<p>I have recently begun to consider applying to colleges as a junior. I do not know anyone who has done this, and I do not know what I should do. I have read through some posts on CC about early admission, skipping 12th grade, and dual enrollment. Right now, I do not know whether it would be better to apply a year early or to just take some courses at a local college. </p>
<p>I know that some parents on this board have children who are applying as juniors (soozievt's D is, I think). Before I talk to my parents about exploring this option, I want to think about it some more and gather opinions of other CCers. How did your child decide to apply early? What other options were considered? When did you or your child bring up the option?</p>
<p>In our case my daughter was accelerated out of a year of language and a year of math sometime in late middle school or early high school. By the end of 10th grade she had completed BC calculus and the highest class in her foreign language. She took a calculus-based college physics course the following summer, and could not continue on this track at her high school because this level course wasn't offered. They wouldn't give her credit for college courses she took. She hated the grade-appropriate courses she was forced to take; she found them too "mickey mouse". And she'd basically run out of classes in a number of subject areas.</p>
<p>She, and we, started talking about early graduation as soon as she got moved ahead in the two core subject areas; during freshman year I believe. She chose her electives carefully, so that she could meet all graduation requirements by junior year. She applied to colleges as a junior, but technically at the end of her junior year she was re-classified , and participated in graduation as a senior.</p>
<p>We didn't have any issue with her acceleration because it was clear that she would be terminally bored otherwise.</p>
<p>In my view, this was a special case. I would not be contemplating early departure from high school for either of my other two children.</p>
<p>She definitely missed out on some things by leaving early. I see her former classmates, seniors now, strutting around at the school, and they are rulers of the roost. My daughter never got to do that. Plus she is a year younger than everyone at her college. She made the right decision for her, but there are tradeoffs. The decision should be considered very carefully.</p>
<p>There are really two paths to take on this. You can apply as a junior for early acceptance programs which are in place at some colleges. Those programs do not expect the student to graduate from high school. Not all colleges have this accomodation. Then there are the kids who graduate early by fulfilling graduation requirements by the end of junior year which is a path Monydad's D, Soozievt's D and Marite's S are taking. In that case, you are no different from the seniors who are applying and receive little special consideration or accomodation, and have to have that diploma at the end of the year unless you request some exemption.</p>
<p>My S took two APs in 8th grade, so it was clear that he would run out of high school courses before his senior year. Indeed, he has been taking college classes since 9th grade. Fortunately for him, some other students graduated early before, so there were some procedures in place. He discussed his plans with his GC thoroughly during his sophomore year and petitioned to be allowed to graduate early. Beginning in sophomore year and in his (current) junior year, he doubled up on English so that he could fulfill the 4-year English requirement (the 4th year of PE is being waived). The college courses he has been taking are fulfilling the math and science requirements (3 years of each) and count for high school credit. He made sure to take the required number of technical arts courses and more than fulfilled the foreign language requirement. So he will be able to graduate this June.</p>
<p>Thanks, monydad, jamimom, and marite. I am definitely not as advanced as your S and D are, monydad and jamimom. By the end of 11th grade, I will have completed Calculus BC, four years of science, Spanish through the AP level (four years), three history credits, and three English credits. I will also have one elective space (probably for my last year of English).</p>
<p>I am interested in the natural sciences (biology, environmental science, botany, etc.). If I graduate early, I will not be taking advantage of all of my school's science courses. I will have to use my elective course in 11th grade for English in order to fulfill my graduation requirements. I am considering taking some science couses at a local college instead of taking science at my school in 11th grade, and using that period to make sure that I will have four years each of history and English.</p>
<p>I may not have this quite right as none of my kids accelerated. (in fact, some deccelerated doing double kindergarten years). But it is my impression, that the kids who do graduate early feel like they are done with highschool. It isn't a matter of it being an option--many kids could get out in 3 years if they so desire. It's sometimes a situation where they run out of courses, but mostly it is the situation that they are ready for college, and feel they are better off there than doing a 4th year of highschool, which socially can be very important. There is a sense of belonging and completion in finishing highschool with your class that you miss when you graduate early. When my son had some issues last year, he talked about graduating early--a semester early, something H and I were all for, that much less time to have to worry about getting through highschool, but when the year started, he balked at not finishing his senior year. He wanted to have that experience. So there is something lost for something gained, and the gain has to be worthwhile for kids to go through with this. It's more the snese of it being time to move on.</p>
<p>Yemaya:
You can take the sicence course at your local college; make sure to take the AP exam, however. Some colleges prefer applicants to have taken the AP class and the AP exam, because they know the curriculum and can evaluate the AP score. College classes vary wildly in quality and coverage. This caveat may not apply if your university system has a dual credit policy. If you are planning to major in the sciences, colleges will want you to show that you have taken the most rigorous and advanced load in those subjects; this can mean an AP class or a college class at that level or above.
