Hi! I’m currently dual-enrolled at Valencia College (Orlando, Florida) and a High school sophomore. I’m completing my AA in Biomedical Sciences. My final goal is to become a doctor. I’ve been trying to figure out what would be the way to go for a university (in state or out of state)
My goal has always been Duke. But the more I look, the more I feel confused. With my AA i would be applying as a Transfer student but Financial Aid is something I really need and consider the most when i’m looking at a college. If I transfer I only get a few semesters of financial aid (not 100% sure how many) but if i were to not complete my AA then at least I would get credit for a few of my classes and enroll as a first year and in the end get more financial aid.
On the other hand, I could stay in Florida and go to UF or FSU and get the Bright Futures scholarship and Financial Aid. It sounds like the best option but I feel like I want to “go big or go home”, and go to a more prestigious school. In the end this is the more obvious choice since I would receive all the credit from my AA and only have to spend about two years there and then move onto medical school.
If you have any advice that would be great 
I’m mostly worried about financial aid, but if you have any more school recommendations that accept transfer students and give full financial aid that would be great!
I get the lure of the bright lights and the big name and new pastures!
You are 15-ish? And you want to go to Medical school. Because you are talking about “full financial aid” I am going to guess that your family does not have the money to pay for college and medical school outright, so paying for your education is one of the biggest obstacles you face. Med school debt is real, and it is just as crippling as any other kind of debt. It might seem as if being a Dr should mean making lots of money- but it takes years to get to the big money part- and many people never get there.
Luckily, you live in a state with some genuinely super, affordable choices for both undergrad and med school. Go to UF or FSU- whichever you like better. Make one of your decision variables be ‘study away’ options- with the credits you have you should be able to wrangle a year abroad (something that is sometimes hard for pre-meds to do), and if you go to the country whose language you are already learning you can come back with true fluency, which is a nice asset for somebody practicing medicine. On the other hand, if it’s ‘full steam ahead’ for you, then check out.UF’s Honors Medical program.
This is one of those moments when you weigh up your short term wants v your long term goals.
ps: be careful with DE credits: the FL colleges will take all of them, but selective privates have varying policies. For example, Duke won’t give you credit for any of your DE classes that are used to satisfy your HS graduation requirements; were taken in grades 9 & 10; English Comp; or Math below calculus.
You are misinformed. Getting enough DE credits to also get your AA does not make you a transfer student. You can still apply as a freshman (with the potential freshman scholarships available). Then if you gain admission your credits will be considered to see if you then get advanced standing.