Which scenario would be looked at more favorably by college admissions offices:
— my daughter graduates a year early from high school (ash she wants to start her college classes/career as soon as she can–Dual Enrollment is not an option)
— she takes AP classes her junior year, passes the exams
We aren’t sure if graduating early is a good thing or a bad thing, I’ve read arguments for each.
Thank you!
Many top kids are eligible to graduate early since they fulfill their states’ minimum requirements. If she’s not concerned with applying to selective colleges, you can search around and find schools that will enroll her. These favor any warm body. While she may want to speed things up, selective colleges want proof of academic excellence and potential.
But you asked “favored by college admissions” so I’m going to assume she’s more selective. I say STAY all four years, maxing out AP classes (which will both give her a taste of college level work and if she gets 5s and maybe 4s – may get credit/advanced standing at her eventual college). Selective colleges will also be looking for superlative Letters of Recommendation. Usually these are from 11th and 12th grade teachers of AP/Honors courses – not her 9th grade geometry teacher. Does she have a top GPA? How are her ACT/SATs? What sorts of schools does she wish to target?