My S took Biology in college because of a scheduling conflict; but also allowed him to start doubling up on English so he could have 4 years in 3. Just make sure you don't get overwhelmed by the extra work (it gets in the way of ECs).</p>
<p>My son, who was nowhere near as advanced as any one else listed here, applied to MIT and CalTech as a junior. Admitted to MIT, waitlisted at CalTech. He had three years of English (Honors Eng in 11th grade (not AP), French through French 4 (ended after 10th), Calc BC, AP Physics (11th), AP Bio (10th), AP US History (11th), regular Chem (9th grade), AP Comp Sci (11th). Mostly As, with Bs in French, art, and English. Great SATs, NMF, and killer ECs (at regional and state award level in several areas). Didn't take any college courses before going to MIT. Did NOT get all 5s on his APs.</p>
<p>My advice: it doesn't hurt to apply (except for the effort and the financial hit). My son figured his "safety school" was reapplying in his senior year and worrying about safeties then. He hit the jackpot, as far as he's concerned. (Although tonight he's worried about the next two weeks, since he has a test, problem set, project, or lab due every single school day for the next 13 days.)</p>
<p>I will note, however, that my son does not have a high school diploma and will not receive one from his high school, which refused to grant him one after his early departure.</p>
<p>Missing your last year in high school may not be the best decision. Many times we only think of the academics when we think about our children and how they can move ahead. Why the rush? So we can work another extra year of our life. There are many components to a person. {Social, emotional,physical} Academics are unfortunately given the most weight when making decisions about our children. We, many times overlook or feel the other components are not as important. Socially, a child's senior year is often a wonderful time to bond with friends and make memories that will take them through their college years. As an educator I feel we are pushing our children ahead beginning in kindergarten. Let's paint on the easel rather than push our children to do academic worksheets at 5 years old. Hold them back and let them enjoy life.That has been my philosophy. I was the parent yelling up to my son "Put that book down and stop studying and go outside and play." My son's social skills lagged behind his academic skills and I knew he needed that social piece in order to grow and move forward and be successful in life.Taking college courses or being involved in other activities will keep your child academically challenged during senior year. My son is at an ivy league school. I'm proud of him but I think he got there and is thriving because he waited. He was ready socially emotionally, physically and academically. I'm still trying to hold him back but it's out of my hands now. Good luck. Hope you make the right choice.</p>
<p>yemaya - you know we all love you. So let's hear from you a little more on the "why" of considering this. [ul][<em>]Are you bored with hs courses? (it doesn't sound like you've "run out" of them)[</em>]Are you feeling dissatisfied with or through with high school "life" in some way?[<em>]Are you feeling you're just "ready for the next step?"[</em>]something I haven't thought of?[/ul]</p>
<p>What are your thoughts on being a year "behind" your potential peers if you head off to college a year early? your thoughts on missing the "senior bonding" experience at high school?</p>
<p>I am pretty sure I would have had a juvenile delinquent rather than a socially adept child had I tried to hold my S back. In fact, S had an argument with H when H proposed that this summer, S do something other than go to math camp again.</p>
<p>jmmom- That's the problem. I have not come up with a definite "why". It is not that I am bored with high school courses, but rather bored with high school in general. I feel that I may be ready for college for reasons other than academics. My main concern is that I will feel left out when my high school friends are seniors and I am in college. I am worried that I will feel that I am missing out on my last years before adulthood.</p>
<p>marite- Your S reminds me a bit of myself. My parents have been trying to get me to slow down and "cut corners" when it comes to academics.</p>
<p>I'm part of a homeschooling parent support group in my town that is considering this issue carefully. Several of us have children enrolled in various levels of the local university's accelerated math program, in which my son will be taking calculus I at eighth-grade age. All of the kids are avid readers, and no two have quite the same tastes in ECs or possible future careers, but we all think that they will be at "college level" in most of their subjects across the board in just a few more years. </p>
<p>In our state, someone who is in eleventh grade who demonstrates readiness for college courses can take the college courses with state funding for "high school credit," even if that person has already fulfilled all high school graduation requirements. This seems like the way to have the best of both worlds: early experience with high-level academics, in a program that is suppportive of its participants, while still preserving "high school" status for academic competitions and entrance to a super-selective university somewhere. But we still have the issue of deciding at what age we declare our children to be in "eleventh grade," which also has relevance for the National Merit Scholarship program and for some summer programs. Definitely talk to your parents about the trade-offs, but don't hold back your learning to fit someone else's schedule.</p>
<p>Another possibility that I am considering would be to take most required classes by the end of junior year, and spend my senior year taking AP science courses and AP English Literature. I could take classes only in the mornings and have ECs in the afternoon. The problem with this, however, is that I am beginning to feel as I am outgrowing high school (like mezzomom's daughter). I am not sure if it would be better to just go to college early or spend a year in another city doing something worthwhile rather than continuing high school through my senior year.</p>
<p>APs in the morning and ECs in the afternoon certainly seems worthwhile to me. If you could toss in a semester's worth of a college class I think you'd find yourself fully engaged.</p>
<p>But make sure you check the application requirements at the schools you are interested in. Some of them are adamant about them.</p>
<p>So would you be 17 while living in a college environment? There is soooo much growing emotionally that can happen between junior and senior year. We have a culture where if you are not totally stimulated all the time, people want to change everything. No offense, but there is something special about graduating with your class, having grad night, going through some of the rituals involved. If you graduate early, how does class ranking come in? just wondering....and there is alot that can be accomplished by waiting, scholarships, work , really being prepared mentally...</p>
<p>ps- being bored is something you can work...if you are bored, you need to fill your life with other things now- work, volunteering, not try to escape....</p>