For students wanting to leave MHS before they’ve finished their senior year, there are two ways of getting out early. One: drop out, like 1.2 percent of Rockwood students chose to do last year. Two: accumulate enough credits in time to graduate early.

So far this year, 19 students have registered for this second option.

Ariel Zhang, junior, said she plans to graduate after only three years of high school. With just three years under her belt, Zhang still has enough credits to be considered a senior.

“I always knew I was going to graduate early,” Zhang said.

Zhang said her parents encouraged her to graduate early because it would be good for her in the long run.

“I want to go into the medical field,” Zhang said. “I didn’t want to be one of those people entering the workforce at age 35.”

To fulfill the credit requirements for graduation, Zhang is currently taking two online courses.

Zhang is applying to SLU, the University of California San Diego and the University of Virginia. All three applications are due Nov. 30.

“I’m excited for the new school spirit,” Zhang said. “You go to a college because you want to.”

Lucy Lund, senior, chose early graduation in order to save money for college.

“I’m just going to get a job after I graduate,” Lund said. “That way I can save up before I start college in the fall.”

Lund has already been accepted to North Dakota State University.

“I have all the credits I really need to graduate,” Lund said. “All I would be coming to school for is a bunch of electives I don’t really need.”

When Lund first had the idea to talk to her counselor about early graduation, her parents were on board completely.

Lund said she first decided to graduate early when she was signing up for senior classes.

Lund said all she had to do to rack up enough credits to graduate was sign up for two English classes senior year. Lund also never took study hall.

“I moved here freshman year from Kansas,” Lund said. “So I had an extra credit.”

But Chad Sisk, college admissions counselor, said early graduation sometimes isn’t such a sensible option.

“Most colleges will discourage students from graduating early,” Sisk said. “In order to have a highly competitive application at many of the highly competitive institutions a student is going to need all eight semesters of high school.”

Maddy DeHart, senior, has also registered to graduate at the end of the semester to start taking classes at St. Louis Community College. Like Lund, DeHart has already been accepted to a university.

“I’m going to SLU in the fall,” DeHart said. “I’m going to take some of the basic classes in community college first.”

At $83 per credit hour compared to $580 at SLU, DeHart said she would be saving herself money in the long run.

“I’ll get to graduate college early too then,” DeHart said.

DeHart did consider the downsides of skipping her last semester of high school.

“I still get to walk with my class at graduation,” DeHart said.

DeHart decided on early graduation during her freshman year.

“It just makes sense for me to go ahead and graduate.,” DeHart said.