Jump-Start

Imagine finishing high school a semester or even a year earlier than the rest of your graduating class. No petty arguments, 6 a.m. wake up calls or homework hanging over your head. Now imagine making that a reality. The enticing idea does take extra work, but really, what it all comes down to is dedication, maturity and a plan. But if it’s as simple as that, why is it not a norm for students to graduate early?Though graduating early may seem simple and favorable to the majority of high school students, not everyone can pull it off. College counselor Frank Gatell said only a handful of students graduate early each year. In the past, students who have wanted to graduate early approached him with commitments regarding their future. One student needed to graduate early because he was going to play football for The University of Southern California (USC). During what would have been the second semester of his senior year, he was obligated to train on the USC campus all day.However, not all students are ready to leave high school behind.“I didn’t have any students graduate [early] this year,” Gatell said. “You need to be prepared to receive all 220 credits, finish your senior classes and all your unit requirements in order to graduate early as well as have a plan. Students who do this usually have a job or commitment that they have to attend to.”Early graduate Camilla Llosa (’13) is among these students. She said she was always stressed in high school and wanted to get out of the high-pressure environment.“I had never been too keen on high school,” Llosa said. “I have always wanted to graduate early. There was always a feeling of wanting something other than high school.”Llosa graduated this past December. In order to fulfill all of her high school requirements, she took two classes at Santa Monica College (SMC) for three summers and had an AM class for three years.Post-graduation, Llosa keeps herself busy by working four to five days a week at the Ocean House Retirement Home, volunteering at The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Children’s Hospital and interning at Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP) Care non-profit community health center.Llosa’s friend, Bella Carey (’13), is in the process of graduating early as well. She took extra classes online in order to complete all of her high school units. Llosa gave her the idea to graduate early.“When [Llosa] said that she was going to graduate early I thought that it was an interesting idea,” Carey said. “I had always thought about it, but I didn’t know it was possible until I talked to her.”Carey said she saw leaving high school early as a more logical choice for her wants and desires.“I want to graduate early because I want to travel and volunteer in third world countries before I go to college,” Carey said. “I need money in order to travel and that would require me getting a job. Having to raise the money and doing the actual volunteering would take months so it made sense to graduate early. Personally, I feel that I would benefit more from taking specialized interest classes at SMC for these next few months.”College counselor Julie Honda said the typical early graduate possesses a level of maturity that is much higher than most students’.“These students are ready for change,” Honda said. “It’s completely individualized. Graduating early is not for everyone. The more mature a student is, the more beneficial it is to them.”According to Honda, there are few cons to graduating early, other than missing out on completing high school with your friends.“Students who do this can still take classes at SMC, go to prom and do all of the traditional graduation rituals like crossing the stage,” Honda said. “If you want [early graduation] and are ready to leave high school, then there is no reason not to do it.”Llosa said graduating early made her feel accomplished and thankful for all the support she received.“I was really happy to graduate because I didn’t have the ball and chain of high school to worry about,” Llosa said. “I was lucky to have had the help of my friends along the way.”nmunasinghe@thesamohi.com