Early admission (as a junior)

<p>Hi,
What qualifications does a student have to have to reasonably apply as a junior? I have a daughter itching to get out of high school and on to college. Obviously they need great grades, but what beyond that and some maturity?</p>

<p>Are her EC's competitive enough? Solid SATs? Has she built strong relationships with recommendation writers who know her well enough?</p>

<p>I'd advise against applying in the Junior Year. There's a maturing process that happens in the Senior year and it's crucial to development. She'll be an outcast in college. Plus, events like the prom and other senior activities only happen once in her lifetime.</p>

<p>Whether the high school calls her a "junior" or a "senior" is totally irrelevant to most colleges. She does not need anything a senior would not need. But she needs to be competitive against people who have had one year more to rack up "stuff". So just mentally place her courses, scores, ECs, etc against those of typical seniors and see what you think. If she already has good test scores and will be taking courses as a junior which are frequently taken by seniors (APs, pre-calc or higher math) she'll be competitive. If not, she probably won't be competitive for the most selective colleges, but could get in somewhere. If she has her heart set on selective colleges and does not get in as a junior, investigate dual-enrollment options at your local community college for her senior year and let her try again.</p>

<p>I was very vocal on another thread in arguing against sending a 14 year old to college. But I think one year early is perfectly fine. She'll be what, 17? She will not be an "outcast" in college. There are plenty of kids who graduate from high school at 17 and start college. Colleges will not be looking for any extra proof of maturity from a 17 year old junior than from a 17 year old senior. (Prom is highly over-rated, and certainly not worth spending an entire extra year in high school for.)</p>

<p>She is already a year older than most of her classmates (another story). She already attends seminars (by prof. invitation) at an Ivy League school. She won't have as much time to rack up all the AP's that kids here seem to have, but in her strong subject area she will have exhausted the high school's offerings by junior year. She has no interest in prom. She hasn't taken any SAT's yet. Next year (10th grade). </p>

<p>Thanks for feedback.</p>

<p>If you decide to change your mind, she can still apply Junior year but defer the decision for one year and enter the university after Senior year. Just a thought.</p>

<p>It's much more difficult than the rare success stories you hear about. I know a guy who had a 240 PSAT, 1600 SAT, straight A's, more APs than anyone else in the school had taken (BC calc. in his sophomore year), tons of ECs/leadership/awards in his junior year who didn't get into any of the places he applied to (which, admittedly were Harvard, Princeton, and MIT, but our school had at least one senior with "inferior" stats get into each of those places).</p>

<p>I am graduating in the 3 year program. You need a HEAVY courseload (i am took 12 APs and 5 honors in three years) and really awesome ecs. PM me or AIM me at greensoap6 for more details.</p>