Junior Claire Schmelzer races to graduate

Junior Claire Schmelzer (’21) is more than a step ahead of her entire grade, as she plans on graduating early with the class of 2020 in the spring. Although she is unsure of where she will attend, Schmelzer is ready to dive straight into the college life with an early start in beginning a new chapter in her life outside of Samo. Schmelzer made her decision to graduate early around the middle of her sophomore year because she took a liking to the college classroom feel and function after attending classes at Santa Monica College (SMC) every summer for the past three years. She also felt that her high school experience has not been the best due to some mental health issues and holds a hopeful view for her future in a college environment where she feels that she can make a difference. She is looking into smaller liberal arts school, hoping to study environmental policy and political theory. The actual process of early graduation was not difficult for Schmelzer. The A-G requirements were not a large amount of classes, and with a couple summers at SMC, she was able to complete all her credits for early graduation.  Additionally, she has been very involved with extracurriculars, which has benefited her and reduced this year’s workload, having taken choir for three years and being involved in ASB. Planning for the future has been complicated for Schmelzer, with last minute decisions and deadlines approaching quickly. She has also had some trouble with getting letters of recommendations and acquiring solid test scores to submit. Although it is currently challenging, Schmelzer believes that she is nonetheless capable of getting it done. Something that has benefited Schmelzer is completing many of the interviews and essays for applications. They have allowed her to find herself more in depth, which she found both challenging and enjoyable. “I think I’ve discovered more about how to advocate for myself. Before this, I’d never done an interview or written and it’s been interesting. Hard sometimes, but also fun,” Schmelzer said.  Although she is going to skip over an entire year of high school, Schmelzer feels she is not missing out on much. She will still be able to enjoy and take part in senior traditions like prom and grad night, only missing out on small things like cheering “20” during pep rallies. Looking back on her decision, she thinks that the head start she is getting is worth what she is missing out on.  “I absolutely think it is worth it to graduate early. High school doesn’t really ‘do it’ for everyone. Different things work for different people. There are friends that I’ll miss, but I’m ready to move to the next stage of my life,” Schmelzer said. There is only a personal benefit from Schmelzer’s early graduation because what she is getting out of it is only benefiting her. A specific benefit is that she will be entering the workforce at an earlier age and getting exposure to an atmosphere where she thoroughly enjoys the academic style. Overall, Schmelzer is looking forward to getting a fresh start somewhere that will allow her to pursue her preferred subjects.