While some students choose to take their time crossing the graduation finish line, others take the opportunity to graduate a year early.

Several factors motivate students to make the decision to graduate early, including academic progress and future plans.

One benefit is that many students already earn more credits than required for graduation.

Early graduate Mark Andriychuk said graduating early allows him to stay ahead academically and begin his college career in finance.

“I already did everything in middle school, so I didn’t want to waste another year taking no classes because I already had my credits,” Andriychuk said.

Students in honors-level courses often complete required credits sooner, leaving fewer available classes later in high school.

Another reason students choose early graduation is age.

Early graduate Elizabeth Williams said being older than her classmates influenced her decision.

“I’m already turning 18 soon. I’m ready,” Williams said. “I didn’t find it too rewarding to stay for another year with only two classes.”

Despite the benefits, early graduates often face increased stress as they complete remaining coursework on a shortened timeline.

Early graduate Asher Hattaway said graduating early allows him to move forward with his plans, but it also creates pressure.

“Not having all of the classes you need, you have to cram classes in last minute,” Hattaway said. “I want to work, and there’s a lot of stress trying to get things done by a certain deadline without having another year.”

Early graduates may also face challenges meeting scholarship requirements.

“When a student graduates in May, they must meet two out of three criteria to earn the SC LIFE Scholarship: GPA, SAT or ACT score, and class rank,” guidance counselor Susan Burgess said. “When students graduate in December, they are not ranked and therefore cannot use that metric to qualify for the scholarship.”

According to Burgess, graduating early does not typically provide a financial advantage, but it can align with students’ personal or career goals.

“There are many reasons that students give for wanting to graduate early,” Burgess said. “Some of these reasons include a desire to enter college sooner or go straight to full-time work.”