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While most Carleton students finish in 12 terms—four years—some students opt to take a different route and decide to accelerate their graduation and graduate a term or more early. Class Dean for Juniors and Seniors Cathy Carl- son noted that “the most popular reason people try to finish early is because of the money—they don’t have to pay when they’re not here.”
Others strategically plan terms off to take long internships to prepare for post-college life. “Carlson said. “The college will not assist in acceleration, but there is support if a student chooses to do so.” This year, 39 seniors choose to graduate early. All must then live off campus, but then many decide to informally audit classes, spend time on campus, and pursue work.
Numi Sumida (Mathematics):
I knew my major from the beginning and came in with a lot of credits, and also studied abroad over the summer on a non-Carleton program and came back with extra credits without missing a term here. So I’m pretty much just set to graduate and already live in Northfield on the Northfield Option. I feel like you never have a time at Carleton when you don’t have to do work, so I kind of wanted to just experience that. I’m worried that I’ll get bored, but there’s more to Carleton than classes, so I’m excited to audit classes, play frisbee, work, and not have to pay for another term.
Jamie Johnson (Political Science):
My sophomore year I had some teammates who graduated early who just hung out, slept a lot, and played with cats, and that just sounded like the life. I had more than enough cred- its and am already living off campus, so I figured why not save money! I’m trying to audit a ceramics class and maybe a few other classes, have my comps poster presentation, will play a lot of Frisbee, and am trying to get a job.
Anna Chance (ENTS):
It’ll save me a lot of tuition money, and graduating early means that spring term, I can enjoy my friends and clubs on campus, and maybe audit a few classes, while being an alum and not having the stress of doing any work. I’m going to stay in town with a family with two kids in town and will watch them in exchange for room and board. I think a significant amount of people either take a term off, or graduate a term or two early so they can really enjoy their time with friends on campus and not struggle through three courses their spring term of their senior year.
Timmy Zhu (ENTS):
I co-founded a real estate agency in the city and am also doing a farm start up in China. Because I’ve got so many things to do and Carleton is not as fulfilling as I wish it to be, I made the choice to graduate early. So now I’m basically just trying to finish my comps while doing all of the startup work at the same time, and basically not taking any other classes.
