Graduating “on time” is a typical worry of most college students as it is seen as ideal to do so in one’s college career. While it’s the norm to graduate in eight semesters, or four years, with an undergraduate degree, there are also many viable reasons to graduate “late.”

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 2019 only 41% of college students graduate in four years. Meaning, the majority of students do not graduate within the four year time frame. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you end up graduating late. 

As a current fourth-year double majoring in communication media and Spanish, I am graduating this coming fall of 2022 — one semester late. Normally when I explain to people I am graduating a semester late, I follow it up with the fact that I am double majoring and they understand. 

However, sometimes I get the question, “Are you okay with graduating late?” To this I say “Absolutely, yes.” I am actually happy to be graduating late, but, earlier in college, I used to feel like I was running behind when my projected graduation date seemed so much further away.

Reasons for graduating later may include changing one’s major, taking a gap year or semester for your mental health, working an internship, failing a class and so many more — all of which are perfectly okay. 

There are also many advantages to graduating late. It gives you more time to build up your resume with internships and extra curricular activities. For example, you could join a club or sport, an activity that can enhance your college experience and resume simultaneously. I know this has made my time at NC State worthwhile. 

You can also find a campus job that can give you more work experience to help you get a job after graduation or get into graduate school. Working for a student organization like Technician, taking a job tutoring students, or working in research alongside a professor all produce only better chances for your success once you graduate. 

Graduating later also allows for more time to study abroad now that travel restrictions have been lessened and programs are up and running again.

It also gives you a chance to take your time with your classes, instead of possibly trying to fit in as many credit hours as possible into each semester. Additionally, having an extra summer in college allows me to plan for more traveling before going to graduate school, or in many students’ cases, working full time. With the pandemic making a lot of our college experiences online for a year and a half, being on campus in person for another semester is not so bad when you think about it.

It’s also comforting to know that many of my friends are also graduating a semester or two late. Regardless of this, it shouldn’t be something to beat yourself up over because you didn’t finish your degree within the conventional time frame.

It certainly wasn’t my goal to graduate late, but it’s important to know it is not a setback on one’s career. If anything, it gives me more time to set myself up for success in the future. I have more time to plan for graduate school, internships and have fun in this time before working full time as an adult. 

Everyone’s career path truly is different and valid. It can be easy to compare your progress with others in college, but it’s important to celebrate all of your achievements — especially one as big as graduating — even if it is “late.”