then you may begin in visualize what your next 3-4 years will be like. </p>
<p>Also, you sound like you’re feeling guilty about allowing your parents to finance your education. Really? Are they actually pressuring you? What makes you think they’re stretching themselves to put you through college? Ask them yourself. If you can’t find other reason to leave BMC early other than finances when you speak with them, you may be surprised that they will tell you that it’s their GIFT to you to enjoy college. If they imply that, then I would stay for four years and make the most of it. If it’s the other way, I would visit financial aid office and see what scholarships or grants you can get, including study abroad.</p>
<p>Seriously, put the idea of graduating in 3 years out of your mind until February when you need to start making summer plans. Live in the moment.</p>