@ucbalumnus I would likely be able to transfer 60 credit hours from my AP exams and dual enrollment courses, and forego the summer session requirement.
And like I said, at a college like HYP/Swarthmore/Bowdoin they wouldn’t have to cosign any loans. It is an option they’d be willing to take if necessary.
And I know that after a PHD I will have to fight for postdocs and faculty positions. I’ve factored this into my decision making. My supervisor at the lab where I was hired has said I work as well as a grad student and has trusted me with large portions of the data analysis for the experiment I’m working on. If I continue to improve and work hard during college and my career I know I’ll get a job.