Today, we speak to senior Taylor Jachts, a senior Law and Justice major from Manalapan, NJ (Monmouth County). Taylor will graduate from the Degree in Three program at Rowan University with a bachelor’s degree in law & justice, completed in three years. She’s going to tell us a little more about why she chose the program and how she’s finding success.
Why did you choose Rowan University?
“I actually chose Rowan University because of the Bantivoglio Honors Program and the Degree in Three Program. They are both things that look great on a resume!”
What made you choose your major?
“I chose to be a Law & Justice major because I wanted to go to law school. There are a lot of majors that can get someone to law school, but I found this one the most interesting.”
How did you find out about Degree in Three?
“After applying for my major, I received an email about the program, found out more about it, and decided to apply because it seemed like a really great opportunity for me.”
Why did you choose that program?
“I have never been the kind of person who wanted to spend a lot of time at college taking part in activities. I wanted to get in, do what I had to do, and get out. I have a lot of drive and after hearing about the way the credits are broken up I thought it was really easy. One extra class per semester and two summers seemed like a great trade for graduating a year early and saving all of that tuition and housing money.”
Were there any challenges you had to overcome?
“In my first month of college, I got really overwhelmed because my uncle passed away and left a real mess for my family to deal with. I had to help deal with businesses that I knew nothing about, had to essentially keep my family running, and took on more responsibilities than I even thought existed. It was really crazy. On top of that I had a lot of classes to deal with, plus some were honors classes, and then I was on the executive board for Camp Kesem, so I had a lot of work and I had to learn how to manage all of it.”
How do find balance in work, life, and school?
“I go home every weekend. I was a student worker for the General Counsel at Rowan, so whenever I was between classes, I went there. It was a great way to get through a work and school day all at once. Then my roommates were all in Honors so that was a great motivation for getting my work done. Then I went home every Thursday night and spent Friday through Sunday working for my family, being with my boyfriend, and relaxing. My life is super busy in every area, but I enjoy that!”
How do you think this will help you or set you up for success in the future?
“I think this will help me in law school because law school is hectic and requires a lot of work. After my Degree in Three experience, along with Honors, I think I have learned to balance a lot of work as well as handling difficult or intense work like I will be faced with in law school. I also think I have been forced to think of a heavy workload as ‘normal’ because of these experiences, so when I have an average workload, I feel like I have barely anything to do. I’m grateful that it seems like this because I am no longer easily overwhelmed. I really feel like I can handle anything.”
Any advice to those looking into the program or in general?
“Just do it! The program is a great experience, it is an amazing way to save a year’s worth of tuition and housing costs, and it honestly never felt like it was that much more work. The summers were really easy because I took online classes and I was able to accomplish everything I wanted, plus I was able to enjoy every bit of my summer and hold a full-time job. Taking one extra class per semester was so extremely worth graduating a year early! If you’re debating it, just go for it! If you feel overwhelmed, you have the opportunity to back out of it and you’ll still be just a little ahead of the game! You’ll never know if you’ll like it if you don’t give it the good old college try!”
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Story by: Bianca Torres, Junior, Music Industry Major
Photography by: Taylor Jachts, Senior, Law and Justice Major