High school vs. early college?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi everyone, </p>

<p>I am junior in high school right now, and have around a month and a half left of school. My family and I are moving in a couple of months, and I have the opportunity to either go to a new, public high school (I go to a private Catholic high school and HATE it) or spend my senior year as a full-time student at my local college. I'm really torn between the two, and I just thought that I'd get some of your insight. </p>

<p>If I go to high school, then I still will be able to have the high school experience, such as prom and just well, everything that is associated with high school. I'm not really sure if I want to give that up just yet. However, if I go to high school, then I will take 5 AP classes, and I just couldn't imagine the stress of having 5 AP exams at the end of the year. </p>

<p>If I go to college, then there will be no tuition - not even for textbooks. Basically, I will get a free year of college and I'd feel kind of stupid if I turn it down. I think that taking freshman college classes would be less stressful, because I won't have the AP exams at the end of the year to freak out about.</p>

<p>What do you think? I'm really having a hard time deciding. I'm sure I want to go into the medical field for college, so I'm not sure if spending my senior year full-time at college would be a good idea or not? </p>

<p>Some input would be greatly appreciated :)</p>

<p>Thanks in advance,
Brooke Taylor</p>

2

<p>I think you’ve considered the pros and cons of both, so I think you need to make this decision on your own. However, here’s a few more things to think about:
At the public school it may be hard making friends at first, especially if you aren’t super social. And it’s senior year so the groups have already been established, but there are always really friendly people who would be glad to be friends with you
You don’t need to take all 5 of those APs, why not dwindle it down to 2-3, possibly 4, that you really want to take. It’s senior year! While you shouldn’t blow it off, you also shouldn’t kill yourself by taking so many hard classes.</p>

<p>If you go to college there may be less social interaction, definitely not as much as high school since everyone’s on a different schedule
You could always make friends around town or from work (if you have a job) and go to the public school’s prom with them
Also, it’s free and most credits are transferable </p>

<p>If you feel like you’re ready to have less social interaction then go to the local college, but I think you should attend the public school first and see how you like the teachers, classes and social atmosphere. You could always transfer to the college before the first month of the school is over if you decide that the public school’s not for you</p>

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<p>Thank you! Well, I was thinking about it and I think that I will have a little bit of both. I could go to high school and dual enroll, what do you think of that? The problem now is which courses to take. </p>

<p>I’m planning on going Pre-Med. Freshman year I took Honors Biology, sophomore year I took Honors Chemistry, and this year I’m taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology. </p>

<p>If I’m going Pre-Med, should I take Honors Physics I (high school), or AP Biology, or Biological Science (at the college)? I heard that Physics is strongly recommended. But I don’t know if it would be better than AP Bio or even Biology at the college. What do you think?</p>

<p>I would also be interested in taking Organic Chemistry. Or would that be pointless? </p>

<p>This is the schedule I’m thinking about having:</p>

<p>Per 1: Honors Physics I (at high school, rather than AP Biology)</p>

<p>Per 2: AP Spanish Language </p>

<p>Per 3: Honors American Government/Honors Economics (rather than AP U.S Gov and Pol)</p>

<p>Per 4: Honors English Composition 1 & 2 (semester courses at college) in place of AP English Lit </p>

<p>Per 5: Pre-Calculus/Calc 1 (semester courses at college) rather than AP Statistics </p>

<p>…Basically, I really want to challenge myself! I’m very motivated. </p>

<p>Any thoughts?! :slight_smile: Thank you so much!!!</p>

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<p>Bump???</p>

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<p>@ Lizard</p>

<p>dual enrollment sounds good.</p>

<p>DO NOT TAKE ORGO, or other college pre-med requirements now. Many pre-med programs will not allow you to take orgo twice, and med schools will frown on anything but orgo from your undergraduate degree granting institution.</p>

<p>AP bio would be my first choice, because the physics required in pre-med is not calculus based, and AP physics C would overshoot the mark. You would still have to take intro physics anyway in your regular college as a pre-med requirement. AP bio could get you placed out of a semester of intro bio at most selective colleges, and you could take a more advanced bio that would help with MCAT, like physiology. </p>

