Hey ya’ll. So I was wondering if I should include this in the common app’s additional info section, and if it would even bump up my chances on being admitted to college? Basically, between the summer of seventh and eighth grade, I decided to take my four required eighth grade core classes online in order to enter high school the following year, not middle school. I completed four classes in the span of three months (honestly the most stressful period in my life). Because of this, I am significantly younger than most of my peers. Should I talk about this in the additional info section or any other section? Thank you
Being young genrally is not any kind of boost. A lot of residential colleges don’t particularly want younger studetns for several reasons. They are a liability. For the most part, nearly all students will be legal adults. Going away to college is a big adjustment, and colleges know that plenty of students will struggle with being away from home for the first time. Being really young can just compound that. Youmay be intellectually capable, but still immature compared to others. Also, colleges in general do not care about anything that happens before high school.
Was there a particular reason you did what you did? You said it was very stressful. So why subject yourself to that? Personally, I do not think you should mention it, but you might want to discuss this with your guidance counselor at school,
I had the same reaction as @Lindagaf Why did you do this? Someone must have advised you that this would be a good idea but I can’t understand why. It sounds like you caused yourself a lot of stress and now have something that needs to be explained.
Well, what’s done is done, so I would just have your guidance counselor mention that you were advanced during middle school so you entered high school early. Its not that unusual for kids to be advanced one year so I don’t think it will cause you too much trouble in admissions. Its not like you are trying to go to college at 15. You can also mention it in the additional info section, but all you need to say is that you entered high school early. You don’t need to describe the stress of it - that would cast a negative light on what you did.
@Lindagaf @me29034 I mainly did it because the middle school I would have been attending was very bad (for a lack of better words) and I thought I would be intellectually capable to enter high school. Even though I’m “young”, I am still able to take AP and Honors courses & my uw gpa is 3.9. So, do ya’ll think it would in no way boost my app and I should just leave it out?
No this would not boost your app. If anything it could be a negative but since you are only one year ahead of your age group it shouldn’t make a difference.
Not sure about this one. Let’s see, OP basically had two choices. Choice #1 do nothing go to an inferior middle school. Choice #2 take responsibility for your education and proactively seek a solution where the “bad” school could be avoided. Sounds like OP took responsibility, grinded out the work and is pretty successful. I don’t think this is a negative. My son has just finished his freshman year in college and most of his classmates are 2 years older than him. He’s doing fine.
If you put in your birthday, you’ve already mentioned it. I agree that many universities don’t necessarily want lots of younger students. I’d leave it off, since the information is present somewhere else and so you don’t unintentionally hurt your chances.