<p>Good afternoon,</p>
<p>I am a junior this year, and thus, have began looking at colleges. However, I am a junior who is graduating early. The reason for this decision is that I am going on a gap year exchange to Germany via a prestigious scholarship. I recently saw the following on a university's website, and began to wonder if my chances could be hurt due to my early leave:
'Graduating early is discouraged by the Admission Committee. Most students who graduate early from high school have not exhausted their high school's curriculum and will be held to the same standards as students who apply with four years of high school. Students are encouraged to take the most rigorous curriculum possible, and to rise to the highest leadership positions in their extracurricular activities. Therefore, most students who graduate early do not look very competitive in the context of their high school.'</p>
<p>I would have thought my exchange would give me an advantage, as would my early graduation. Naturally, I could be mistaken. Therefore, I ask: is it better to have four years of high school under your belt and have 'exhausted the high school curriculum' or is it preferable to have finished a four-year program in three years with a gap year exchange scholarship in place of senior year?</p>
<p>I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you for your time.
--Thomas</p>