What I learned from graduating in three years

Upon my arrival at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, my initial expectation was a standard four-year journey leading to graduation, alongside the friends I forged during the early days of my college life.

However, as I sat in my freshman dorm, meticulously outlining the course load for each quarter to meet graduation requirements, I was taken aback by the revelation that I could actually complete my studies ahead of schedule if I stayed the course.

My passion for education always burned bright, fueling a desire to absorb knowledge in abundance. Interestingly, while envisioning a prolonged educational pursuit, my zeal for learning propelled me towards an expedited college experience.

The eagerness to maximize my high school academic opportunities prompted me to engage in Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses at nearby colleges. This strategic move positioned me with surplus credits upon college entry, reducing the necessity for a full course load in my final year.

Despite hailing from a first-generation college background reliant on financial aid, I couldn’t afford the luxury of part-time enrollment. Hence, graduating early became the prudent choice, overloading my schedule with coursework or pursuing unnecessary minors.

Oft-touted advice urging students to cherish the fleeting college years stands true; nonetheless, armed with the knowledge of an accelerated graduation plan, I structured my college experience accordingly. I managed to extract utmost value from my time on campus, enhance time management skills, and incur some financial savings.

Juggling an average of 20 units per quarter, I successfully balanced academic vigor with extracurricular commitments such as marching band participation, journalism for the school publication, part-time employment, internships aligning with my career aspirations, and cherished social interactions.

The roadmap to accomplishing this feat involved meticulous quarterly scheduling, contingency planning for course availability, and conscientious management of assignments and activities. A detailed planner coupled with systematic task completion tracking proved indispensable in this endeavor.

While the intense academic load and the bittersweet farewells to friends induced temporary stress, the gratification of timely degree completion and career readiness overshadowed any momentary turmoil.

Embracing a non-traditional route to degree completion, akin to an increasing trend nationwide, I joined the ranks of students for whom the standard four-year deadline isn’t the ideal fit. As per the statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics, only 49% of students who commenced college in 2016 achieved graduation within four years, ushering in a broader six-year criteria.

Students need not conform to the conventional four-year time frame arbitrarily set by universities. Instead, tailoring their academic journey to personal needs and capacity is paramount. In my case, three years sufficed, while others may find fulfillment in the conventional four years or opt for a lengthier six to seven-year span.

Irrespective of the duration, students ought to retrospect their college tenure with contentment, armed with readiness for the forthcoming chapter.

California Student Journalism Corps