Exploring the Benefits of Graduating Early

Be one step ahead by graduating early! It is possible to complete all high school credits ahead of schedule, earn that high school diploma and be on your way to college.

There are several reasons why graduating high school early is an attractive opportunity:

• Academic. For those who are academically gifted, regular high school may be less of a challenge. The prospect of getting into the more academically-challenging world of college would be exciting. Also, taking on more credits for the semester will prepare you for the heavier demands in college.
• Financial. Graduating early means a lot of savings for the family. If you can just compute the savings based on the day-to-day expenses (food, allowances, clothing, etc.), it would add up to a considerable amount.
• Athletic. Some student-athletes want to graduate early in order to enter a college team. This provides more time for aspiring athletes to play with the team even before they qualify to be drafted for the professional arena.

With these reasons, here are some of the benefits of finishing high school early:

• Early admission to college. This is the main motivating factor for those who are eying a college degree. The earlier you finish high school, the earlier you can get into college.
• More time to prepare for a career. Those who finish high school (and consequently, college) early, can immediately get a head start on their chosen career. Even while the rest of your batch is still in college, you can already be on a job internship. You can enter the workforce at an earlier age.
• Personal development. Of course, there is also the honor of being able to say that you have graduated ahead of your batch. Working on an increased load also develops strength of character, as you learn responsibility, time management and the importance of having a goal and working towards that goal.
• Opportunities for scholarships. Graduating early actually opens more avenues for you to get certain scholarships. For instance, Texas offers a Program called the Early High School Graduation Scholarship. This program supplements one's tuition depending on how long it took for someone to finish high school and how many college-level credits he can earn. Colleges also look at graduating early as a strong indicator of one's academic skills.

To help you determine whether graduating early is the right path for you, here are some things to think about:

• What motivates you for early high school graduation?
• Do you think you are emotionally ready for college? Consider that you just don't need to be academically prepared you need to be emotionally prepared as well.
• What is your target graduation date?

One great way to finish high school early is by taking on online high school classes. And this is where The American Academy can help. It already has accreditation with the Northwest Accreditation Commission and offers courses that can help you earn the credits you need to graduate early.

The American Academy offers these courses, which can be worked on at your own pace. And since it is online, you can work on it at any time of the day. There are over 100 online high school courses – all you need is to choose which course you need to earn credits towards early graduation. Upon completing a course, you get to receive credit from an accredited high school. You can also opt for bundled homeschool courses, which gives you a savings of 10%. Please note that these courses are provided and supported by licensed instructors. You can even avail of online tutoring to ensure increased success in your understanding of the courses.

Graduating high school early, we must admit, is no walk in the park. It requires dedication, determination and hard work. But with a little help from The American Academy's online courses, you can do it!