I am bored out of my mind at my rural high school, and am looking for other options to challenge me academically. I pretty much have enough credits to graduate after my junior year, if only I took a few classes at the local community college. Reed is my dream college, and in the event that I did graduate early, I would be applying there. But this is sort of a last minute decision (even though it’s not really a decision yet), and a lot of things need to be considered:
To meet HS graduation/Reed admission requirements, I would have to take the following college classes over the summer and/or spring semester: English (1A most likely), Political Science or Government, Economics 1A, as well as a vocational education class that my high school requires (I might be able to get it waved in this case).
In addition to the extra classes, I would have to take the SAT and ACT like, this fall. I don’t feel very prepared for either of them (I scored a 1910 on my PSAT and was hoping to break 2100 for the real deal). I didn’t take the PLAN, and have no previous testing experience with the ACT, but want to break 30, AT LEAST. And if I wanted to take any subject tests, then I would have to do those, too.
AND, I would need to get started on my application essays! And do that whole deal-io… All by… let’s say, November.
And if I did this, I would enter college as a 17 year old girl, and turn 18 in February, instead of entering as an 18 year old adult if I were to enroll normally. I’m not sure if this even matters at all…
So there’s that. And then there’s the Reed part. Does anybody know how often they accept early action juniors? And let’s say I apply after junior year, and don’t get accepted. Would that hurt my chances when I re-apply? I want to emphasize that Reed is my DREAM SCHOOL.
And if I don’t get accepted to Reed, what the heck would I do in the off year? Apply to other colleges? How many colleges accept students after their junior year? I don’t want to go the community college route, because I DO NOT want to do the transfer thing. I want the traditional four-year college experience, just a year early.
I’m a straight A student, top of my class, and take community college classes as well as a few scattered ECs.
Basically what I’m asking is, what are the chances of Reed accepting me in this scenario?
And am I completely insane for considering this?