While most Dartmouth students choose to graduate after the Spring term of their senior year alongside the class with which they matriculated, a small number of qualified students wind up leaving Hanover earlier than their peers.
"My eagerness to jump right into my major and minor freshman fall led me to graduate early. I'd known since my sophomore or junior year of high school that I'd want to be a history major and a minor in education," Amit Padukone '07 said.
Padukone is one of 11 students in the Class of 2007 scheduled to graduate Spring term, a year before most of his peers. To graduate early, students must fulfill all their degree requirements and notify the registrar of their plans.
Although only a small percentage of students elect to graduate early, registrar Polly Griffin identified graduate education plans, as opposed to wanting to enter the workforce early, as a leading factor in students' decisions.
"I think if there's one reason that seems to pop out more than any other, it's post-graduation plans like more education," Griffin said. "[Some of them have] just got school forever."
Ali Husain '07, who plans to pursue a masters degree in public health and attend medical school, finds himself in such a situation.
"Time was a big factor," Husain said. "Those programs last at least five years combined, with a few more years of training after that. With that much school ahead of me, finishing a year early was very appealing."
Financial concerns, given the price tag of a Dartmouth term, seem to be a major factor that also contributes to some students' decision to graduate early.
Adeline Yong '07 attends Dartmouth through a scholarship from the Singaporean government, which requires her to finish her education in three years.
"Three years is actually the norm for many countries for an undergraduate BA degree, like Singapore, where I am from," she said. "I often hesitate to tell people I'm finishing in three years because I get a lot of 'over-achiever' or 'you must be smart' or 'you must be a freak' looks. I think the people who finish in three years are rarely overachievers, but instead often do it due to necessity."
Nicolas de Zamaroczy '07 also cited financial reasons as playing an important role in his decision.
"I don't get any financial aid, have a whole bunch of other siblings in or going to college, and I just decided for my family's sake to get out as fast as possible," he said.
Although the traditional college experience lasts four years, the administration recognizes that a shorter academic plan is appropriate for some uniquely situated students.
"There's a graduation requirement that requires students to be on campus their final year for three terms. The College and students very much want the experience of a class," Griffin said. "This is a traditional undergraduate experience. ... Because so many students, over 90 percent, come in and graduate with their class, that's the experience people want. As far as individual students who have individual circumstances, I think we're absolutely supportive of them."
Students who did not have pre-professional course requirements also found it easier to graduate early.
"I'm not sure what career I'm going to pursue, but I'm looking at law, which does not have any set requirements, so my schedule was more flexible," Ruchita Dhawan '07 said. "In fact, it was a last minute decision -- I didn't decide to do this until this past Winter term."
While early graduation often means saving money and getting a head start with post-graduation plans, some students cite drawbacks as well.
"One tough thing is that a lot of juniors are still joining new organizations around campus. But since I came back from being abroad this fall, it seemed kind of pointless to start new things," Husain said. "I'll also spend the next few years being the youngest person wherever I go. For example, when I start graduate school next year, right around my 21st birthday, the average age of the other students will be 27."
Social concerns and time restrictions are another disadvantage to leaving Dartmouth a year early.
"I wish I could spend more time with my friends and enjoying the resources and stuff at Dartmouth," Yong said. "There were terms when I had to take four classes and when you have your finals one after another, that's when you start regretting."
Nonetheless, these students do not feel that they are missing out on the Dartmouth experience.
Yong, an Undergraduate Advisor and member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, attended two study abroad programs and explained that graduating in three years actually enhanced her college experience.
"Knowing that I am graduating in three years definitely made me appreciate what I had more," Yong said.
Some members of the Class of 2006 also graduated Winter term or are taking a leave term this spring.
"I figured it made sense to save $10,000 rather than take classes I don't need credit for. ... I'm saving money and having time to volunteer and relax," said Matthew Weiss '06, who is auditing an architecture class, working for the Spanish department and volunteering at nearby hospitals.
Students who choose to take leave terms during their senior year must petition the registrar to do so.
"Taking a leave term senior year is usually connected with research or finishing a thesis -- that's by far the majority reason," Griffin said.
Although it is possible to graduate early or take an extra leave term during senior year, Griffin stressed that only a minority of students pursue these options. Rather than trying to compress their studies, students often seek to explore alternative paths on extra leave terms.
"More frequently than students graduating early are students graduating late, and that doesn't necessarily mean they took over 12 terms. Usually it means they took more time in the middle for various reasons," Griffin said.
