Early Graduation bad?

Applying to College
1

<p>I feel awful for posting so many threads... but I'm about to explode from stress...</p>

<p>I'm planning on graduating junior year not due to the fact that i have used up all my school's AP classes, but because I need to go to Korea after I graduate for a summer, but by the time I graduate in 2012, it might be a pretty bad time to leave. so i decided that early grad might be best.</p>

<p>I took the hardest classes available sophomore year, including one AP Gov't class.</p>

<p>Junior year, right now, i'm scheduled for AP english 11, AP chem AP Calc 1, honors english 12 honors us history, honors physics, and year book.</p>

<p>I dont have leadership positions in EC/ volunteer works, but i do dedicate a whole lot of my time to one of them, but it's impossible to have a leadership position in it (I play bass as a part of my church's praise team 4 times a week excluding practices)</p>

<p>I'm in the top 5%, 2150 SAT 1 and i have all As both years of high school.</p>

<p>Will my graduating early and the fact that i only have 4 APs (when i could have up to 7 or 6, but that would destroy my GPA) , hurt my chances of admission in any school such as Emory, Cornell, Amherst or any others? are there any good colleges that are more welcoming to early graduates? (excluding MIT, Caltech)</p>

<p>Oh, and i do not have a green card at the moment. It is pending, and in AoS. would i be considered international?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>Until you have a green card, you are an international applicant.</p>

<p>It is harder for international applicants to receive financial aid than for US applicants. You need to sit down with your parents and talk about just exactly where the money is coming from for your college education. The universities on your list are USD 50k and up. Does your family have USD 200k sitting in the bank for your education? Do your parents make enough money so that they can pay at least 50k each year for four years? If not, you need to put some more affordable institutions on your list.</p>

<p>Start by finding out whether you qualify for in-state tuition and fees at the public colleges and universities in the state where you live based on the length of time that your family has been living there. This could cut your annual costs down to the USD 20k range for a public university or even to the USD 5k range for a community college. Since you are active in your church, you should also take a look at colleges/universities affiliated with your denomination. One of them might really like a bass player.</p>

<p>You also need to get a meeting with your immigration lawyer about that green card paperwork. Is it likely to be finalized during this year or next? Would it make sense to stay in HS in your current status and graduate in 2012 with the green card in hand? Can you study at a college/university in your current status, or will you be obliged to change to an F1 visa?</p>

<p>There are a number of threads about the “early college or not” question in the Parents Forum. You should take a look at some of them for more ideas.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>