<p>I am currently a Sophomore in High School. I am applying for a scholarship to study in Germany for a year (11th grade.) I have a few questions about...</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Does being foreign exchange student significantly improve my chances for college admission to selective colleges? I will be missing some of my AP classes that I would have originally taken. Do colleges look at that in the admissions process?</p></li>
<li><p>Will my credits obtained in Germany transfer? I don't want to have to "re-take" classes. Should I ask my counseler? </p></li>
<li><p>Should I stay or go? It really seems like a great opportunity, but I also don't want to decrease my chances.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Here is a little more info to see if I am applicable for highly selective colleges (Vanderbilt, Duke, Stanford):
I had a 24 ACT in NINTH grade. I plan to take it again each year and improve it. I will probably take some SAT and SAT Subject tests in Math and/or Science. I planned on taking some AP classes in 11th grade, and I still do plan taking some in 12th (AP Pschy, Eng, Calc, Bio. and/or Chem.)
I had a 4.28 GPA in 9th grade (some adv/ honors classes), 4.0 unscaled (All A's) . I currently have all A's this year as well.
Extracurriculars:
*Band member for 5 years and counting- Section leader for high brass for 5 years as well. Plan to participate in various College Honor Bands.
*National Honor Society member 2 years and counting.
*Student Council member 2 years and counting (Plan to run for a position in 12th grade)
*Volunteer work w/ NHS, Gifted Program, ect.
*Scholar's Bowl (3 years and counting)</p>
<p>Do I have a decent chance of getting into a "good" college? What can I do to improve my chances?</p>
<p>No, it will not significantly aid in college admissions and often hurts. Many students now spend a high school year broad, there are so many programs. Most of the programs do not offer rigorous academics and many send kids into local public schools where the result is no appreciable academics at all.</p>
<p>I think it’s a hard decision. It can certainly be a wonderful experience. It’s best done when you’ve planned for it and took many APs as a sophomore. Colleges do look for the rigor whether you went abroad or not. It also usually means fewer leadership positions at school and interrupted ECs that often don’t gain the depth top colleges look for.</p>
<p>While I sent several students to top colleges that did SYA (which offers the best academics of the programs), most going to the program were not aiming at Stanford or the like, those kids usually choose to stay on the super academic/EC track.</p>
<p>I’d have to disagree with Waverly. I studied abroad in Germany 09-10 and it was the best year of my life. Unfortunately, the credits didn’t transfer, and I ended up having to redo my junior year, but I think it’s absolutely worth it. Because I repeated my year, I will still end up graduating with 11 APs, and, as I’m applying to Brown ED, I am even more competitive an applicant now that I speak fluent German and have experienced living in another culture at such a young age. </p>
<p>Unless your friends now are so important to you, I think studying abroad is worth the compromise of repeating your year. I hope this helps. And good luck in Germany if you end up going.</p>