<p>Hi I'm a high school sophmore and I recently found out that I am eligible to graduate next yr (2009) which is a yr early. I find high school work easy and get bored with it because I am not challenged (except for Latin), and therefore think that graduating early might be the right choice for me. But I want some parental input. Here are my stats as of right now:</p>
<p>GPA: 4.0
Courses: Hardest offered (We do not offer AP classes)
SAT: taking in fall
SAT II: Taking World History, Chemistry, and Latin June 7th, 2008
Rank: Top 10% of sophmore class, Top 10% for junior class
Colleges Applying To: Houghton College in Houghton, NY; North Western College in Orange City, Iowa; Duke University, Hollins University, Capital University</p>
<p>Any input is greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Have you considered the possibility of taking the early graduation and doing a gap year? You could put together a program that combines language immersion (although Latin is a bit tough, eh?), focused study in an area of interest (music? art?), an unpaid internship in a field you are interested in, and/or working (either domestically or abroad) to pay for it. The extra year would enable you to broaden your horizens, gain a little more maturity, explore some interests and challenge yourself in a way that school hasn't and generally doesn't.</p>
<p>Take a look at The Gap Year Advantage-the book is a good starting point for thinking about this option.</p>
<p>Also, not sure what critieria you are using to choose colleges. Is this based on a specific area of interest? If we had a little more background, I'm sure you would get some interesting suggestions.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. I hadn't thought about Gap Year. Here is how I picked these schools. I am a practicing Christian, who just happens to be staff member at a Christian Summer Camp and Houghton and Northwesten Colleges (my top 2 choices) are Christian schools, so they immediatly appealed to me. Also these schools would allow me to double major in Political Science and Christian Ministry as I plan to be a lawyer who is a youth pastor at church. As for my other college picks I have picked each of them because their prelaw programs are amazing and I have gotten the sense that these schools would be an overal good fit for me, but if I were goven acceptance to either Houghton or Northwestern I would go there.</p>
<p>My son too finds HS boring and has talked of graduating a year early. My sister in law graduated HS at 15 and college at 19 - she would definitely advise you NOT to skip grades. You only get to go through HS once and while HS can be a social nightmare at times - there are many things you will look back fondly on in HS and you may regret not spending your senior - going to your prom, graduating with your class, etc.. I would suggest looking into a dual enrollment at a nearby college and take some classes there or do the best you can do in HS and spend time pursuing EC's you enjoy. Take the time to enjoy HS and graduate with your class and then go to college</p>
<p>Thank you for your advice jsmom, but I would be 17 at graduation time so my guidance counsolr says I would be fine, but I deeply thank you for your advice especially since you are giving me advice based on personal experience with a family member.</p>
<p>I agree with your counselor. If you are 17 when you graduate, you will not be noticeably younger than others in your college freshman class. (I did not turn 18 myself until my second semester freshman year and it was a non-issue.)</p>
<p>If you really feel you would be wasting your time spending another year in high school, and you don't feel you would miss anything in terms of your social life, then maybe you should go ahead and graduate a year early. Since you already seem to know what you want out of college, why don't you talk to the admissions reps at those specific college to see what they think of that plan? They could tell you if there would be any particular negatives (or even positives!) when they are viewing your application if you apply next year.</p>
<p>Megan - I have heard your story more than once...Christian students who make your choice tend to do a year of mission work before they go to Houghton (or Elim, another school in the area) would you consider that? You may just find a group to minister to that you may want to serve later on as an attorney...just a thought. Good luck with whatever decision you make though!</p>
<p>Another thought about the "prelaw" programs--going to law school does not require any particular major as a prerequisite. College level "prelaw" classes bear little if any resemblance to law school classes and taking them will give you no "leg up" in applying to law schools. You would do much better to take English, history, political science--anything that requires you to do writing and critical analysis and thinking. These skills are much better preparation for law school than any particular subjects you could study in an undergraduate program.</p>
<p>High school was not a good experience for me--I was very bored and had no peer group. Starting college early was definitely good for me, even though I took a gap year in the midst of undergraduate to find a direction. Staying in HS for senior year would only have been painful.</p>
<p>I think it depends on the kid. I went to college at 17 and felt a bit behind everyone else. My son went at 17 and did just fine. We both have winter birthdays.</p>
<p>Once again I just want to thank you all for your continued advice and input. I will consider it all when I make my final desicion. If any one else has advice or input please post it. It is very much appriciated.</p>
<p>You might ask your hs Guidance Counselor if the school would have you do this by graduating after 11th grade, or "skipping" 11th grade so you're in the senior class next year. Then you get to go to a senior prom, but you might not know as many seniors as you do juniors next year. You'd then apply to colleges as a senior, whether or not you defer your admission. That might mean you can get an interview at places that don't interview juniors, for example.</p>
<p>There are pros and cons each way; ask your GC for an opinion. If you're a senior, it'll be obvious at a glance on your h.s. transcript that you skipped the llth grade, and it does make you sound to college admissions folks that you are certain that you knew what you wanted.</p>
<p>payin3tutions i actually asked my GC this question today. She said i would be skipping the 11th grade and would be an actual senior. But unfortunalty our school does not have a senior prom, we have one prom for the juniors and seniors. But as far as knowing people our school is small and doesn't see many tranfers so i think i would still know many poeple, however we do have a high drop out rate. But once again thank you for your advice! </p>
<p>Anyone else with advice please pm me or post it here.</p>
<p>I would suggest that when you visit those colleges that you look through the student organizations page on the website and contact the campus minister or leader of a Christian group you might want to be involved with and arrange to interview him on the same day you visit. This is very enlightening and can really round out the picture of what it would be like at that school for you.</p>
<p>For us, one of the strongest Christian student groups we found was at an elite school with a huge party culture - not what we were expecting. Some conservative campuses had kind of milquetoast groups. It's definitely worth checking out. It's kind of like meeting your peer group in advance. :-)</p>
<p>Another school you may want to put on your list is Grove City College. They have an excellent law school admittance rate and the college is a very academically rigorous and Christ-centered campus.</p>
<p>As far as starting early, what do your parents think? Do you have a good relationship with them? If so, I would highly recommend listening to them. They know you better than anyone else.</p>
<p>Huguenot I found your advice very helpful. I have actually met with the Campus minister at Houghton while on a campus visit with some of my friends who attend Houghton and I believe I would enjoy life there. And I have actually recieved mailings from Grove City College but I have not researched the school much. I will however look into it.</p>
<p>As far as my relationship with my parents, I do have a good relationship with them however they are split on this issue. My mother is weary of it because she never had the chance to attend college and she wants me to enjoy college and not regret going early, if I do. My father on the other hand is all for it. He thinks its best for me to graduate next year and either go right to college or take a gap year.</p>