Though with the HS GPA you have now (unless it’s a HS with severe grade deflation), I’m not sure that med school is a realistic goal. Is there a reason why it hasn’t been close to 4.0?
???
Is English your first language?
You need to get your grades up. Are you taking any AP classes? You need to get all A’s this semester.
@greeninohio @MidwestDad3 @MYOS1634 @PurpleTitan @mom2collegekids What if I just decide to go to a continuation school and graduate with my high school diploma then go straight to a four year university?
What do you call “a continuation school”?
A high school diploma, in itself, won’t get you to a university.
It’s what you do to get the high school diploma AND other college-application specific things, that get you to college.
There’s a whole process of application. If your local high school has “college information evenings”, plan to attend information sessions there.
You take classes in high school, preferably honors/AP ones if you wish to go into medicine (recommended: precalculus, AP calculus, Honors biology+ AP biology, Honors Chemistry +AP Chemistry, and of course AP English Language).
Whether homeschooled or in a high school, you accumulate credits and get a GPA.
Around now, you start looking into colleges. You fill out their online “request information” form. You read Insider’s Guide to the Colleges and/or The Fiske Guide. You go visiting various schools nearby (one large public, one small private, another one of your choice).
Around Spring of Junior Year (11th grade, 2 years before the start of university), you take the ACT or the SAT after preparing seriously. You try to score as high as you can after much practice using websites likes sparksnotes, khan academy, number2.
You apply for Questbridge’s summer program (lower-income/first gen students).
Around May-June of Junior Year, you take SAT Subjects in two subjects of your choice if those are requested by the colleges you’re interested in (many Questbridge colleges will require them).
During the summer of Junior year, you do what you usually do (work, go on vacation, stay with grandparents…) but you also prepare for these standardized tests, with the ACT in September and the SAT in October. (You only need one of the two). You make a list of several 4-year colleges (some you’re sure you can get into and can afford, some you’re not sure you can get into but could afford if you got in.*) If you’ve been admitted to the Summer Questbridge program, you will have all that included.
You start working on your essays. You check out when 4-year universities in your state start uploading their application for you to fill out. And in August- September, you start applying.
- Note that the "published cost of attendance" is NOT what you'd have to pay. You have to run something called a Net Price Calculator on EACH college website, because each college calculates differently. Here are possibilities for you to look into - run the net price calculator on your state's flagship (the big university with the basketball/football team everyone's heard of), a local 4-year college, Gettysburg, and Mount Holyoke. The last two are very selective so they'd be "reaches" for you, but they have excellent financial aid.
^ I agree with MYOS. I also think that right NOW you should get a better understanding of the cost situation by doing what MYOS suggests in the last paragraph. To make it even easier, I recommend going to https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/ and clicking on “sign up” in the upper right. After you make an account, do a search for:
Mount Holyoke
Gettysburg
a local 4-year college of your choice
your state’s flagship university
Add them to your “my colleges” list. Then go to one of those college’s pages, click “Paying” tab on the left, then click “Calculate your net price” in the blue button on the right. Make sure you click “sign in” not “guest”. Have a parent there with you, with their most recent tax forms. Follow the instructions, entering all of your family’s financial info as accurately as possible. At the end, you will get a breakdown of how much financial aid you are likely to get from the school, as well as how much in federal student loans they expect you to take out, how much they expect you to do as an on-campus job (work study) and how much your family would have to come up with out-of-pocket in order to attend. Make sure you click “save my info”.
Then when you run the net price calculator for the next school, it will auto-fill what you already entered. Some schools may require a bit more information than others.
This will give you a much better idea of what it would cost you to actually attend these schools. It will also give you a place to keep a “my colleges” list of schools you’re interested in, and check quick facts about them, like what the average GPA and test scores are of accepted students.
Good luck!
@MYOS1634 @staceyneil an alternative high school my local alternative school I still will get a high school diploma but for my laboratory science, performing arts, and foreign language I will have to take at my local community college. I’m 16 years old I only have 25 credits. Do you think I should just start all over with high school and graduate in 2019 I will be 20 when I graduate then go to a four year university all this school stuff is just stressful sometimes I feel like not even going to school.
