<p>It is nearly impossible to be admitted without a high school diploma. It is already hard enough for students who have schedules chockful of AP classes and graduate in the top 10% in four years. There are two students that I know that are actually two years younger than the majority of my class (2009). Both are 16. In one semester, my friend pulled off (and dd well in) the equivalent of two years of Chinese (Harvard has two courses where you can learn two years of Chinese in one). She also took Math 25, the second hardest math class (first being Math 55), and completed the first two semesters of Physics for majors. </p>
<p>Her class schedule was most definitely not a walk in the park for any student here, but she handled it just fine and was able to be involved in several extracurricular activities as well.</p>
<p>In short, if you’re going to graduate early, you have to blow them away, as in your ratings should be at least 1/2 across the board. (Harvard uses a 1 to 6 scale, 1 being the highest, which very few students get - you’d be surprised - and 6 being the lowest).</p>