<p>I’m 16 years old and currently in the 11th grade in Ontario, Canada. I have a decent academic record. I maintain a 4.0 and a 95%+ average. My class is not ranked. I went to a school serving grades 6 - 12 in my rural hometown but I transferred to an urban magnet with a wide array of AP offerings starting this year because I was outgrowing my home school’s curriculum.</p>
<p>I want to be an economics professor one day. I want to study undergraduate economics and mathematics at the best school possible and then hopefully move on to a top PhD program (MIT, Harvard, and the like). I share the lofty goals of all econ undergrads (do ground-breaking research, teach at HYPSM, write best-sellers, become a public intellectual, win the Clark Medal, etc) despite only being a secondary school student.</p>
<p>I want to attend a great U.S. college (just as many top Canadian students do) but I fear that my chances are too low to warrant the extra effort compared to getting into Canadian colleges. </p>
<p>I have a good transcript and great teacher/counsellor recs lined up but I have not taken any SATs or the PSAT yet (hence I have no estimate as to what my scores will be) and my ECs are nothing out of the ordinary. I would not be surprised if I was rejected everywhere (I’m looking at top 25 schools, including some Ivy League schools. Below the ~top 30 mark, U.S. schools start being very comparable to Canadian ones). I also have to factor in the fact that I’m of Asian descent. Asian + international + no spectacular ECs + just good grades + possibly bad SAT scores = not good chances.</p>
<p>Money is also an issue as most non-Ivies are need aware. If I apply for FA at most non-Ivies, I’ll be swiftly rejected because only the very best are offered it. If I don’t apply for FA, there is almost no chance that my family can afford the tuition. I’m taking my family’s financial information to a free consultant because my parents are too proud to tell me straight up that 50K per year is too high, especially when we have good programs in Canada for a fraction of the cost (just to get confirmation that yes, my parents can’t afford it). So basically my only chance to study at a top U.S. school is at an Ivy League school. If I am admitted to Cornell, my parents can afford it. Full tuition at Chicago? Not so much.</p>
<p>So we have established that idea that my U.S. aspirations may be unrealistic.</p>
<p>I have the option of graduating early from my high school and matriculating at McGill, University of Toronto (which has a good economics faculty), Queen’s, or pretty much any school in Canada (they’re not particularly selective and my grades are good, so excuse me if I come off as arrogant or something). I took some summer HS credits so I have more credits than most, therefore I have the choice of early graduation.</p>
<p>This is what I would like to discuss: should I stay around for senior year or should I go?</p>
<p>My thoughts on early graduation:</p>
<p>PROS
I can start and end college a year younger. I’ll be able to lower my stress levels because admissions will be easy (UToronto, my likely pick, doesn’t consider ECs for the Arts and Sci. College, plus only my top 5 grade 12 grades will matter). In addition, I’ll never be a bitter Ivy League reject because I will have never applied! I can focus my ECs on what I really enjoy doing instead of trying to impress the people over at Dartmouth and Cornell.</p>
<p>CONS
I’ll be skipping one year of human development that comes with attending high school. I might not be as ready for college as everyone else. I’ll also miss out on graduation festivities but that’s not a huge deal to me. I’m not a party animal and I don’t even drink. I’ll wonder if I could have gotten into my U.S. targets.</p>
<p>Thoughts on staying:</p>
<p>PROS
I’ll be able to study more APs and possibly be better prepared for college. Senior year will probably be a lot more fun than junior year (especially since I’m a new transfer with not that many friends right now). I will also have a chance at getting into my U.S. picks, but my chances will be slim.</p>
<p>CONS
Negatives: I’ll be bitter if I’m rejected. I might also be unhappy with that fact that I could have left early but didn’t.</p>
<p>Explanation for wanting to go to a U.S. college:
I like the fact that many of these schools are residential. I dislike commuter schools very much, they lack a sense of community (I feel this way at my public magnet). I feel that by leaving my country I can escape the problems that we have with underfunding, oversized classes, lack of class discussions (professor-dominated classrooms), and low admissions standards. </p>
<p>So… if you read the whole post… what’s your advice? </p>
<p>I’m currently thinking of basing my choice on my PSAT scores. If my PSAT comes out great, I stay. If not, I leave early.</p>