3 Classes to take Senior Year: Should I graduate early?

Hi, currently I’m a sophomore, and I was considering graduating early. I don’t really like my school (I’ve always had problems with administration figuring out classes and finding more advanced enrichment), and tbh, I feel like I’ll burn out senior year. I’m considering a STEM related major: some sort of engineering, most likely chemical.

So far, for APs and DE classes (last year and this year), I have AP Chem, AP Stats, APUSH, and DE French. I might take a DE in international studies next semester. By the end of junior year, I’ll have 23.5-24 credits; we need 21 to graduate.

My junior year schedule:
AP US Gov
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics 1
AP English Lang
Independent Study French V (I’m going to prepare for the AP exam that May, and I’m currently in the highest level French)
Wellness III / Financial Planning

If I graduate early, I’d add two additional semesters of English to that.

Senior year:
APES (or AP Bio)
AP English Lit
AP Psych

That’s 3.5 credits; we need 6 a year at my school. If I really wanted to stay senior year, I could double up in social studies and take AP Western, double up and take both AP Science classes, take AP Comp Sci, or just take a bunch of non-AP electives, but I’d rather not.

For extracurriculars: I have cheerleading for fall/winter seasons (probably going to be captain next year), All-American (this year and presumably the following years, DECA (trying for leadership next year), French Club (again, trying for a leadership position), and I’m a tutor for peer-tutor club (I’ll definitely have a leadership position in that). I’m applying for French NHS (will have leadership), Math NHS, Science NHS, and normal NHS. I also am working on forming a club and doing volunteer work with the red cross. I’m also currently 2nd in the class.

Do you think I will be at a disadvantage with admissions as a junior? I understand engineering is hard to get into, and I don’t want graduating early to jeopardize that. Do you guys just think I should double up senior year so I have the minimum six credits? Is this worth bringing up to my counselor?

Interested in: Tulane, TexasA&M, UConn, Rice, UT Austin, Tulane

“Do you think I will be at a disadvantage with admissions as a junior?”

Yes. Also, going to university when you are a year younger than everyone else is not ideal. In my experience the academics is NOT the problem, everything else is the problem.

I think that you should look at AP classes and dual enrollment options and find a reasonable set of classes to take for senior year at your high school, and graduate at the normal time.

Agree with @DadTwoGirls