<p>I'm posting this here because the parents on CC always seem to have really good advice, so I'm hoping you can hep me out here. I am leaving high school a year early, but my school is just listing me as skipping a grade. So here's my question. Would going to a community college for a couple years be a good idea and then transferring, or should I take a gap year? And if I take a gap year do I need to apply to colleges this year or do I wait and do it during the gap year? Help please!!!!</p>
<p>I am assuming that you are planning to graduate high school this time next year, correct? Have you given any thought to where you might want to attend college? What you may want to study? How ready do you feel about going away to college straight out of an early graduation? </p>
<p>There are several advantages to applying to college while you are still in high school-chief among them, the access to teachers for recommendations and school guidance counselors and administration for transcripts,etc., as well as keeping on top of the standardized testing schedule. However, if you are uncertain about where you may want to go, these would not be advantages and you could certainly do the applications during the gap year.</p>
<p>pipmom yes you are correct i am plannin to graduate high school this time next year. I know that I would like to attend a small to medium LAC in New York state. I plan to study either religion or history as i plan to attend law school. As far as going right to college I feel that i can handle it and am mature enough to handle it, but i come from a family that makes under/around $30,000 so I am thinking that maybe taking a gap yar to work and save some money for college would be a good idea. Don't get me wrong my family and I have been saving for when I go to college since I was a baby, but that won't cover 4 years of undergrad and then 3 years of law school. So I guess I'm just really not sure what to do, and my parents aren't sure either.</p>
<p>You could apply and after admission and fin aid packages are in, and if you still feel you need a year off to work for tuition money, ask for a deferred start date.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice cmbmom, but if i were to apply during a gap year could i still apply for financial aid then?</p>