Graduating in less than 4 yeras at MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Caltech

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Is graduating in less than 4 years (Ideally 3.5 or less :)) a realistic goal at any of the following places : MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Caltech?</p>

<p>I expect to have taken the following AP courses and done well in them : Physics C Mechanics, Electricity & Magnetism, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science.</p>

<p>I plan to major in Computer Science with many courses in Math since Math and Computer Science are my main areas of interest.</p>

<p>What is the kind of maximum course load a focused student can take at these places and still do well in those courses? How common is early graduation at these schools? Any advice/tips on graduating early?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>For whether the AP tests will help, you can start by looking at each university’s web site for AP credit and course placement policies:</p>

<p>[url=&lt;a href=“http://www.admissions.caltech.edu/applying/freshman]Caltech[/url”&gt;http://www.admissions.caltech.edu/applying/freshman]Caltech[/url</a>]
[url=&lt;a href=“http://mit.edu/firstyear/2015/subjects/ap.html]MIT[/url”&gt;http://mit.edu/firstyear/2015/subjects/ap.html]MIT[/url</a>]
[url=&lt;a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/pub/ap/table/]Princeton[/url”&gt;Advanced Placement Class of 2027 | Office of the Dean of the College]Princeton[/url</a>]
[url=&lt;a href=“http://www.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin/4884.htm]Stanford[/url”&gt;Stanford University Bulletin]Stanford[/url</a>]</p>

3

<p>At Caltech, you can only place out of introductory modules in Physics, Chem, Math and CS by taking Caltech’s own placement tests over the summer before enrolling. It is definitely not common for anyone to place out for 4 subjects. Caltech’s high expectations of you in terms of Core and required modules in your major make graduation in less than 4 years with a respectable GPA something of a miracle.</p>

4

<p>It’s realistic at all of them as long as you have a bunch of APs and you’re willing to have heavy course loads.</p>

<p>The question, though, is why? You only get the undergrad experience once, so enjoy it. Plus, the real reason to go to a top college is to study with others who are as academically talented as you are and meet them.</p>

<p>If you just want the education and nothing else, MIT’s OpenCourseWare is much more efficient.</p>

5

<p>Ya, I personally know someone who graduated from MIT in 3 years and someone who graduated Stanford in 4 years with a B.A. and M.S.</p>

6

<p>Read this.</p>

<p>[He</a> bags an MIT degree and PhD](<a href=“http://www.ri.sch.edu.sg/old/news/2004/ruimin/he_bags_an_mit_degree_and_phd.htm]He”>http://www.ri.sch.edu.sg/old/news/2004/ruimin/he_bags_an_mit_degree_and_phd.htm)</p>