Hmm. It does sound like you are not really ready to be applying for college, and it worries me that you have no adults who are advising you. If going to your local alternative high school would give you some breathing time, and also put you in touch with a guidance counselor who can better advise you, that might be a good idea. I’m still a little unclear about your high school situation to date: you attend an online school, I understand, but do you not have ANY contact with a local school, guidance office, etc? (I did see that k12 has some college workshops that might be helpful for you: http://www.k12.com/take-a-peek/student-activities-support/college-career-workshops#.VMKQvXZcXj8)
It’s clear that all of this college stuff is complicated to you and you don’t have a good knowledge base or advisor. College is a really big commitment -both of time and money- and of course very important to your future. I think it’s wise of you to consider that you might no be quite ready for that step right now.
It sounds like you are overwhelmed right now. I remember when my daughter was a junior and I tried to learn about and understand the college process, it was overwhelming for ME, and I’ve even been to college myself! I don’t think that my daughter, with everything else that was going on in her life, could have figured it all out and made decisions about where to apply on her own. I think if you decide that you want to stay on track for graduating in 2016, and be at college that fall, you really need to get some adults on board to help you navigate all this. If your parents will help, send them here: we will help them!
On the other hand, if you want to graduate later, I wouldn’t worry too much about being older than most freshmen: a lot of people take “gap years” after high school and don’t start until they are 19 or even 20. It’s not a big deal.
What feels best to you? What do your parents think?
@staceyneil I do feel I’m ready for college but my parents want me to save money and go to a community college. I’m ready for college but I just don’t know when I will graduate high school I don’t want to be 20 in high school with 17 year olds. I feel that I’m in a tight spot I do email my teachers but they don’t reply all the time I might get on their nerves or something. I really want to go to a university instead of a community college I also need to grow up a little because my parents are so over protective and I don’t go anywhere, I don’t have friends, can’t date until I’m 18, never been kissed but that is not what I’m talking about I want to go to a university for my education and to make sure I can get into a medical school. Do you think I should just apply for my local high school and graduate in 3 1/2 years or attend my alternative high school and graduate in 2 1/2 years but I have to take laboratory science, foreign language, and performing arts at my local community college. What should I do?
I really can’t tell you what to do. It does sound, from what other posters above were saying, that a 4-year college is what you want before medical school. I’m not familiar with any of that, but it seems to be what folks who know are saying. I respect the opinion of many of the people who’ve replied to you above: they are mostly parents and people who have given good advice before.
And it sounds like your parents don’t understand that there are ways to go to 4-year college that are not expensive. I think that you need to have a serious talk with your parents and explain to them that community college is not the best step for your future plans. They probably do not know anything about the medical school track, like me! Perhaps let them read this thread.
If your parents support your plans for medical school, and if they can understand that university/college is a better plan than CC, and that there ARE ways for a 4-year college to cost less than or the same as CC (lots of advice on that given above) then perhaps they will be able to help you make the best decision. We can’t tell you what’s best for you, we can only give you options and facts. We don’t know you. We don’t know what’s best for you… That is why I said above that I really think you need to get an adult who knows you in on this. Whether that’s a guidance counselor, parent, relative, maybe someone from church… you need an adult to help you take a careful look at all of the advice that’s been given above, and help you do the research.
There ARE 4-year schools out there where you can get substantial financial aid if not a “free ride.” You need someone to help you find them, and help you set up a timetable of what you need to be doing now in order to be ready to apply next year. Such as scheduling standardized tests and getting the proper study materials for them and sticking to a study schedule. And making a timetable of the application requirements. And studying hard for your classes so you can raise your GPA. You have two more semesters to raise your GPA if you plan to apply for college for fall 2106. This semester is the most important: you need to try to ace all your classes.
Please try to find an adult advocate, and show them the info we’ve given you above. I know it’s overwhelming but it’s do-able. Good luck.
@staceyneil do you think I should go to my high school and graduate in 3 1/2 years or should I go to an alternative school and graduate in 2 1/2 years right now I’m in to k12 and I will graduate in 2017 but they really don’t help me out online what is the average age of freshman in college?
