Can You Get a Bachelor’s Degree in 3 Years?

By Elizabeth West (BA 26)

Can you get a bachelor’s degree in 3 years? The answer is yes! Some schools offer formal and informal accelerated 3-year degree options, depending on your major. Pursuing an early graduation includes heavier coursework for disciplined students and the risk of burnout, but cutting the cost of your education can make the heavy workload worth it. 

A 3-year degree can save time and money, but this path may be better suited for some students than others. So, who should consider getting a 3-year degree, and what challenges come with this choice?

Who Should Consider Getting a Degree in 3 Years? 

Students with dual credits and college credit from AP courses are ideal candidates for a 3-year degree. Coming into college with credit hours from high school allows for a more flexible schedule when you are trying to graduate early. 

If you are confident in your major choice, an accelerated degree might be perfect for you. Graduating early requires a strict adherence to your major’s required courses to fulfill requirements. If you are unsure about what you want to study, you can start with a full semester course load to decide if a 3-year degree is something you would be interested in. It’s much easier to slow down than to speed up and recover lost time. 

An accelerated degree is not limited to students with transfer credits at Grace College; almost any of our students can earn a degree in 3 years. However, some programs fit best into 4 years. For example, education, nursing, and engineering typically require a 4-year degree because of student teaching, technical courses, or rigorous internships. 

What about athletes wanting to graduate early? As an athlete, you have 4 years of eligibility in your sport. While your coach will most likely encourage you to play all 4 seasons, it is ultimately up to you whether or not you stay for 4 years or 3. For fall sports like soccer, you can finish your degree in 3 and a half years, while still playing all 4 of your seasons. You can decide what’s best for you. 

How to Get a Bachelor’s Degree in 3 Years

Communicating with your academic advisor, exploring your college choice’s accelerated degree options, and maintaining an organized schedule will help you determine if you can get a bachelor’s degree in 3 years. 

If you want to know how to graduate college in 3 years, remember that communication with your academic advisor is vital to staying on track for your degree. Creating a plan for your classes leading up to graduation will ensure you complete your degree in your desired timeframe. At Grace College, when you meet with your advisor, you can choose the formal 3-year track and begin planning your courses together. Depending on your major and the transferred credits you have, Grace offers early graduation through structured 3-year tracks available for most majors, without relying solely on credit hour overloads, AP credits, or summer classes. 

Graduating in 3 years will include taking on heavier course loads. This could mean taking 18 credit hours per semester and enrolling in summer classes, depending on how many credits you bring into college. 

At Grace, you can accelerate your degree through our 8-week sessions along with traditional 16-week classes. Graduating college in 3 years may also require you to take two 6-week summer courses. Using this method, you can earn 120 credits in 3 years, even if you do not have existing college credits. You can also get your master’s degree in 4 years at Grace. 

Challenges of Accelerated Degree

Accelerated degrees can be challenging because of the intense academic schedule they require. You may wonder if it’s possible to balance a social life and prevent burnout while trying to graduate in 3 years. The primary solution to this problem is time management.

Maintaining a social life on campus is definitely possible if you’re graduating in 3 years, but it will require personal discipline. Hanging out with others may look like eating dinner or going to the gym together — things that you already plan into your schedule. Marking time in your calendar for social events is an important part of staying involved in student life as well.  

To avoid burnout in your academics, prioritize scheduling. Keep an organized planner or calendar and adhere to a consistent sleep schedule. When you’re planning on graduating college in 3 years, know your limits and manage your time to be successful. 

Another challenge to a 3-year degree is limited academic exploration outside of your major. 3-year degrees require a tight academic schedule to fulfill major requirements, which means you will not have time to take classes outside of your academic field, aside from liberal arts courses. 

Lastly, ensure that your scholarships and financial aid are not contingent upon studying for four years. 

Why It’s Worth It

So, can you get a bachelor’s degree in 3 years? Absolutely! An accelerated degree is a great way to save money and time, helping you land your dream job more quickly. When you’re making the decision to graduate in three years, be sure to consider your major choice, recognize that you’ll have a potentially heavier course load, and prepare to overcome the challenges of a busy schedule. 

To hear from Grace College students who have successfully completed the 3-year degree, read Cori Anthony and Jaden Cardoso’s stories about completing accelerated degrees and getting their dream roles in the workforce.

If you’re interested in graduating in 3 years, check out one of the first colleges in the nation to offer this option: Grace College! Discover possible 3-year degrees at Grace College, or apply to learn more.