<p>Stanford seems to favor applicants who are non-traditional in age. In one article I read, I believe they talked specifically about 40-50 year olds. I'm wondering if I would be considered to be considered in this non-traditional group. I started taking courses at 12 years of age, I'm 13 now, and by the time I'm finished with IGETC and core courses, I'll be 15. I started school about a year early and I skipped 9th grade. That's all that's spectacular about me. My grades are 4.0 in high school and college, plus I'm in the honor program and secretary of AGS, but compared to people who start community service projects in Thailand for underprivileged children...well, I don't think I'd even bother to apply if my age isn't a huge bonus. Can someone tell me if I stand a chance?</p>
<p>(And if anyone wonders why I'm asking for this 2 years before I apply, it's because I just found out that transfering there is possible and I want to start focusing on looking amazing for Stanford if I have a chance.)</p>
<p>Non-traditional students is a term typically reserved for older students who have taken more than a year off from pursuing their degree. While you may not be the age of their typical applicants, because you are still in school and progressing along that path without any gaps, you would not be considered a true non-traditional student. Have you already graduated high school? I don’t see why you don’t just apply as a regular freshman applicant? There are a lot of freshman that apply with dual-credit courses, so having taking college courses while in high school doesn’t automatically make you a transfer student. I know that the UC and CSU systems require IGETC students to finish the IGETC track before transferring, but I’m not sure if Stanford has the same requirement, or if taking that track while dually enrolled in high school really classifies you as a transfer - maybe someone else has more information on this?</p>
<p>Also, your chances aren’t going to be based just on your perfect GPA and your having skipped a grade, etc. You also need to have strong ECs and a challenging course load. You haven’t given us enough to go on in that area to fully assess your chances.</p>
<p>No, you would not be considered non-tradition, just accelerated. What sets NT students apart is that they have taken time off from school and contribute to the university with their wider range of experiences than the typical UG.</p>
<p>I agree with sd that you may very well be considered a fr applicant, you when the time comes you should check with S to be sure.</p>
<p>Thanks you two for the replies. I have not yet graduated high school. I’m planning on taking the CHSPE instead, but that won’t be until next spring. </p>
<p>I want to transfer instead of applying as a freshman because I’ve already been working at my community college for more than a year with transfering in mind and I’ve got less than a year until I complete IGETC and other core courses. I was originally planning to transfer to UCB or UCLA, so that’s why I’m doing it. The freshman application process is harrowing in my opinion and I’d much rather transfer. I think I’ve got a good chance at some UCs anyway. I was planning on applying as a freshman to Stanford and other universities anyway as a “just in case”, but it’s not likely that it will be my focus. :|</p>
<p>I’ve found a link that says they’ve admitted a 15 year old before, and their youngest students seem to be 18 and younger consistently…at least until 2001 or something. If I’m not non-traditional, am I at least unusual enough to have a better chance than an averagely-aged person would be?</p>
<p>Yes, I know. They fill up their spots from freshmen who leave with transfers. With the economy like this, the acceptance rate is apt to be less than 2%. </p>
<p>I haven’t got time to focus on applying as a freshman because I’ll be taking a full time load at the college every semester as well as being a full time high school student. Again, I was already going to apply to a couple UCs. Like I said before, I’d rather transfer. I’ve been working on transfering since the age of 12, so if I get in as a freshman somewhere, it would feel like all of my hard work has been wasted, even if I can transfer my credits. >:|</p>
<p>I can help: With a 2% acceptance rate, chances from a bunch of internet strangers who (after 3 posts) you know nothing about their knowledge and experience with college admissions are at best useless and at worse misleading.</p>
<p>Why would you not receive credit for the courses if you entered as a freshman? Usually what happens with students who’ve taken more advanced courses during high school is that, upon entering college, they simply continue taking the more advanced courses either until they meet the graduation requirements (possibly early) or until four years are up (in which case they may graduate with stellar credentials that put them far ahead of their peers). Moreover, at Stanford I’m sure it’s completely ordinary for students to have a lot of advanced coursework done before entering as a freshman.</p>
<p>What is so different about applying as a freshman applicant as opposed to a transfer applicant (besides, of course, the fact that you’re not likely to get in as a transfer applicant no matter what)?</p>
<p>Are you sure you can even apply as a transfer student? Maybe I’m misunderstanding your situation, but if you’re taking college courses while in high school, you’re not eligible to apply as a transfer: [Eligibility</a> & Credit Transfer : Stanford University](<a href=“Page Not Found : Stanford University”>Eligibility & Transfer Credit : Stanford University)</p>
<p>Besides, you are by no means guaranteed to get credit for any of the courses you’ve taken if you are admitted as a transfer. Transfer students usually lose dual credit obtained during high school. Once again, I don’t know your situation, but unless you’ve clarified this point with Stanford, I would think you could actually be better off applying as a freshman applicant if all you care about is getting credit for your prior work.</p>
<p>My college work is independent of my high school work. I’ll be getting the CHSPE in the spring, which means I can leave high school and continue at college full time. I read your link. I’m not sure if it would make a difference that I go to a Middle College High School…? I’ll be doing enough once I leave anyway.</p>
<p>I’m talking about the transfer name. To me I guess if it’s not specifically “transfering” it feels like it’s losing value, but again, this is only because I’ve been working long and hard towards this one goal and I’m just starting to explore other options. .</p>
<p>It might be a mental thing because my parents have pushed both me and my big sister to transfer early instead of applying as a freshman so the freshman application process is just…daunting to me I guess. I know I’m really stubborn and I’m working on trying to be more flexible. </p>
<p>My previous posts probably weren’t clear to anyone but me because I was typing all but the first of them at the airport after a 4 hour flight. Apologies about that. I hope this is better. </p>
<p>Edited: I feel like the whole freshman vs. transfer thing might just be my own personal mental block. Ignore that part. I was planning to apply to some schools as a freshman as backup and some for transfering, my main goals. I wanted to apply to Stanford as one of those freshmen schools before I found out that transfering is possible, if not probable. I might still do both depending on how situations are next fall. The future for my low-budget school looks bleak. Anyway, this thread is getting too complicated. I just want to know the answer to this question: Is a young age a bonus?</p>
<p>It sounds like you’re working REALLY hard right now and that you have been for quite awhile. I’m not exactly sure why your parents are so intent on having you and your sister transfer rather than enter college as a fr?? It’s such a wonderful time in your life, 4 years to grow, learn, get to know all sorts of new people and experiences. I for one, wouldn’t give that time up for anything (maybe that’s why I spread it out to 6 yrs ;)).</p>
<p>I hope that you’re having fun along the way to achieving your goals, I know that my D1 tends to be pretty driven and I am often much more concerned for her happiness than for what she’s accomplishing, because she tends to put off the “like tos” for the “must dos”.</p>
<p>Do give S a call, they likely can give you some straight up answers about how admissions works with the CHSPE.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>x-posted w/lenora</p>
<p>I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say it’s a bonus, but it will make you stand out.</p>
<p>My parents are from China. The colleges there are really competitive so I think they see it as a good way to get around the system. Why they would still think they’re in China I don’t know.</p>
<p>I love taking college classes and the people there are much more mature than at my high school. I think my college friends are better friends than I’d ever find elsewhere. I enjoy life at college. (I guess I’m what you’d call a “nerd”.) </p>
<p>Thanks for the help. I’ll call them to see what they say. :)</p>