<p>Start to take a look at the on-line pre-med advising info at a few competitive pre-med colleges (Duke, Hopkins, Amherst, etc.). They vigorously discourage doing pre-med required classes outside your regular degree granting program, (even in summer) and also advise which APs to use for placement. This will help you decide what to take. </p>

<p>The exception would be if you plan to stay and graduate from the dual-enrolled college.</p>

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<p>sorry, I mis-read as AP physics in your post. Honors physics would be the best choice, I think, since you have not had any physics yet.</p>

<p>Avoid APUSH, wise choice. Do you need another history? Maybe AP Bio instead of gov unless gov is a requirement?</p>

<p>Calc over AP stat, wise choice.</p>

<p>AP spanish good choice, and any good English is fine.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

7

<p>I’m in a very similar situation in that I want to become a physician but my school doesn’t support me because of religious reasons. I was seriously considering whether it would be better to skip my senior year and begin college a year early, however now I’m leaving towards staying in HS. My decision is based on personal reasons, among them the fact that once I enroll in a state school for the coming year, I’d have to apply as a transfer student to the university’s of my choice for the following year, which greatly limits my chances. </p>

<p>You should find out if you would be offered the same scholarship next year also. If you would be, since you seem to be somewhat opposed to missing certain aspects of HS, make the best of your senior year and enjoy it! However, medical fields require long years of schooling, and so if you’re eager to get moving like I am, you can always do a dual enrollment program. It’s up to you, but you only get four years of high school. Use them wisely and don’t waste them in getting ahead of yourself.</p>

<p>Sent from my DROID4 using CC</p>

8

<p>Wow, thank you guys! </p>

<p>2prepMom: Thanks! I was thinking about it and I thought that it would be great to have a little bit of both, since I want to take challenging college courses as I feel that they would be more direct in terms of college credit; however, I don’t want to give up high school just yet, if you know what I mean. </p>

<p>Right now I’m in regular Algebra 2 (not so good at math) and I know that Calculus will give me the “extra edge” I need for the Pre-Med track. So if anything at all, I will want to take my math classes at the college; because there, the Pre-Calculus course is only a semester long, whereas in high school it is a year-long course. Taking Pre-Calc in high school would mean that I wouldn’t be able to take any Calculus until college. However, taking Pre-Calc in college would enable me to also take Calculus within the same year, as it is also a semester-long course. So I think that it will give me the edge I need. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>As far as Physics goes, I think that I’m just going to stick with Honors Physics :). I mean, I really like Biology, but I think that for going Pre-Med, maybe having a little background in Physics while still in high school would be a good thing. So thank you! I think that’s just what I’ll do. </p>

<p>Also, what I think I will do regarding colleges is go to my local college for until I have my A.A, and then apply as a transfer to Johns Hopkins. I just do not think that my math and science grades are high enough to get into JH or any school like that, lol. I have been getting constant Bs in math, and even got a C for one semester of Geometry, as well as mostly Bs in science except for this year: I have maintained a high A in my Honors Anatomy course :). </p>

<p>But my GPA is within the A-range, both weighted and unweighted. So who knows! Lol </p>

<p>LaughaholicMD: That is so cool! And I know how you feel - I have come to the assumption that Catholic school (or at least the one I go to) is a joke. My guidance counselor is sooooooo bad and he’s the main reason why I’m going to a new school next year. Anyway, although you probably shouldn’t take my opinion so seriously since I don’t even know what I’m doing myself (lol) I recommend staying in HS! :smiley: Thank you so much for your input!!! :)</p>

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<p>If anyone else has any more input, feel free to add! Thank you!</p>

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<p>If you are not so good at math, college pre-calc and college calc is going to be a heavy load. My friend who is good at math took those two at community college for fun (and to brush up), and she spent an enormous amount of time on homework. Probably 20+ hours a week, plus class time.</p>

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<p>Yeah I know it will be a lot of work :). I’m not really sure though, do you think I should just stick with Honors Pre-Calc next year or should I do the Pre-Calc/Calc 1 classes at college? Will it really matter for Pre-Med? Will I still be considered competitive with Honors Pre-Calc senior year? Thank you!! :D</p>