In college, it is very easy to watch your peers and even your old high school classmates graduate earlier than you, and feel like a failure (trust me, I’m riding the “graduating late” boat myself!). Nevertheless, this thought disregards all your hard work and fails to acknowledge one of the biggest aspects of college itself! Everyone’s college journey is different and unique, but that is the beauty of college! Each student creates and chooses their personal class schedules to fit their individual and educational preferences!
Gen-Ed Courses
Trust me when I say this, it does not matter if you are going for the exact same degree as someone else, you most likely do not have the same educational pathway as them. One easy example of this is your general education courses! Gen Ed courses have an extreme amount of flexibility when it comes to choosing what course works for you! While you may have taken a biology course to fulfill your science credit, someone else in your exact same program may have taken a chemistry class! Why is this important? Let’s say your biology course conflicted with a course required for your degree, while the chemistry course did not. This allowed your classmate to take that required course before you. It is important to note that this does not necessarily put them “ahead” in their educational journey but shows just how everyone’s educational experience can be slightly different.
Spring and Summer Courses
In addition to choices regarding general education courses, many students may opt-in to take Spring and Summer courses. It is not required for students to take courses in the Spring and Summer, and to do so is a decision the student must make with their best judgment in mind. Nevertheless, taking courses in the Spring and Summer can be beneficial for putting students “ahead of schedule” or is helpful to make up dropped or failed courses. However, Spring and Summer courses or not for everyone! College can take a serious toll on someone’s mental health and well-being, and sometimes it is best to take the summer off and relax!
Nevertheless, someone in the same program as you may have decided to load up on courses in the Spring and Summer, and as a result, they are graduating earlier than you. Instead of comparing your progress, it is important to recognize their decision and how that affected their educational timeline. Be mindful, Spring and Summer courses are not for everyone and do not guarantee early graduation. Reflect on your semester-to-semester experiences and make a mindful decision of whether Spring and Summer courses are right for you!
The Starting Line
Finally, it is important to realize not everyone starts in the same place! This may sound weird because technically, nobody gets “free credits” or a headstart. Instead, everyone has different experiences and opportunities, and nobody starts in the same place!
First and foremost, people change their minds when it comes to the specific degree they are pursuing. For instance, when I graduated high school, I was set on pursuing meteorology until I realized my passion was teaching. Nevertheless, in my freshman year, I was originally enrolled in a lot of chemistry and math courses to prepare for that. Because I changed my major, I ended up taking a chemistry course that did not count as a gen-ed requirement. While that course was not a waste, it did not help further my specific educational journey.
Another common example that may put students ahead in college is taking college courses before they graduate high school. At my high school, they offered a program called “Dual Enrollment” and it allowed students to enroll at a nearby community college and take college courses in addition to their regular high school classes! While this may not have significantly put someone ahead, it still left them with fewer courses to take when they finally got to college!
In conclusion, I want students to stop being so hard on themselves if college is taking them longer than planned! Everyone has different educational backgrounds, needs, and preferences! It is unfair to compare yourself to your college colleagues or even your old high school classmates! What is important is that you make the best decision for your learning capacity and mental health!