<p>wow,
now i feel bad,
about not capitalizing anything i write</p>
<p>I totally see your point sqdwfe13, but I don’t really have much of a choice in terms of the competitiveness of the colleges I am to apply to. If I don’t get into one of the top colleges, my parents will refuse to pay the full tuition (as colleges below this controvertible threshold do not generously offer scholarships to international students) and I’m going to have to move back to my home country where I will suffer from my lack of an education experience there. Believe me, I will essentially ruin my academic career; this is very important to me since I have goals I want to accomplish in a well-nourished academic setting.</p>
<p>I would also personally love to get out of high school and pursue a college career, but I see now that my stats aren’t too impressive at the moment. I have come to the conclusion that staying one more year in high school will actually benefit me quite a bit by giving me a chnace to build up those stats and make sure that I am more than just competitive to, in a way, increase my chances.</p>
<p>OMG the New York Times!!!</p>
<p>I concur with the (positive) post about Simons Rock. A tiny school of about 300, they work very closely with their students to ensure a good adjustment. They also offer joint programs with MIT, Columbia, Bard, and others that guarantee admission to the larger schools after 2+ years at SR. They accept ONLY juniors and sophmores.</p>
<p>I guess now that I’m in the Times I should clarify my response for those who came to this thread from that link.</p>
<p>Math and science had always interested me and I found that every math and science course that I took as a junior (with the sole exception of AP chemistry and I would assume AP physics, had I taken it) were repeats of what I had learned earlier in HS or even junior high. Even the new information I was learning from chemistry was mostly interesting solely because of the ego boost I received from being the only one to participate in class (I’m sure there are many on this board that can identify with that). This is to say nothing about non-science courses, which had always been simple chores.</p>
<p>Call me a romantic but I still believe that learning and a passion for knowledge are more important than being president of half a dozen clubs for 4 years, annihilating every AP exam you take and ultimately getting accepted to your dream school. High school is one of the best institutions that we have in the US for destroying this passion and I’m sure that had I stayed another year I would have been a complete cynic about any academic or scientific pursuit by the time I reached college–even though I would have been able to make it to a far better school. So my point here is that you shouldn’t sacrifice your youthful exuberance for knowledge for a shot at a better school because you’ll only hurt your chances of educational success in the long run.</p>
<p>In college I found that every class interested me because I had free reign over whatever courses I wanted. I wasn’t pressured into AP American History just so that I could get another AP on my record but rather I took cell biology because I was legitimately interested in it. If you have a single interest you’d like to pursue the best place to do it is in college.</p>
<p>My financial situation was critical in allowing this to happen because had the cost of attending been significant I would have stayed another year in order to boost my record and potentially get into a better school (see above for why a “better” school might not be better for you academically) or at least get more merit aid. Furthermore, I had not planned out my junior year extensively enough to know that I was even capable of graduating early until nearly half my junior year had already gone by. This led to a severely curtailed college admissions process and a general lack of knowledge about what to do when applying since I had intended to learn the ins and outs of college in the last semester of my junior year. Fortunately I was able to get into a well-ranked state school with excellent merit aid and preserve my curiosity, but I would regularly wonder how things would have turned out if I had been able to expand my application pool by simply knowing more about the entire process. So that’s another thing to think about–if you graduate early you may have less time to figure out the application and financial aid process and exactly what you want from a school (which is almost completely unimportant if you’re intellectually curious, but I know I can’t convince you of that so I won’t even try).</p>
<p>Feel very free to ask if you have any questions, this is a decision that can’t be made in a matter of a few days and you’ll need to seriously analyze your values and motivations before reaching a conclusion.</p>
<p>From your first post:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>humbleness FTL</p>
<p>Now - on to helping you! I think that you should stay in high school. No matter how academically excellent you are, there are ALWAYS things that you can do in your senior year that would A. Make you a better candidate, B. give you time to figure out a little more about yourself, and C. Give you time to be a kid before moving away from everyone you know and venturing the world for yourself. </p>
<p>If it will not be as hard next year, then start taking Community College or local university courses. As much as I didn’t want to take some of those courses during my own high school career, I cannot say that they were a waste as many got me out of my Core General Ed. Requirements and on to doing stuff that is more applicable to my field, plus it was WAYYYYY cheaper than tuition in college >_<.</p>
<p>Even if they do not transfer, take a few to get yourself into college mode and to find out what interests you. Based on what you are saying, you will definitely be able to do a lot. </p>
<p>Relax, enjoy, and start planning for your future - itll be exciting, but also difficult at many points.</p>
<p>Interesting about Simon’s Rock. This is the first time I’ve heard positive things about the academic rigor there (previously from both current students and prospective students). Can someone link to the guaranteed joint programs? I know that admission to Bard College is guaranteed, but then I’m being called out for implying that Simon’s Rock is only of Bard’s caliber. It is certainly no Deep Springs.</p>
<p>Forget about academics for a minute. Leaving high school early could be one of the poorest decisions you will ever make. You are young. Embrace your youth while you still have it.</p>
<p>Keil
I just have to butt in
My kid now goes to new high school that is cloned from Simon’s Rock with city’s public school education system.
The mastermind of the high school is this dean of SR and he is one of the most wonderful people I ever met.
My kid tested in as rising junior while his math skill was mediocre, the guy took chance because of his writing and accepted him. I knew he could write but did not know that he has something more. It made me look further and he was ended up in TASP.