Honey, did you read my reply above? I think you need an adult who knows you to help you make that decision. Slow down and read through what I wrote above.
Also, you said earlier that you were graduating your online k12 in 2016. That would make you a junior. Now you’re saying it’s 2017? That means you’re a sophomore.
I think the average age for incoming college freshmen is 18, but my D was 17 and some of her friends were 19.
If your online school isn’t helping you, it seems wise to consider alternatives. But again- we cannot really help you decide because we don’t know you and we don’t know anything about the alternatives available to you. I don’t think most of us know what you mean by “alternative school”, for instance. You are clearly in an unusual situation and I really hope you will ask an adult to help you.
I understand, I read your reply fully and I get it I need some time to think about it I know my parents have said whatever I choose is up to me. I believe a four year university fits my needs I do need to tell my parents that medical school Is very competitive and hard to get into. Remember I only have 25 credits I need 200-220 to graduate and I don’t know when that will be
That is somewhere from 2017-2019
Alternative high school is a continuation school you know where they send bad students and students to check up on their credits. Or I could sign up for my high school which will put me to graduate in 2018 maybe.
Either the “alternative school” or the regular high school would be better than K-12 since they’re not preparing you well for college admissions. Bookmark this thread though, there’s lots of practical advice.
Is there an adult you trust near you?
@MYOS1634 my parents I guess, well do you know alot of people who graduate high school when they are 19,20 I do believe going to my regular high school would do good for me because I know I will get all the classes I need when I need them and I wouldn’t have to go to another lot to do other work. Also at the “alternative high school” I would have to go to my local community college to take laboratory science, foreign language, and performing arts?
It’s fine to take Foreign Language, Lab Science, and Performing Arts at community college if it counts toward high school graduation, hence as HS equivalent. Unless you don’t have a car (or driving license or can’t drive for whatever reason) and the distance is a problem, or unless “alternative high school” is another word in your district for “school for reformed youth offenders and dropouts”?
In fact, as a homeschooler, you’re allowed to take community college classe toward high school graduation requirements. In most states, as long as it’s toward HS graduation, it’s free (or very nominal). And 4-year colleges like to see high school students who are successful with the faster college pace, even if it’s community college (keep in mind it’s not community college after high school, but BEFORE high school.) Check the rules for your State.
The “regular” high school would give you more time to work on the process, get the classes you need, talk with the guidance counselor…
If you’re 16 and enroll at a high school as a sophomore now, you’d graduate at age 18. If you enrolled as a freshman (but with 25 “K-12 credits”, which I assume means 12 classes/units completed) I don’t think that’s possible, you’d graduate at age 19.
Not many people graduate at age 19 but it’s not uncommon at all. If you don’t bring it up, no one will. Colleges won’t care.
Since most students start college at 18-19, there wouldn’t be a big difference at all.
@MYOS1634 no on k12 every class you complete you get five credits for so I have completed five classes If I attend my local high school I will need 210 altogether to graduate how old would I be, after high school I plan on going start to a four year university. I think going to my local high school could be good for me since I could learn better study habits, try and get straight A’s then take my SAT, then apply for colleges junior year and go to college and then medical school.
Register at your local school.
So you’d be a freshman with advanced standing, sort of - you’re 10 credits short of being a sophomore. Take 25 or 30 credits this semester, then 10 credits this summer. Sure the other students will seem immature and young, but if you take summer classes you’ll catch up after this summer.
You’d be 18 or 19 when you graduate, compared to the typical 17 or 18. Really not much of a difference.
The biggest difference will be this semester and this summer.
Or do the alternative high school if you think there will be more students your age?
@MYOS1634 okay I do want to sign up for my local high school and the guidance counselor should help me with my graduating plan right? So I could graduate in a great time I just want a career where I can buy a house and be able to buy my kids what they need and get them through college i believe I can achieve to become a doctor.
I think it would be a great idea for you and your parents to go and speak with the local high school on Monday. Yes, the guidance counselor there should be able to help you with your graduation plan, advising how to catch up to the class, etc. And then, the guidance counselor will help you with your college plans. I think it’s a great idea for you to have some guidance, especially as you said to learn better study skills. Thise are going to be incredibly important to succeed in college and medical school 