Early High School Graduation/ Spring College Admissions/ Scholarships

Paying for College
1

This may not completely be the right forum for all these questions but since I’ve already shared by husband’s work situation here, I figured it might be where to start.

Last week, my husband was selected as part of a work force reduction. While we do not know yet where we will end up, it looks increasingly likely that we will have to move out of the state of Florida for him to find similar/appropriate employment.

My son just completed his junior year in a IB program. He had planned to (most likely) attend a Florida university in Fall 2017. However, unless we have read the statutes incorrectly, it would appear that even if he stays with a friend to finish high school (his original plan,) as soon as we move, he will lose his Florida residency.

A teacher recently pointed out that due to the accelerated nature of his high school program, he likely had all the academic credits needed to graduate high school already. We confirmed with his guidance counselor today that he would only need to complete some electives he had been exempted from as an IB candidate (government, economics and a fine art) over Florida Virtual School before Sept 14 to be eligible for a normal high school diploma.

My son does not want to spend his senior year in a new school/new state so this is an attractive option for him.

However, I want to be certain there are not obvious downsides that I am overlooking.

We would still focus our college search on automatic merit aid schools - at this point University of Alabama Huntsville and Temple University. He would qualify for full tuition at either. Assuming employment, either of these would be options with UAH being the better option if his June SAT is high enough.

Will he still be treated as an entering freshman if he applies for admission for Spring 2016 at either of these schools? And are automatic scholarships available for students who start Spring semester or are those specific for those who enter fall semester? He would prefer not to take a full gap year but I have no idea how Spring admissions work.

And will he be looked at any differently for graduating high school in 3 years rather than 4 (he did take several high school courses in middle school if that makes any difference?)

This is all a very unusual path that I personally would not have thought of. Regardless of whether or not he takes the extra courses, he has until September to decide whether or to receive the diploma so he has some time to fully make up his mind (though he will need to start the FLVS classes very soon) if he should decide he does want to attend senior year out of state (or if by some miracle we can find something in state.)

Mostly, I wanted to see what those wiser and with more experience than I thought of this particular option and what advantages or disadvantages fresh eyes might bring.

2

If I’m not mistaken…most of those auto merit scholarships are for freshmen who are enrolling in the fall term…not the spring.

Since you are looking at Temple and UAH, why not have him complete his senior year of HS, and just apply for fall admission like he would have?

Or…he could get a job and work…and then apply for fall admission.

3

His main objection is to completing senior year in a new state and school. What classes would be open to him is a big question mark. At a high school I looked at yesterday close to a possible job English was the only AP class available that he had not already taken.

A gap year is a possibility. He would simple prefer not to take that long off.

4

I would urge you to talk to someone in admission at UAH, Temple and UA. They have great scholarships, but not sure if the only offer them to fall freshman admits.

5

He would be taking a gap semester…not a whole year. If he graduates in December 2016…he would be applying for admission for the following fall…fall 2017.

If he graduates in June 2017, he would still be applying for fall 2017 admission, right?

He would get these application completed in the fall 2016 term.

Do I have the years correct?

6

Make sure he completes the BF application immediately. They have special rules for those graduating in Dec., and I’m sure a Sept graduation would also be unique. Even if he doesn’t plan on going to school in Florida, you never know.

If he loses his Florida residency ‘immediately’ (I think it is 12 months, but maybe one has to have started in a university?), if he’s not going to go to any school and therefore will not have instate tuition anywhere, why not just have him finish in Florida if that’s what he wants to do? It won’t change his status for Temple or UA-H, just for Florida schools. If the family moves to NC or GA, what difference would if make if he finishes high school in Florida? He could then finish his IB program.

7

@thumper1 His diploma would technically be considered summer 2016. He was told he would be eligible to walk at the all county summer graduation.

@twoinanddone We have to have lived for 12 months consecutively prior to the start of school to be considered Florida residents, so once we own a home in another state we are not longer eligible. (If he had already started college, he would have 12 months.) His guidance counselor did mention that he could transfer to another IB school but that would be depend greatly on whether one would be available wherever we land. And even then, this raises some questions as to CAS and the EE. It is more a personal preference of his not to deal with that transition so close to the end of high school. However, as she stated, he can take the classes and opt not to receive the diploma if a good transfer option is available.

I am very much information gathering. Nothing is set in stone. This really isn’t even something I would have thought of on my own.

8

As others have pointed out, most of those merit scholarships are for freshman entering in the fall term.

I would also strongly recommend against graduating early. Doing the full four years only gives you more time to increase test scores, continue taking rigorous classes, etc. I had enough credits to graduate a year early on top of a year I had already skipped, and I chose not to – really, really glad I stayed. It made me a much, much more competitive applicant for top scholarships and programs.

9

Are there other children whose schooling needs to be considered? One option would be for you and your spouse to temporarily live apart. You could maintain a FL residence, allow your son to finish his HS education and college applications senior year. Your spouse could seek employment, hopefully become gainfully employed and live modestly in a rental apartment until graduation. At that point you will know where son has landed, know more about the stability of new job, and have more information to decide on housing options in new location.

10

I understand…but he would still be in HS until December 2016, right? So really, he. Would only be taking a one semester “gap year” and would actually be enrolling in college when his same class peers are doing so in Fall 2017.

From January to June, he could work and earn some money to help with college costs…and get some work experience as well.

I’m not sure why you want him to start college in January 2017. He would likely not be eligible for,those auto scholarships you say he needs.

11

He would be done with high school September 14 with a full diploma (I thought the guidance counselor was talking about the accelerated 3 year option available in Florida but apparently he has more credits than I realized.) His plan would be to work fall semester to save money with the hope to be able to start in the spring. I am in no way opposed to him taking the full year for work experience if he is truly set on this path.

Huntsville will award scholarship for spring admissions. I have not heard from Temple yet.

Right now, I am only advising him to take the three summer classes so he has the option if he wishes to pursue it. I am not specifically pushing him to get the diploma or to start early.

When this was suggested to him, I remembered that two students from my high school who were juniors started UF the same year as I did which was the only reason early college even made the slightest bit of sense to me.

As far as the other children, I have an elementary aged child and an adult child with a severe disability. Because of the eldest, living separately would be extremely challenging.

12

is he able to live with friends and complete HS in FL…or is that option not available to him IF your family relocates elsewhere?