After all, it took whole another year and THAT summer to make his mind ready to tackle academics rigor expected at the high school.
This September when the school started and was in add drop sort of period, they gave kids homemade anthology to use during workshops. I read it, and thought I was dead and went to literary heaven, literally! Once 1st year seminar started, I noticed his readings are pretty seminar to the Reed’s infamous pile.
Since it is a public HS, it is all free and you’d get some college credit but not transfer well. If kids wants to transfer in to elite schools, might have to start from scratch but it is never the issue for me. </p>
<p>I see where you are coming from and I am familiar with town of G.B. and how people view the school, but if SR is anything like that, I won’t just dismiss it. It is not for everyone maybe not the OP but works wonder for some kids, it all depends.
Anyways, I believe it should not viewed as stepping stone or springboard in that regard, even DS should never be the steeping stone, because, learning is like, lifelong thing, not scores, numbers, prestige.
What is it you want to know, where and how could you get it? You might still surprise yourself if keep your mind open a bit wider yet (and if your parents go along with you)
Of course if I had a kid like you, I won’t be saying this hahaha.</p>
<p>Then again, maybe DS is the only school you won’t be able to go if you wanted to.</p>
<p>I thought I wanted to do this as well…</p>
<p>I’m really hating senior year because it isn’t challenging at my high school. Apparently my teachers figure that since we’re seniors, we’ve given up, and they should give up too. However, I’m using this time constructively. I got my college apps in early and have already been accepted to my top two schools. Now, I can focus my attention on maintaining a good GPA and applying for scholarships.</p>
<p>Besides… there are lots of things senior year that you just can’t miss. Senior year is one you will remember. My academic schedule is disappointing, but I’ve had a lot of fun with the special things that are only for seniors.</p>
<p>I would hang in there if I were you.</p>
<p>bears and dogs - Well, that’s what I mean wrt SR. It’s for lopsided students, or students who maybe got poor grades in HS because they were bored but are really brilliant; I don’t think it’s for a student who excels in HS and does well “in the system” but has exceeded the HS’s academic resources. I don’t see SR as a good destination for the typical “overachiever.”</p>
<p>I get it. though I did not mean they don’t care about math and science. Only thing that Bard seems care less is PE.</p>
<p>I am graduating high school this year as a Junior and am pretty happy with my decision. I am hopefully attending UF next year (if I get in).</p>
<p>I really don’t like my high school. By the end of my sophomore year, I pretty much knew who most of my good friends were. Most of the time I didn’t have classes with my good friends so I really didn’t care to be at high school.</p>
<p>This year, I take all of my classes at a local college (it’s 4 years, but not prestigious at all)… and I really like the environment. It’s so different from high school, and most people actually care about their classes. I only have 4 classes this semester but am going for 5 classes next semester.</p>
<p>I don’t really like my family either, which is another reason why I’m graduating early. I don’t really think there’s anything here for me anymore. If you aren’t socially or academically ready then I wouldn’t suggest graduating early. I’m pretty mature, and have good relationships with teachers.</p>
<p>I’d say go for it if you think you’re ready. I’m gay, and I think that has added to me wanting to graduate early. There are so many immature people here, that it’s stupid to stay.</p>
<p>Just make sure that if you graduate in 3 years that you can go to college where you want to. The only possible regret I have is that if I stayed 4 years I could improve my ACT scores (28 comp) and have more time to devote to applications and what not (I work about 20-25 hrs a week). Graduating early is only for certain people… make sure if you do that you are one of them.</p>
<p>I guess I can take part in this conservation.</p>
<p>I chose to graduate early but in a slightly moderated way. I asked my counselor if I would be able to skip junior year entirely, become a senior and get my HS diploma in 3 years. She said yes and now I am taking 8 classes + 1 online class + 2 in the next summer (to get my diploma in August. One reason I chose to do this was because when entering high school, I knew straight from the start i needed a bigger challenge. I took biology,chemistry,geometry, and algebra 2 all freshman year. (take in mind i didnt choose to grad early until the end of my 2nd year). Now I will be graduating with a total of 10 AP courses (11 since I still got to fit Calc BC in with my doubling up freshman year). I have more or equal AP courses to others in my class. My rank was moved up from the class of 2011 to the class of 2010, and I have a good low rank in the current senior class. I am friends with a lot of the high ranked people in my school, and they do not see me as really young. I help them in classes and they help me, we talk about similar issues and we all show immaturity towards college. I wont get to skip out on my senior year (although I do not think it is that great of a year, its like every other one eh?) and I’m graduating the same year as many of my friends anyways. I hope to get into Rice, JHU, and other lower half top-20 schools like Vanderbilt etc. I think I’ve made the great choice. Like other said, I dont want to be pushed to study History. I took AP biology in my 2nd year and i loved the class entirely. Now this year Im taking a bunch of AP’s I care nothing about, and hope to go to college next year and study whatever I want! (majoring in biochem). </p>
<p>I hope my story helped you and anyone else in this decision. I think and hope that I am making the correct decision. GL to everyone else.</p>
<p>i was in the same situation as you.
im a junior now and last year i even applied to the early entrance program at UW and got in (i would have skipped my junior and senior year) but i decided not to go.</p>
<p>this year i have decided to apply to United World Colleges it is a 2 year IB program very rigorous at 13 locations in the world. it replaces a high school diploma and also opens up doors to europe
and the best thing is that i would be with people my age </p>
<p>the whole age and maturity thing is the only reason not to.</p>