What To Enter for “Level of Education” When You’re Still in College

Overview: The Right Way to Report Your Education While You’re Still in College

When you’re currently enrolled, most applications ask for your “level of education” as your
highest level completed
, not what you’re working toward. That means you typically select the last degree you have finished (for example, high school diploma), then list your in-progress college degree separately with your expected graduation date. This approach aligns with standard education reporting conventions used by educational and labor statistics agencies that classify by the highest level
completed
rather than intended or in-progress levels [1] .

How Most Forms Interpret “Level of Education”

Many online applications and HR systems are designed around the concept of completed educational attainment. Education researchers and statistical frameworks (e.g., ISCED used internationally and by U.S. education agencies) place you at the level of the last credential you’ve completed, and treat in-progress study separately. Practically, this means a student pursuing a bachelor’s who has not yet graduated would still indicate high school (or associate) as the highest completed level and then provide details for a current bachelor’s in progress [1] .

Why this matters: choosing a level you haven’t completed can misrepresent your qualifications in applicant tracking systems and background checks. Listing your status accurately-completed level plus in-progress degree-prevents downstream verification issues and keeps your application compliant with standard definitions [1] .

What To Select in Common Scenarios

Undergraduate (Associate or Bachelor’s) – Not Yet Graduated

– If you have not earned any college credential yet: Select **High school diploma or equivalent** as your highest level completed. Then add a separate entry for your current college with “Bachelor of Arts/Science in [Major]-In Progress,” and include your expected graduation month and year.

– If you have earned an associate degree and are now pursuing a bachelor’s: Select **Associate degree** as your highest level completed, then list your bachelor’s as in progress with expected graduation.

– If the form offers options like “Some college,” “In college,” or “Currently enrolled”: You can select these if no graduation is claimed; still include details on your program and expected graduation to clarify your status. This aligns with standard attainment categories that include “some college” for individuals without a completed 4-year degree [2] .

Community College or Certificate Programs

– For credit-bearing associate programs you haven’t completed: Choose **Some college** or the equivalent, and add “Associate of Arts/Science-In Progress” with expected completion.

– For short-term nondegree certificates taken for credit: If the certificate is not yet completed, maintain the previously completed highest level and list the certificate program as in progress.

Graduate School (Master’s or Doctoral) – Not Yet Graduated

– If you have completed your bachelor’s and started a master’s: Select **Bachelor’s degree** as your highest level completed, and list your master’s as in progress with expected graduation.

– If you have completed a master’s and started a doctorate: Select **Master’s degree** as your highest level completed, and list the doctorate as in progress.

These selections reflect the hierarchy of degree levels recognized by universities: associate and bachelor’s (undergraduate), followed by master’s and doctoral (graduate) [3] , [4] .

How To List Your In-Progress Degree Correctly

Use a clear, verifiable structure so employers and systems can parse your current status accurately. A practical template:

Source: best-infographics.com

– School Name, City, State – Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biology – Status: In Progress – Expected Graduation: May 2027 – Credits Earned: 75 semester hours (Junior standing)

Including semester hours helps when a form asks for class standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior). Many colleges define standing by
earned semester hours
rather than years in school-for example, junior status often corresponds to roughly 60-89 earned semester hours, and senior to 90+ hours. Individual thresholds vary by institution, but this hours-based model is widely used in U.S. colleges [5] .

Step-by-Step: Completing Common Application Fields

1) Education Level Dropdown

– If you haven’t finished a college credential yet: Choose **High school diploma or equivalent** or **Some college** (if available). Do not select bachelor’s until conferred.

– If you’ve completed an associate degree: Choose **Associate degree** even if currently pursuing a bachelor’s.

2) School and Degree

– Enter your university and your intended degree title (e.g., “B.S. in Computer Science”). Make sure the degree type (BA/BS/AA/AS/MA/MS/PhD) matches your program’s catalog name.

3) Dates

– Start Date: Month/Year you began. – End Date: Leave blank or select “Present.” If the form requires a date, enter your expected graduation month/year and mark “Expected” if the field is available.

