High school is an important part of life that teaches young people things both practical and academic, while opening many doors for their future, but some students find themselves ready for the next step in their lives a little sooner than others. 

Some seniors have already said goodbye to the halls of Bearden High School, feeling ready to start the next chapter of their lives, whether that be working full time, taking some time off, or starting college. It’s an important decision that requires thoughtful preparation.

Claire Langford graduated in December to get an early start as a freshman at Brigham Young University.

“I met with [counselor Mr. Brian] Tanner about if it was possible for me,” Langford said. “He told me I just had to take three classes (senior year) to graduate early.”

Langford managed to get the credits that she needed her first semester of senior year, and she is already enrolled in classes at BYU. It takes time and preparation to start college early, and for students thinking about it, the college and career center can help with the process. 

Getting a head start on college was the right move for Langford, but others might decide to use their extra time to plan ahead. Without homework, assignments, and tests, there is plenty of time to dedicate toward future plans. 

Bearden early graduate Campbell Miller is working at Clean Eatz and Thrive.

“I have been staying so busy, but that was my goal,” Miller said. “I’m getting ready for college and taking the next few months to figure out what I want to do.”

Having to balance work and school can be difficult, especially for students who want to dedicate a lot of themselves to academics. Off time from school can be ideal for working, maybe even full time, in order to save money for things like College expenses. 

“I graduated early so I could get a full time job to start saving up money to pay for college,” Bearden early graduate Aedan Hudson said. “I am currently spending 55 hours a week pouring concrete  foundations for a local company.”

It may seem like a daunting task to graduate early, but Hudson said that it just requires a little hard work and comes with numerous benefits.

“The only thing I did was football for four years which is a half credit,” Hudson said. “Other than that, as long as you don’t fail any classes, you can graduate early.”