I’m ending my junior year right now and am semi-depressed about my awful grades. I aspired to go to Stanford but it seems a joke now, transferring is my only option. There is a CC in my city (Folsom lake) and I think it’d be time efficient to enroll for my senior year so I can transfer a year earlier to Stanford. Is this a good idea?
I would talk to a school counselor to see what the best course of action would be for you. There are also AP classes that can count towards college credit. But be advised that transferring into Stanford is ridiculously hard, last year they only accepted 33/1600+
Stanford takes like 4 transfers a year. I might be slightly exaggerating but not by much. You already have bad grades and now want to start taking CC classes senior year? Those college grades will stay with you for life. Why do you think you would get As, college level, senior year if you’re not mastering high school?
I see this a lot. Students rush it when they’re too young and shouldn’t.
Whatever your plan, better to finish HS, then enroll when you’re a year older - and consider alternatives to Stanford. Revisit it further down the line if you’re a 4.0 at your CC, have a great list of internships or activities focused in your major, and have some new idea or angle that will please stanford no end.
You might want to dial things back a bit. You’re talking about horrible grades, and then saying “when I transfer to Stanford.” Stanford has (I believe) the most selective admissions in the country. Perhaps even MORE selective for transfer admissions. I think this year they accepted like 10 transfers or something like that. And although I haven’t seen their stats, I’m sure all 10 of these transfers were absolutely stellar candidates.
Don’t give up your dream of Stanford, but definitely look into other options as well. Being accepted as a transfer into Stanford is a long shot for anyone. Make sure to apply to some safety schools and more realistic schools.
This article from the Stanford Daily gives useful background on Stanford’s transfer process and priorities:
http://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/09/17/transfer-student-experience-offers-rewards-challenges/
You can enroll in a couple of classes at FLC concurrently with your Sr year of high school. That would certainly make more sense then quitting FHS. If you are having trouble maintaining your HS GPA, that may not be the best idea.
What do your stats (GPA/SAT/ECs) look like so far?