Q. I'm about to start my senior year in journalism school and wonder if I should consider graduating early, as many of my friends intend to do. I came into college with a number of Advanced Placement credits and could have finished my degree after junior year, but I chose to stay through at least this fall.
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Given the rough state of the job market, would leaving school a few months early help my chances of finding a job? Doing so would also save me a lot of money on private school tuition.
Thanks,
Early OptionA. The biggest advantage to leaving early is saving that tuition money -- which could have a bearing on how well you survive the transition to working.
Graduating early makes a good impression, but it is not a game breaker.
I do not advise people to graduate so early that it deprives them of a round at internships, but that does not seem to be the case with you, as you will simply become available for your final internship or first job a few months earlier than is normal.
I have more on internship strategies at
"Breaking In: The JobsPage.com Guide to Newspaper Internships."
Coming Wednesday: Her long-term goal is to be a journalist, but for right now the best job opportunity is at a university. Can she work in academic PR and return to journalism?
