Graduating early from high school can be an exciting prospect for many students. Chances are you’re already considering it if you’re coming across this article. That’s why I want to give you 5 benefits for graduating early from high school to see if it’s right for you!
1. Taking a Gap Year
Many high schoolers are still undecided about what they wish to do with their life. This is especially common as they enter university. Often times, students can waste years of tuition at university due to them still trying to figure out what they wish to do after school. This is where the benefit of a gap year comes in. A gap year affords you the time to figure out what you wish to do without risking a waste in tuition. Taking the time during that gap year to explore interests, travel, and work are all great options before heading off to college the following year. On top of this, another benefit is you’ll be taking your gap year during your peers’ senior year of high school so there’s no lost time!
2. Head Start on Your College Education
In the case of already knowing what your major is, graduating early gives you the ability to get a head start on your college education. Depending on the classes you take in high school, you can even plan on graduating early from university. This would save you thousands of dollars. I recommend discussing your options with your college counselor if this is the route you wish to go. They’ll have the best idea based around your circumstance and will work with you to accomplish your goals.
3. Greater Flexibility
Graduating early affords the luxury of having greater flexibility. This is a great option for families who have unique circumstances that require students to be more present around the home. I recommend checking out our online private school: Tenney School Live, if there is scheduling concerns. Our program can work around your schedule and provides a live learning experience with one-on-one instruction. On top of that, all of our online teachers are the exact same teachers that teach at our in-person private school: The Tenney School!
4. Early Graduate Scholarships
You can get a leg up over your scholarship competitors by graduating early. Actually, many scholarships are offered for students who graduate early. Once such program is the Texas First Program, available for students in Texas:
Students who graduate early and earn a Texas First Diploma receive a scholarship at participating institutions.
Students who graduate two or more semesters before their class receive a two-semester scholarship, equivalent to the amount of the TEXAS grant, to a participating college, university, or technical college. Students who graduate one semester early receive a one-semester scholarship to a participating institution of higher education. Students may also be eligible for additional financial aid at most of these institutions.
5. A Boost to Your Self-Confidence
Graduating early also has the benefit of boosting your self-confidence outside of school. For students who have underlying social pressures at school, graduating early is a great option to remove yourself from those stressors. If you’re seriously considering graduating early, we recommend setting up a meeting with your college counselor at school. In addition, get some advice from friends and family about it as well. Often times they can offer a unique perspective that you maybe didn’t think of.
Is it Right For You?
Ultimately it depends what your goals and future aspirations are. Graduating early certainly isn’t for anyone and comes with it’s own drawbacks as well. Most notably, it’s going to be a lot of work. You’ll most likely be taking supplemental classes in the summer to try and get ahead.
I hope this article was helpful in convincing you of the benefits of graduating early. Every student’s path is different so I recommend you look into your school’s offerings to see what plans they have in place for students wishing to go this route.