Do students of Early College High Schools apply to a four-year college as a freshman or transfer?
In general, as a freshman, but different colleges may have different rules.
The most common distinction between frosh and transfer application is based on whether the applicant took any (or more than a limited amount of) college courses after high school graduation. But check each college’s rules to be sure for that college.
In most cases it would be as a freshman,but it really depends on the college/university that you are applying to. Also it may depend on what state you are in and articulation agreements.
In my state of NC, if a NC early college student graduates high school with an AS/AA/college credits that was received before HS ended and attends a NC public university/college the student has the choice of applying as a Freshman or Transfer depending on what is more favorable to the student. In most cases, coming in as a Freshman would be favorable.