December Graduation

When we think about high school graduations, we generally associate that as something that happens in the months of May or June. However, there are an increasing number of students who desire to graduate in December or at the conclusion of their seventh semester. This can be a great option for some students but there are some important advantages and disadvantages to consider.


To begin, I should say that school policy on December graduation can vary from one high school to the next, so families should familiarize themselves with those policies before they spend too much time considering this option. It’s also a decision that should be well thought out and made in concert with good and timely communication with the school. It’s not a decision you can make at Thanksgiving dinner and then show up at school and announce, “I think I want to graduate in a couple of weeks.” It takes some planning and strategizing.


The biggest advantage for a senior grad is that it frees them up for the spring semester to either go ahead and enroll in college in January or simply work in preparation of perhaps starting college later. In the case of the former, students should apply as would any other student. They just need to indicate they plan to start in the upcoming January. Be careful, this might be a separate application than what other seniors are filling out during the fall. December grads might need to use last year’s application. Just make sure you’re paying close attention to dates and years. December grads are eligible for financial aid but they will fill out a different application than their fellow seniors as the FAFSA calendar begins in fall in ends in the summer. For both of these processes, it is once again crucial that students make a decision about a December graduation early on.


The cons of graduating early lie mostly in the fact that it just runs counter to the calendar of everything else that happens at a school. So, a student who is starting college for the first time in January might not have as robust of an initial college experience as a student starting in the fall or summer. The other students are in the swing of things by January, new relationships have already formed, December grads might be choosing housing from among the leftovers, orientation programs might not exist or be scaled back, it’s just not quite the same. There are also some fun goings on at the high school that a student might miss out on during the last semester depending on the school. Maybe those things wouldn’t be of interest to the student and none of these might be deal breakers, but they are worth taking into account.


Graduating in December is the right fit for many students. However, it doesn’t work for everyone and wrapping things on the early side is not a decision that should be made on the spur of the moment. It takes a lot of research, planning, and communication to get it right.