4) Status

– Use “In Progress,” “Currently Enrolled,” or “Candidate” (e.g., “M.S. Candidate, Expected May 2026”). Avoid implying conferral if not yet awarded.

5) Credits and Class Standing

– If asked, list total semester hours earned to date and your standing (e.g., Junior). Institutions commonly map standing to earned hours rather than years, so your hours help systems classify correctly [5] .

Resume and LinkedIn Examples

Example 1: Undergraduate State University – B.S. in Data Science (In Progress) Expected Graduation: May 2027 | 72/120 credits (Junior) Relevant Coursework: Statistical Learning, Data Structures

Example 2: Associate-to-Bachelor’s Community College – A.S. in Business Administration (Conferred May 2024) University – B.B.A. in Finance (In Progress), Expected Dec 2026

Example 3: Graduate Student University – M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (In Progress) Expected: May 2026 | Thesis: Composite Materials Fatigue

Common Pitfalls and How To Avoid Them

Claiming a degree before conferral. Do not select bachelor’s or master’s as your highest level unless the degree has been awarded. This prevents verification discrepancies and aligns with how educational attainment is reported by agencies and surveys, which categorize by highest completed level [1] , [2] .

Omitting expected graduation. Without an expected date, employers may assume a longer timeline. Adding a date improves clarity and helps applicant tracking systems interpret readiness.

Ignoring credits/class standing. When a form asks for standing, use your institution’s credit-based definition if available. Many U.S. colleges use earned semester hours to define freshman through senior status [5] .

Alternative Approaches When Options Are Limited

Some portals only allow you to choose among completed degrees with no “in progress” status. In those cases:

– Select your highest completed level (e.g., high school diploma or associate degree). – Use a free-text field, cover letter, or additional information section to state your current program, expected graduation, and credits earned. – If contacted, be ready to provide unofficial transcripts or enrollment verification letters from your registrar.

Source: best-infographics.com

These steps maintain accuracy and give hiring managers the context they need without overstating your qualifications-consistent with degree-level hierarchies and conventional reporting used by colleges and the labor market [3] , [4] .

How Degree Levels Are Typically Ordered

Understanding degree order helps you choose correctly:

– Undergraduate: Associate, then Bachelor’s. – Graduate: Master’s, then Doctoral.

This ordering is consistent across U.S. institutions and employer expectations, with graduate credentials representing higher specialization beyond undergraduate study [3] , [4] .

Special Cases and How to List Them

Transferred schools: List your current institution and in-progress degree first. You may include your previous college under Education or note transferred credits in your summary.

Gap terms or part-time enrollment: You can note “part-time” if relevant to timeline. Still use expected graduation and credits to show progress.

International students: Translate your degree level into the closest U.S. equivalent (e.g., bachelor’s in progress) and clarify expected conferral. Many international frameworks map to U.S. undergraduate and graduate levels; selection should still reflect your highest completed credential per standardized attainment practices [1] .

Quick Decision Guide

– Still in college, no prior degree completed: Choose High school diploma (or Some college if offered). Add bachelor’s/associate “In Progress” with expected date. – Associate completed, now pursuing bachelor’s: Choose Associate. Add bachelor’s “In Progress.” – Bachelor’s completed, now in master’s: Choose Bachelor’s. Add master’s “In Progress.” – Master’s completed, now in doctorate: Choose Master’s. Add doctorate “In Progress.”

Key Takeaways

When you’re still in college, the safest, most accurate choice for “level of education” is the highest level you have
completed
, paired with a clear entry for your current degree marked “In Progress,” including expected graduation and, when requested, credits and class standing. This method aligns with recognized education classification practices and avoids misrepresentation on applications [1] , [5] , [3] , [4] , [2] .

References

[1] U.S. National Center for Education Statistics (n.d.). International education levels and attainment classification. [2] Wikipedia (current). Educational attainment in the United States. [3] Furman University (2024). What Are the Different Levels of College Degrees? [4] TheBestSchools.org (2025). A Complete Guide to All College Degree Levels. [5] University of Iowa CLAS (n.d.). Student classification by semester hours.