<p>Earlier this month, my second daughter (HS junior) set up a very well-prepared idea about graduating from HS early. Her mother and I were impressed and we were all thumbs up. She would be able to graduate summer 2014 and she wanted to take classes at a local community college for what would have been her senior year, then transfer to the University of Arkansas as a Sophmore+. </p>
<p>Then it happened! Just this week we got her latest score on her ACT… It was a 32! We were elated, naturally, until we realized that the ACT scores are not part of the scholarship process as a transfer student. Furthermore, that 32 ACT paired with her 3.7 GPA would get her an automatic free ride at the University of Alabama, IF and ONLY IF she enrolled there by the December deadline… Ok, screw the graduate early plan, right? She would have to wait until December 2014 to apply and get her automatic free ride to Alabama.</p>
<p>My blessed daughter is already soooo emotionally committed to this graduate early plan and then transfer to University of Arkansas that she cannot let go of it… Alabama was on her short-list for a long, long time, but she does NOT like the extra 4 hours of driving time to get there from home, making it a 9 hour drive. It is 5 hours to UArk.</p>
<p>Further complications, her older sister is at University of Arkansas already, and so is my second daughter’s boyfriend of a couple of years. Lastly, my wife is not at all crazy about the extra 4 hours either… Well, neither am I for that matter!</p>
<p>But…
OMG! This is a $95,000 dollar issue! I am in need of psychotherapy!!!</p>
<p>Oh… this daughter in question has been planning for a Law degree. So the importance of getting into the right school to leverage into a good Law School is a factor.</p>
<p>dadwith3kids, yes it’s a no-brainer. I’m a psychotherapist and I say there’s no need for psychotherapy. Just put your foot down. $95K is $95K. If she wants to fork that out, fine.</p>
<p>BTW, have you seen how good UA’s law school is, and how likely your daughter would be able to get in?</p>
<p>I have no idea what state you are in and am fairly unfamiliar with public school policies since we are homeschoolers, but high school students that take college courses as dual enrolled students are eligible for freshman status at most universities. ( I know they are at UA bc my ds has been accepted as a freshman and has enough credit hours to be a second semester sophomore.)</p>
<p>Is it possible for her to enroll as a dual enrolled student through the end of next school yr? That would allow her to take college level classes and have time to sort through options logically vs emotionally.</p>
<h2>"BTW, have you seen how good UA’s law school is, and how likely your daughter would be able to get in?</h2>
<p>@malanai, does UA’s law school give admissions preference to Bama undergraduates? Does the med school?"</p>
<p>The law school used have some track thru the Honors College. Don’t know if it still does. </p>
<p>As for the med school. Do you mean the med school at UAB or do you mean both med schools (UAB and USA)?</p>
<p>Public med schools and law schools can’t give a lot of preference to students at their schools because of how the state controls where those professional schools can be. For instance, the vet school is at Auburn. And the dental school is at UAB., as well as the med school. Bama students who apply to Auburn’s vet school are supposed to get equal consideration…and vice versa. </p>
<p>They can give preference to students who attend Alabama publics, but they’d be on shaky grounds to give preference to their own undergrads. </p>
<p>“but she does NOT like the extra 4 hours of driving time to get there from home, making it a 9 hour drive. It is 5 hours to UArk.”</p>
<p>In the big scheme of things, that is nothing. Neither way really makes weekend trips easily by car. She could travel to Bama by PLANE since her tuition would be ZERO.</p>
<p>What has been your rules about budget for college?</p>
<p>“Furthermore, that 32 ACT paired with her 3.7 GPA would get her an automatic free ride at the University of Alabama, IF and ONLY IF she enrolled there by the December deadline… Ok, screw the graduate early plan, right? She would have to wait until December 2014 to apply and get her automatic free ride to Alabama.”</p>
<p>She can apply this summer. She doesn’t have to wait til Dec to apply. That would almost be unwise to wait that long. </p>
<p>I would also contact Mary Spiegel and ask if your D could still be awarded the scholarship even if she decided to graduate early (this May/June), but not go to college til Fall 2015 (she could work or do some gap year). </p>
<p>Are OOS students who graduate from Bama considered in-state or out-of-state for these professional schools? If they rent an off-campus apartment and remain in the state over the summer to work, is that enough to establish IS residency? </p>
<p>OP, this may be something to discuss with your DD too to help her see things more your way! </p>
<p>It might be possible to have the OP’s daughter attend the University of Arkansas as a high school student even if her high school doesn’t offer a dual enrollment program. Many state flagships as well as community and technical colleges are allowed to issue high school diplomas. </p>
<p>UA does allow incoming freshmen to take courses at another institution the summer between their high school graduation and their freshman year at UA provided the student is attending the other institution as a visiting student.</p>
<p>“Are OOS students who graduate from Bama considered in-state or out-of-state for these professional schools? If they rent an off-campus apartment and remain in the state over the summer to work, is that enough to establish IS residency?”</p>
<p>I don’t know how OOS students who’ve graduated establish residency. </p>
<p>I know that USA SOM gives generous scholarships to OOS students with good stats to cover the OOS portion of their tuition. </p>