<p>“Starting college early is …stupid. Go ahead right now and just take as many AP classes as possible and you will save money. (By graduating a semester or two early!)”</p>
<p>Why is starting college early? Especially if you have it all paid for!! And by the way, local classes at the CC are easier and award credit much more than AP courses (at my school at least).</p>
<p>I’m taking Comp 1 & Comp 2 next year, to take care of my English 3 & 4 (so I can graduate). It would be STUPID to take AP English Lit & AP English Comp… that’d be way too much stress. And, remember, the AP exams base on college credit.</p>
<p>I’d rather spend 4 years in COLLEGE than 4 years in high school! Especially if I get it all paid for! But what do I know. When in doubt, remember, EVERYONE is different :)</p>
<p>Okay… keep in mind when I am done next year I will be out of science classes that are my route. I could take AP biology, but I hated bio!!! I could take AP environmental science… but I hate that kind of science, I like the physics, chemistry route! And I am a hundred percent out of math classes, my school has calc AB as the last class. Umm… I will have to take two classes at a CC next year anyway… and my school does not offer AP psych, so I would take that there, and well I could take APUSH at the school, AP lit and honors spanish IV. Pretty much it is even, and mostly I am out of classes to take, if I wanted to take anything extra, it would have to be at the CC… I am out of classes!!! </p>
<p>Anyway… I am not sure what dual enrollement is? Also… I am just plain sick of High school, sick of my house, and sick of a lot. I just want to get out into the world, away from here, ya know?</p>
<p>Dual Enrollment is where you are enrolled in high school and at the local community college. A number of states offer it. It’s completely free, here at least. You should check with your guidance counselor. It’s a good option if you don’t feel like loading yourself with AP classes but want college credits, and are available to go to a local Community college and handle the classes.</p>
<p>2 of my friends graduated after sophomore year but they went to community colleges instead, which i thought was a smart thing to do. it was cheaper and they got their classes out of the way without having to take AP tests for college credits. they also still got to go to all their high school events [dances mostly].</p>
<p>its a personal choice… their very VERY independent [jobs, cars, gym, even internships] so sometimes i think they grew up a little too fast.</p>
<p>oh and im considering graduating early this year [im gonna be a senior]
one because if i dont get accepted into the school i want, ill transfer after only one year.
two because i think senior year is overrated especially for people with strict parents.
three - its also nice being able to pick what time your classes start and what teachers you want. yay for ratemyprofessor.com!</p>
<p>I actually could have graduated a year early, and I didn’t. Not just because it’s more beneficial to stay an extra year and take harder/boost courses, but because I also wanted to experience being a senior. Do you really want to miss that part of your life? Prom with your friends, senior day, uhh grad trips?</p>
<p>I kinda do. Prom will be junior year. I don’t want to experience being a senior because I sort’ve feel like one. My best friend is a junior and also graduating early, but besides that, most of my friends are seniors. Idk, those high school experiences (senor year) aren’t always memorable. Everyone’s different. That’s why graduating early isn’t for you.</p>
<p>I think you should do it… I mean unless you’re set on going to an Ivy or something, but really that’s just overrated. There are many good colleges/universities out there that are not Ivies. If you’re really sick of high school and are ready to graduate early, there’s no point to staying in high school for the heck of it, or to look more competitive to colleges. Ignore those who say an extra year is necessary for maturity, because that’s not always true. Some of us mature faster, we’re all human beings and we’re all different. There’s nothing wrong with getting along with students who are a few years older.</p>
<p>But don’t look at starting college early as your only option if you graduate early. There’s also the option of utilizing it as a “gap year”, during which you can do something abroad such as community service abroad or studying abroad. But I definitely like your idea of going to a community college for a year. You could probably end up accumulating enough credits to transfer to a good 4-year college/university as a junior, and you could end up saving a lot of money. There’s no reason you should stay in high school for an extra year if you feel that you’re wasting your time, and if there’s bigger and better things you can move on to. So I advise you to graduate early.</p>
<p>well thank you sqdwfe13 and LMU10, it was nice hearing another perspective besides “don’t do it, you’re an idiot.” Honestly… is it really that bad? I mean and I don’t care about friggin senior year, I hate high school, I feel like it is all fake. I pretend to like my friends, and we all pretend to be perfect as an act, to look good, and I guess we all pretend we aren’t getting jealous of each other and such. I don’t want to deal with two more years of this. I am a rising junior, and I am pretty sure I would consider dropping out before seriously considering a senior year of school. Honestly for the past two years I have ate lunch with teachers by choice… and it isn’t like I don’t have friends, it is just that everyone is so fake.
Alright maturity wise, I am fine! Class wise, I have managed to take all but English and History at a senior level… everything else… I MIGHT AS WELL BE A SENIOR! And maybe I will just go to a State university… honestly, who cares? Screw ivies, is it even worth it? Talk about being a mill rat!!!
