According to College Confidential, early graduation is an option for students who have outgrown their high school and are both academically well-prepared and more socially mature than their peers.

One student who is in the process of graduating early is Julia Blando, a current sophomore. Blando plans to graduate at the end of her junior year. In the beginning of this year, Blando wanted to transfer out of Glen Rock and go to a Bergen County Technical School. Because BCTS didn’t take transfers, Blando asked her guidance counselor, Ms. Caren, if there was a possibility of graduating early.

“I thought at first that it was a stupid question and that no one’s done it before,” Blando said. However, early graduation is a popular choice among students who feel that high school isn’t challenging them.  

Blando initially wanted to transfer out of school because she felt she didn’t fit in. She felt that everyone was so “vanilla.” Blando believes that in college there will be more diversity especially in bigger schools.

“I think I’ll fit in better at college because not everyone is so type-A like in high school. I’ll also probably feel more welcomed when I meet people with the same major as me because we’ll have a common ground and the same interests,” Blando said.

Most students graduating early will have to take summer school courses in order to fulfill the necessary amount of credits needed to graduate. Julia will need to take summer courses for English and electives.

Blando’s parents were at first surprised at Julia’s choice. However, after talking with Julia, they understood how much she wanted to graduate early.

“I wouldn’t force her to stay in high school for no real reason except my own expectation of what a path should be,” said Janeen Blando, Julia’s mom.

Blando believes that choosing to graduate early was the right choice for her.

“It’s a good thing I decided in the beginning of sophomore year because I had a lot of time to start looking at colleges, go on tours and figure out what I want to do,” Blando said.