Graduating early a good idea?

Question

I have been giving serious thought to graduating early but will it really benefit me in the long run? I am and always have been a 4.0 student involved in every extra curricular my small school offers. I am a very focused person who wants to be a Doctor but I also have a huge passion for singing and acting. I have tried to just forget it but this is something I need to incorporate in my life unless I want to be depressed. So what I was thinking is I could graduate early, spend what would have been my senior year pursuing my passion, and if nothing comes of it, continue as an emergency room physician as planned since I was little. Is their any negatives to this? Thanks!

Answer 1

I agree with you... if youre not pushing it and stressing yourself out... graduate early

Answer 2

No way. If you want a chance to be a doctor, you need to get into medical school and coming from a good undergrad university will make that substantially easier. However, the best universities see people who graduate early (who aren't geniuses of some kind) as wasting an free educational opportunity--not the best way to convince them they should let you into their institution. Take your senior year (alongside your classes) to do a project with your singing and acting, use it to do community service, anything--just bear with that last fourth year. Then apply to the best universities. If you get in, you can defer a year without penalizing your acceptance tot he university. If you're still inclinced then, use that gap year to explore whatever you want. That way you know you have a university to go back to after you're done pursuing what you want.