very confused, please help

<p>Hi, I'm a senior at a HS in Rhode Island. I have taken many courses at URI and many APs throughout highschool (beginning sophomore year). I have 4.0 URI and 3.7 HS GPAs, as well as a 2240 SAT. I will have filled many of the URI graduation requirements (for French major) by the time of graduation. This would mean I would require only one year of undergrad. Should I extend this? I know I'm interested in French, modern languages, and linguistics, but I'm very confused. I'm really looking for some guidance because I don't feel prepared and my future is really stressing me out. Can I go to grad school? I don't understand the process. </p>

<p>thanks so much for your help.</p>

<p>You are new here, so I will point out that you now have 2 threads with generic ‘help’ titles. Try to put something more meaningful. It is just polite, but also will help you get your threads opened by someone who might know something to do with your topic.</p>

<p>This forum is just for grad school questions. So–</p>

<p>Why do you ask if you can go to grad school? Anyone who has an undergraduate degree ‘can’ go if accepted. What is the real question here. Is there some specific question or part you don’t understand about the process? Generally you take the GRE, apply and submit your transcripts. Read the grad school 101 sticky at the top of this forum.</p>

<p>You can look at grad schools and programs that interest you and read what their requirements are online. Your college should have an adviser for you in your major and that person and your professors can help you. But you need to know what you want to study in grad school and I don’t see how anyone can decide that for you. What are your longer term goals?</p>

<p>Thanks for your response. I found the sticky very helpful and will use better titles next time. I’m interested in research and teaching in linguistics. How difficult is it to be accepted? I have good grades but I feel like I really haven’t done anything yet. Will grad school be more doable if I go to a more challenging/respected university for undergrad? Or would it be a waste of money? Thanks for your help.</p>

<p>You really need some quality advising. First for your options with regard to finishing your undergraduate degree, then for preparing for grad school. What is your high school GC and your college advising thinking? Does the college agree with the major in French when you plan to enter grad school in linguistics? Have you spoken to the professors in your linguistics classes about your plans and got advice?</p>

<p>I appreciate the time you’re taking for me. My high school guidance counselor doesn’t respond to emails and is rarely available to talk, so that’s probably not the best option. I haven’t talked to a college adviser, but I’ve spoken to professors involved in the french program. The linguistics courses at URI are very limited and unfortunately they have discontinued that major (I believe there would be a tuition break for me to attend UMass Amherst due to this…) My professors (french or not) have been supportive of my plans, but also surprised and have warned me to take my time and enjoy college as many of them have fond memories from that time in their life. I feel that this is going so fast and I don’t know that I’m ready.<br>
If I end up going to URI (likely), then I would spend 1-3 years there, depending on my decision and course load. I don’t want to waste my parents money getting more than the needed credit, but at the same time believe I would benefit from more courses. I feel very conflicted. I could graduate early from college, get a job, do internships, apply to grad school, go abroad, try to explore my options… I could also treasure my time as an undergrad, and maybe not even go to URI. I’ll make sure I get in touch with an advisor, thank you :)</p>

<p>I can’t imagine how you have gotten so far with taking somewhere like 2 years of classes and halfway through a major at URI as a HS student without any plan or college advising. I’m just guessing that AP’s make up the 3rd year of credits. This situation is out of my area of knowledge. You must be very motivated and smart to have done all of this, though. Why didn’t you graduate HS early?</p>

<p>I wonder how you know you like linguistics and research enough to plan that for grad school and a career. I think that’s something you should explore at a school that has a linguistics major and professors that you can do research with U Mass-Amherst is one very good choice for that and you could consider transferring in as a junior linguistics major. With your record you might have a good chance at on of the elite schools and depending on your financials, you might get good aid at one. Have you thought of trying to talk to an admissions officer at Brown since you are right there?</p>

<p>You have to be careful with taking any more classes right now if you aren’t going to graduate from URI. Only certain amount of credits will transfer and some colleges (like Brown, say) won’t take students with too many transfer credits. fyi, Some colleges will not give credits for AP’s (Brown) and just give you advanced standing, using it as a prereq. That might be fine if you don’t need those.</p>

<p>If you want to go into linguistics, you need to prepare yourself to get into a top grad school with funding. That’s not going to be easy to attain. Get familiar with the top linguistic PhD programs and what their requirements are. Also how their programs are run and their strengths. Read about the odds of job prospects in Higher Education.</p>

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