<p>I'll be a senior int he 2007-2008 school year.
I finished basically all the high school requirement/curriculum, but couldn't graduate early because the school doesn't allow this.
As a result I'll be taking classes at UW-Milwaukee.
The school will pay for 18 credits total.
I used 3 junior year I could've used more, but couldn't pay.
I want to take 18 first semester and 18 2nd semester. I only have one class in high school (AP english because they wouldn't let me take it last year).</p>
<p>I'm not in college yet, so couldn't apply for most financial aid.
My dad is a pastor making $36,000 (family of 5) a year and so can't support me.
If I don't get the money I won't be able to take courses and will be stuck with 1 class.
What should I do?</p>
<p>It doesn't sound as if you have the money to take more classes.</p>
<p>I advise you to take AP English at your high school and take 9 college credits a semester. You can use your extra time on an independent study or project of your own choosing and design. If you want something non-academic, you could study a musical instrument (though that can easily get expensive), study a new language, tutor younger kids at your school or at local schools, get a part-time job in a field you're interested in, shadow a professional in a field you're interested in, volunteer, or some combination.</p>
<p>I was curious how you could do all the requirements yet not be allowed to graduate, so I looked up your state's education department website Wisc Department of Public Instruction, and clicked onto the info on h.s. graduation
requirements.</p>
<p>At the bottom of the page is a person and contact info. Email or call him if if you want to make absolutely sure that your h.s. is telling you the correct info.</p>
<p>I read it that if you have done the requirements, you've earned the diploma, but info such as you'll read here needs to be interpreted by the state education official. </p>
<p>Sounds like you're dealing with the State of Wis. Youth Options program, which pays for college courses taken by HS students when they can't get the course they need at their HS. Corranged's advice sounds reasonable. It is actually to your advantage to get these college credits while a HS student, it saves you money when you have all those completely transferable credits if you stay within the UW system. Don't worry about taking a lighter college load- 18 credits is a heavy load for any student. For your senior year see if any fun course that fit your schedule work, or get a head start with earning money for post HS college expenses. Enjoy being a senior and Good Luck.</p>
<p>My son had fulfilled his hs requirements before senior year, also. So, for senior year he took 9 credits per semester at the state's flagship campus, two AP at high school, and then filled the high school schedule out with a weight-training class and electives. He bad a blast his senior year, was heavily involved in school-related ecs, continued with out of school ecs, worked part-time, enjoyed his time with his many friends, etc. It was a great year. And the 9 credits at univ plus two AP kept him plenty busy, academically speaking.</p>
<p>This was easy enough for him to do, since he drove himself and the univ is only a mile or two from the high school. Also, the scheduling worked out, with the univ. classes in the afternoon. Perhaps it would not be so convenient for you. However, based on my son's experience, I'm happy we decided there was no good reason to be in a hurry to be done with high school.</p>
<p>I'm going to agree with everyone else here - taking 9 credits per semester (plus the AP English course) would theoretically amount to 12 credit hours, or being a full-time student. That's PLENTY. Use the extra time to enhance your ECs or make some money! And remember, it's your senior year - have fun! :)</p>
<p>Agree that 9 credit hours plus AP is plenty. Bear in mind that if you take more college credit hours, you would be considered a full-time college student and would probably have to apply to colleges as a transfer student rather than as a freshman. And the criteria for applying as a transfer student tend to be higher than for freshmen.</p>
<p>Since your family is low income, consider applying to top universities that give need-based financial aid. With the appropriate academic credentials, you would qualify for the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative which gives a free ride for students whose families make less than $60k; similar financial aid packages are available from Princeton, Yale, Stanford and other top institutions. Many others give generous merit money. Now is the time for you to do some research into which schools to apply to, begin writing your essay, lining up recs, etc... if you have not already done so.
But don't worry about carrying too light a load. Slow down and enjoy your senior year instead!</p>
<p>I was just wondering. Since I come from a small school whose validictorian usually goes to UW-madison that by taking rigorous courses, I'd increase my chances at entering a better university. Thanks for all the advice btw, I'm might actually just take the 9 credits and enjoy senior year.
I self studied 7 AP's last year plus one class and got 34 credits from it at UW-Milwaukee:)
Anyways, thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>Male
Korean
Small public school, not much offered
ACT: 33 (retaking for 35)
SAT II: Math 2: 800 Physics: 800 Bio M: 690 (will take APUSH, Chem, and maybe Korean)
SAT:2050 (probably shouldn't submit? or retake)
Class Rank: 4/250 no weighted grades
GPA:3.940
Took all AP classes available (4 at school)
AP grades:
US history 3
US government 4
Macro 4
Human Geography 4
Biology 5
Calc BC 5
Micro 5
Psychology 5</p>
<p>Treasurer for NHS
Tri-M music society
Mathlete all star since sophmore year
AMC-12 school winner
Marching band
Jazz band
Pep band
Concert band
Pop strings (jazz orchaestra)
Regular Orchaestra
Pit Orchaestra
Sympohny Orchaestra
Soccer varsity
Track varsity
English 215 at UW-Milwaukee
Rigorous courses... etc etc
Lots of volunteer: Church: litrugist, acolyte, translator, usher, babystiter, tutor, etc... Community: project concern shelfing food, worked at senior breakfasts
Job experience: Tutoring</p>
<p>What's the M that you got a 690 for?<br>
Your stats seem pretty impressive. You might consider retaking the ACT and one SAT-II (but not more than that, since you already have 2 SAT-IIs where you scored 800-congrats!--Three is the maximum that is required, and only by a tiny number of schools).
You have plenty of ECs. Just continue those that interest you most. </p>
<p>What are your academic interests? I suspect you could get into some schools with great merit aid, and some with a full ride based on your parents' income. Tell us more about your criteria: location, weather, size, social scene, etc...
UW-Madison has a strong math program if you're interested in math. So does the University of Chicago. Are you in Milwaukee? I once visited the Harvard Club of Milwaukee. They were delighted to tell me about the local students who'd been accepted to Harvard. I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out. Being from MN is a plus as far as admission into NE schools, including Ivy League schools, is concerned.</p>
<p>Marite, I think that the OP was referring to the Molecular version of the Biology SAT II. I believe that the test is composed of a general biology portion, and then the student has the option of taking an Ecology or Molecular Biology section. I could be wrong, though :)</p>
<p>Please bear in mind, when suggesting colleges for this student, that ivy league schools, and perhaps others, do not accept for credit college courses taken before graduation from high school. Only AP, IB, etc...</p>
<p>Some Ivy League schools do not accept APs either. They do, however, help with admissions, showing that you have takent the most challenging curriculum available to you.</p>
<p>ivyalum, I'm not sure what your point is. The OP's college courses will not cost him anything, and certainly will not count for less than high school courses. A friend of my son's took language courses at a university during his senior year in high school, and his Ivy League school is granting him advanced standing in that language. </p>
<p>The "top 20" (so-called) non-Ivy my son is attending is granting both advanced standing and credit for the university math and language courses he took while in high school.</p>
<p>The OP loses nothing, even if he attends an Ivy League college, by taking advantage of the UW-Milwaukee opportunity.</p>
<p>I'll second Marite's point. Also, if the OP gets a merit-based award at a good non-Ivy school he does not need to worry about early graduation. I firmly believe my son's luck in landing an extremely generous merit award was aided by his choice to remain in high school and take univ. courses and continue with his ecs, instead of graduating early.</p>
<p>Actually, the kids who were ready to graduate early at our h.s. elected to do high school funded exchage programs to Latin America and Asia. This made them very attractive to Ivies. One is going to Princeton next year with lower stats than many rejected candidates.</p>