Anyway… thanks! I think I will graduate next year and go to a local CC for a year then transfer either into a State college, thanks for the help!</p>
<p>Also… What is so great about being a senior? Prom? I will just go to my boyfriends school if we are still together, otherwise… who cares? Junior Prom is fine, and at my school junior and senior proms are combined. Honestly… I am in senior classes, I hang out with the seniors, etc. So what am I missing out on? And honestly… I am not sure I care.</p>
<p>APs are cheap. High school is cheap. CC can be a couple of thousand of dollars.</p>
<p>Honestly… it depends on where you live as to what you are offered.</p>
<p>In NC, you can do the dual enrollment program very easily. (I’ve seen commercials for it. XD We share the same TV channels. <em>eye roll</em>) However, here in SC, you cannot get Fin. Aid if you are a high school junior/senior trying to take classes and only a few classes are opened to you. So… APs are cheaper and there are more of them.</p>
<p>Anyways… What I would recommend doing is doing some research. What does your state offer? If they offer a dual enrollment plan, then DO THAT and don’t graduate early. If they don’t… then look at other options.</p>
<p>My state does dual enrollment, but I won’t be able to take the classes offered at the College… since I already have taken that level of class as an AP at my school… AUgirl, why are you so against it? Lol… honestly, I am not sure. Anyway my family is sooo poor, school is almost a hundred percent free… and I am preaccepted for financial aid at any instate public college, simply because of this. I will save money, I will save time. Etc. Plus most colleges will accept credits from another college, not neccesarilly a high school AP class though.</p>
<p>Well, if you have a 100% fin. aid… then that’s a different story.</p>
<p>I’m just against it… because I’ve never thought highly of people who graduated early? XD. I guess… because I’ve always felt like they’ve run away from something rather than faced it. ('Tis the case with most people I know who graduated early.- Hard to explain though why)</p>
<p>Anyways, if your state has a Fin. Aid program like that, then you’re super lucky.</p>
<p>I know that my family EFC is definitely going to be zero, but none of the schools that I’m looking at have 100% need meet. =/</p>
<p>I always regretted NOT graduating early. People said “you’ll miss senior year” etc, etc. Well, I stayed, didn’t get particularly good grades because I was bored, didn’t go to a single football game or Prom. If you are done with it, move on. Look at the Common Data set info for the schools you are interested in- the say whether they will accept students early. Or, go for a year or two at an early college (Simon’s Rock) or a state school, then transfer.</p>
<p>During my mom’s senior year of highschool, she took english and math at school, then drove over to a local community college and took classes until the time regular school gets out. She graduated from college early because of that.
Have you considered that route?</p>
<p>Well I doubt they will cover it all, but I atleast get financial aid. And for the high school, they cover it all… which is awesome. I have to buy school supplies and such, but sport and everything else is covered.
I understand. But I don’t feel I am running from my problems, I am dealing with them by removing myself from there. Also… it would jsut be pointless to continue HS… I am out of classes that I like, lol, and if I have to split it half high school, half CC… it would be pointless, I would not have enough time either, since the CC is sooooo far! lol</p>
<p>AUGirl, I don’t want to sound rude but I don’t understand why you are so against it like lost<em>in</em>thought said. Graduating early can definitely save you a lot of money, and can be a much better alternative to staying in high school for 4 years if you’re truly sick of it. And does it really matter what you and your family think of early graduates? They’re doing it for themselves and what they think will best suit their own lives. It’s not “running away” from something if you aren’t enjoying it and could be doing something better that you DO enjoy. Life is short, why drone on doing something you’re unhappy with, if you could do something better?</p>
<p>lost<em>in</em>thought, I support your decision. Go for it. Even if people on College Confidential tell you you’re stupid, it’s because they can’t imagine doing it themselves because many of them are stuck on getting into Ivies and top elite colleges. However you seem to realize that there are many good options out there other than Ivies and top elite colleges. High school isn’t for everyone. Not everyone is enthralled with proms, graduation ceremonies, pep rallies, and school spirit.</p>
<p>But also, make sure you are ready to move onto more academically challenging courses. If you have been taking the most rigorous courses in high school thusfar and want to continue taking challenging courses, then I think you are ready to move on with your plan.</p>
<p>Although I don’t know your entire personal situation, it sounds like you’d be much happier if you graduated early.</p>
<p>I’m an upcoming junior, and I could graduate in the middle of my junior year if I wanted to.
I want to, but I’m just too poor.
I’m staying in high school, and will graduate as a senior because I need that much time to get a job and save money, so I’ll be ready to go to college and rely only on myself.</p>
<p>But if I had all the money in the world, God knows I’d leave right now.
I don’t care about prom, grad night or grad trips, or any of that crap.
Most of my school is fake, and my home life sucks.
In the end, does it really matter?</p>
<p>Yeah well I am really poor too… hmm. Idk, I am kinda glad I decided I wanted to do this now though, because I honestly cannot stand high school. And yeah I am taking challanging courses and such, and yeah. I mean I will start applying to colleges this year, and see if I can get accepted into any schools that are aware I will not have completed four years of high school. I like the community college idea though… I mean I will save money, then after a year I could simply transfer into a better school, as a sophomore or junior. </p>
<p>One of my main reasons for wanting to do this is simply that I am bored. My classes are easy, and I have the highest grade in all but one of my classes (band, yeah I was lazy and didn’t do bell work), it is just that even in the highest level class, I do better than seniors and juniors. I am not bragging or anything… I mean I got a 102% on a math final, and got A’s on the others too, without studying. I AM BORED! And I am more mature than the other kids, which is why most people don’t like me… I won’t buy into drama, and often tell them how idiotic they are for becoming so obsessed with stupid, meaningless things. or w/e… Come on… high school just really isn’t that great.</p>
<p>You may want to try Simon’s Rock, I’m planning on applying there soon. USC has a program called Residence Honors Program. I know Sarah Lawrence, Ithaca College, Flagler College and Reed also have programs called Early Admission. There are some other schools too, but I can’t think of them from the top of my head.</p>
<p>PS- To ■■■■■■■■. I know what your talking about, the West Georgia Program. I have looked it up but I don’t know if I want to actually stay in Georgia.</p>