How Much You’ll Save by Graduating Early from College: Part 2

Here we continue our plan for early graduation and the ultimate prize of $1,759,614.15! Let’s move into step 5.

Step 5: Rack up credits!

• Overload classes. At most schools you need to have a certain GPA before you can take on extra courses, usually like a 3.7. If you feel you can handle the extra courses, by all means, take them. It’s laughable when people only take 11 credit hours a semester and pretend they are busy. Many of the most successful people I’ve ever met were ones who took 19, 20, 21, even up to 25 credit hours per semester. If you’re willing to be one of those people, there’s an extremely high change you’ll do well in life. And yes, you’ll have lots of money.
• Night classes. Ever wonder what it’s like to see a teacher after dark? Well wonder no more! Night classes are great if you’re a night person. Earning credits at night makes it so you don’t need to overload your schedule during the day. It decompresses your day.  It’s also a great opportunity to get to know your classmates better. A pretty girl will say to you, “Oh, I wish I didn’t have to be here right now.”  And you can be like, “Why’s that?” And she’ll be like, “Because I had some tickets to see Taylor Swift.”  And then you can console her. Then, months later, once you two are dating and the class is complete, you can hand her a pair of Taylor Swift tickets and say, “Still like Taylor Swift?”  But you know she does, you sly devil.
• Summer classes. I want you to be at the point where credits are rolling in so fast you never have to worry about having enough to graduate. To do this, don’t be a sissy and take a 3-month long break over the summer. Taking summer classes puts you on the fast-track to early graduation. Don’t think you will become some sort of pasty-skinned zombie either when taking summer classes. All of my summer classes were taken online on my wonderful laptop. I still did everything I enjoyed but when I had the time I would whip open my laptop and work through the courses.  I really recommend online classes for many reasons but one reason is because they are mapped out really well and you can work ahead and on your own schedule. Plus there’s no sitting in a stuffy classroom. I would take the hour a day I would typically be listening to a boring lecture and work on assignments. Hour per hour, online courses are much faster. They just really make sense. An even better use of your time would be to read so much that you’re self taught. But that’s not what college is about so that’s another post for another day. Though imagine how much money you would save on college if you were disciplined enough to be self-taught? You wouldn’t get a degree when you’re learned a lot but if you can prove you know your stuff, no wise company would turn you away merely for a lack of degree. It’s all about what you can do for a company if you want to get hired. A diploma doesn’t exactly prove anything. Though it’s nice to have.

Step 4: Plan Post-Graduation

• Decide what you will do after graduation. Just as planning for college was important in high school, planning for post-grad is even more important.  Make sure you understand what your next move will be after undergrad.  Will you go on to graduate school?  Will you begin your career? Perhaps start a business?  Earn your CFA?  Start thinking early.
• Scardy pants syndrome. The scardy pants syndrome is apparent in kids who are scared to go out into the real world and make something of themselves. Many kids are scared of the world beyond education. I understand and it is scary. At graduation you will have been going to school for 16 years!  What next?! I completely understand the feeling however I discourage you from hiding in the ivory tower simply to delay the inevitable.
• Having a plan will make you excited to finish school! You will have a new adventure lined up the very day you turn your tassel.

Step 6: Appreciate

• College offers many possibilities. Freedom to learn about yourself, opportunities to travel abroad, and a flexible schedule, just to name a few.  Although this post is about graduating early I still want you to appreciate your education and understand its importance.

After some compounding interest, this article combined with your hard work will get you that $1,759,614.15!  If that doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will!

Read this post. Re-read it. Hang it above your desk, on your dorm mini-fridge, print it out and throw it in your pocket before leaving for class. Perhaps use it as a bookmark to remind yourself why you’re reading 100+ pages a day of ‘History of Political Thought’. Do whatever you need to in order to remind yourself graduating in three years is very possible. Get yourself pumped each time you see the reminder!

How to Get Your First Job Quickly After College

I know you’re busy hustling to graduate early. But it’s important to find your first job before graduating. That way you don’t stall out post-grad. That’s all too easy to do. So take time to go through interviews with companies. Here are some guidelines:

Get in Touch with Career Services

Career services can put you in touch with alumni who would love to hire you. Tell career services what kind of job you want and ask them what they can do to help you get it. It’s amazing what asking for help can do.

Open Yourself up to Certain Possibilities

You want to be open. Not too open but a little open. This means being willing to take far away interviews, being willing to travel as part of the job and do what it takes in order to move up in the world.

Show Your Eagerness

Some companies may not want to talk with you until after you graduate. But by displaying how eager you are to get the process started, human resources may make an exception. Let them know you want to hit the ground running after graduating and if they don’t hire you, another company will.

Act Fast

Unless you’re graduating mid-term, there will be lots of other hungry applicants ready to pounce on each new job listing. Make sure to stiff arm the competition by acting fast and getting yourself in front of hiring authorities ASAP.

You’ll Have Money and the Ability to Make More

There you have it. How to save money during college plus how to get a lot of money right afterwards. No go stick to the plan. Enjoy!