MHS students take unique route with early graduation

Akshay Vadlamani | The Chronicle

There is an emerging trend at Mason High School (MHS) that challenges traditional educational timelines. Students are increasingly finding unique pathways to complete their high school education, breaking away from the conventional four-year model and charting their own academic journeys. For some students, early graduation is not just an option — it is a strategic life decision driven by clear personal goals and ambitious futures. Take Emma Musheno, a 16-year-old junior who will graduate this year, a full year ahead of her original class. She said her motivation is crystal clear: a fast track to becoming a pediatric doctor with minimal student debt. Her plan involves leveraging a scholarship for children of veterans that covers 75% of tuition at public institutions, allowing her to commit to the University of Cincinnati’s Allied Health Science Program. “I wanted to get it done as fast as I could so that I would be done with all of it when I was younger,” Musheno said. Musheno said she took on this challenge not only to become a doctor faster but to start a family earlier. Musheno values the bonds she and her family share, and her desire to make these memories earlier pushes her to work harder for her dreams. “My ultimate goal is to be a doctor and have a family,” Musheno said. “The older you get, the harder that is.” The path to early graduation is not straightforward. The motivations are as diverse as the students themselves. Some are seeking academic challenges beyond what traditional high school offers, while others are addressing practical life circumstances. School counselors Katie Hicks and Michelle Brinkman said that there is no universal right or wrong approach to early graduation. “We might have two students graduate early one year, or five the next,” Hicks said. “For some students, their motivation is because they want to be done here early, and so we can offer them other solutions, like CCP for their last year. They could get some free college credit, not be in the building, and not have to graduate early.” “Our job isn’t to judge whether it’s a good or bad idea,” Brinkman said. “It’s about providing options and helping students understand the implications of their choices.” For some students, like Riya Shrivastava, early graduation is about navigating personal challenges and accelerating academic goals. A 16-year-old junior-turned senior with a heart condition that frequently pulled her from classes, Riya found an opportunity to complete her high school education ahead of schedule. Her decision came after a pivotal conversation with her school counselor. “My counselor called me back into her office, and she told me that I only needed five more credits to graduate,” Shrivastava said. “And I was like, ‘Okay, that’s perfect.’ I would just be spending my days doing nothing in class anyway senior year.” Riya’s path involved a hybrid learning model, completing half her classes online and half in person. Her ultimate goal after college is to enroll at the University of Cincinnati for one year and then transfer to her school of choice next year. “Right now, online, I’m doing semester two of English IV, and once I’m done with that, I’m done with [high] school for good,” Shrivastava said. “I’ve always wanted to go to Florida Atlantic [University] because they have a really good cardiology program, but I am only 16. After talking to my parents about it, I decided to try to do a transfer to Florida Atlantic from either UC’s main campus or regional campus.” The college application process presents its own set of challenges for early graduates. Musheno said she discovered this when filling out The Common Application (Common App), navigating special circumstance sections and explaining her unique academic timeline. “Going into the Common App, I had not written an essay at all because I hadn’t taken English III in school,” Musheno said. “I hadn’t had that experience where I had an essay reviewed by a teacher in class, alongside the fact that there’s a whole extra question and section on graduating early.” Shrivastava said she had to quickly complete her college essay and SAT and apply to schools with remaining open applications due to her making this decision very late in the college application process. “Applying to colleges was a really big issue for me because it was November, and early action was already over, and a lot of places I wanted to go to through regular decision were ending as well, too,” Shrivastava said. “Through Common App, I applied to any college that was still taking applications and wrote my college essay in two days. I also had a struggle with test scores because I had only taken the PSAT. So I quickly spent my nights studying, and I took the SAT.” For some students, like Preston Estoesta, early graduation is tied to athletic opportunities. Estoesta, who graduated a semester early, is now part of Bowling Green State University’s (BGSU) football program. His decision was a strategic move to gain an edge in his athletic career by immersing himself in college-level training as soon as possible. “Graduating early gave me a huge advantage,” Estoesta said. “I get to start training with the team, learn the playbook, and get used to the intensity of college football before the next season even starts. It’s a big step up, but I feel like I’m prepared for it.” Despite Estoesta’s desire to finish the school year at MHS, his motivation to make it big in the NFL is a personal one as he attends BGSU. He is motivated by his desire to buy his mom a house and ultimately do better than the life he once had in California. Estoesta finished the entirety of his final semester’s worth of academic work in the last three weeks of his first semester, and that allowed him to get his credits done and graduate early. “It was just me and my mom in California, and we struggled,” Estoesta said. “I could either get a full-ride scholarship to school and get paid monthly for being a football player, or I could just do nothing with my life. That drove me every day to outwork everyone and get one next step closer to my dream.” Social considerations also play a significant role. Both Musheno and Estoesta acknowledged the potential disconnect from traditional high school experiences. Despite the social sacrifice of leaving friends behind, Musheno made peace with her decision to graduate early. Her acknowledgment of regret about missing senior year with her friends is something she has come to terms with. “The only thing I really do regret is that the majority of my friends will still be here next year, and I won’t,” Musheno said. For Estoesta, the guidance from Coach Affatato proved pivotal in his decision-making process. Despite his regret of missing out on common second-semester traditions with his friends, he said he understands it was for his future, and it is not the end of his friendships. “I could have run track this year with my boys, but Coach Affatato really told me, ‘you either go now and get a head start, or you go in six months and be behind everyone,’” Estoesta said. “That’s what really helped me. I bet my friends respect my decision because they want what’s best for me.”