From class of ‘24 to class of ‘23
Meet the Juniors who are moving up and moving out!
December 21, 2022
Would you leave behind your junior year experience to be a senior? Well, Izzy Keiser, Lauren Schonowski, and Lian Yale would. They have all made the decision to graduate early, becoming a part of the class of 2023.
In order to accomplish this, they must put in twice the amount of work to ensure they get all 26 credits needed. One of the easier ways to get this done is through Harford Community College (HCC). Izzy Keiser explains that she doubled up on math last year and English this year – both through HCC. Lian Yale clarifies that she already had three high school credits earned in middle school, which gave her a bit of a head start. But this year she is “taking 5 classes at Fallston, and 4 dual enrollment classes through HCC.”
In addition to their course load, they also need to complete a pathway. Keiser and Schonowski are both doing the Spanish Pathway while Yale is doing the Advanced Science and Math Pathway. They all agree that their pathway was the easiest course of action considering the credits they had already earned.
But how does the workload stack up against a traditional 8 classes per year?
Lauren says that “getting all of the credits hasn’t been a challenge,” and Lian clarifies that the “workload this year is not heavier, since due to dual enrollment classes being a semester versus full year, [we] will not be taking more than 7 classes at a time.”
All three agree that the workload hasn’t been more difficult than the traditional high school schedule, but Izzy says, “it really depends on what you can take on.” However, when it comes to the style of classes Lian says, “the dual enrollment classes are much more independent than AP classes, which is an adjustment.”
So, how and why did they make the decision to graduate early?
Well, their decision to graduate a year early was not made hastily. In fact, in order to do it, they pretty much had to know in the early part of their sophomore year. Lian explains, “I’ve enjoyed my time at Fallston but am looking for change and am ready to move on sooner than the traditional 4 years,” and Keiser agrees adding, “I have a lot more schooling ahead of me so this will help me get a head start in my field.”
For Izzy it was because she “wanted to instill a challenge for [herself].” Lauren also adds that “graduating early is beneficial to people who are ready to move on from high school.” But for Lauren it was a matter of her mental health. She thinks “school is monotonous and monopolizes students’ time. It causes unnecessary anxiety and worsens depression.”
That wasn’t the only pro with their decision to graduate this year. Lian exclaims that “the biggest pros are being able to attend college a year early or take a gap year without falling behind peers.” Izzy mentions that it also has given them the opportunity “to get a head start on a lot of [our] studies.”
Yes, there were many pros, but there were also a couple of cons. “The biggest cons are the stress of condensing your junior and senior years and applying to college so early,” says Lian. Lauren explains that they are “missing out on time with teachers and counselors that can help with making career decisions.”
Is all the extra work and added stress worth it?
Izzy states that “now that I am graduating this year, I cannot imagine staying another year!” If you do choose to graduate early, she advises you to “look at past grades and see if you are ready to take on a lot. It goes a lot faster than you think. So, thinking thoroughly is important.”
Lian agrees saying, “I would suggest carefully planning out your required courses/schedule as soon as possible and deciding what your post high school plans are if you want to graduate early… If you are organized and driven, I would recommend graduating early, but it is not the right decision for everyone.”
Since officially choosing to graduate early, the girls have had support from both family and friends as well as teachers and counselors.
Lauren says, “The counselors supported me through setting it up, which was really helpful because college stuff was new to me.” While Izzy shares that her “parents were a little bit apprehensive considering it was going to be a big jump and a lot to take on, but they supported me through every second and I am so thankful.”
If there is one thing about these three, it’s that they are hardworking and up for the challenge. Using their independence, they seized an opportunity and have been able “to focus on classes [they were] more interested in…and experience new environments,” as Lian puts it.
