<p>I’m a 10th grader attending a public school in Canada.
By next year, I am completing the entire graduation requirements, including all the service hours and external credits.
Would it be a good idea to graduate after finishing 11th grade?
I’m currently self-studying 3 AP courses, and I’m probably going to apply to US universities rather than Canadian ones.
Does this look bad to the adcoms, or in the applications?
I might have to give up my hopes of going to top universities in US if I choose to graduate early, since I don’t think I’m going to be fully prepared for SAT/SAT IIs at the end of this year (although I don’t think this would be a big deal anyways…I can always study my butt off XD)
But I really don’t mind going to Canadian universities.
Would you recommend this? or should I just stay in school for one more year?</p>
<p>If you’re already taking that many courses already, you’re probably well-prepared for the SATs and ACTs. Just go ahead and take them - if you don’t like your scores, study and take them again. If you aren’t ready for the exams, you definitely aren’t ready for even the easiest colleges.</p>
<p>I would suggest you take advantage of the full four years. Maybe take a couple college courses during the last year, take APs even in subjects you don’t exactly excel at, but can handle. After all, it’s better to fit in, and adcoms usually don’t take extra weight in the fact that you graduated early. If you do graduate early, you will only have about 8 AP courses instead of the 15 that many others are applying with.</p>
<p>It’s just better to fit in when possible. Try your best, but don’t graduate early unless you absolutely must.</p>
<p>Some big questions are do you want more social experience, advanced course preparation, scholarship $, and what colleges do you want in at? Outstanding colleges may consider accelerated admission more carefully if you have exhausted your local resources and “have to” leave. Careful about any negative reasons of “have to”. Doing well on the (P)SAT is a very good idea. On the SAT, at a minimum, I suggest that you take at least one practice test, score it and carefully review every question missed - maybe a Saturday afternoon. I’ve seen some impressive movement in a few students that prepared carefully but I could not get my own to do it. Keep your grades and scores high, they always count - grades even more so than in my time. Involve your self in extracurricular activities that you like. Don’t let your ego choose the college or the timing, <em>look for the situation you will like best and will be able to excel at learning</em>. "</p>
<p>“Fit” is a very individual choice, don’t just fall for the “big name”. I have one public university BA graduate that can, and does, trounce top 20 pgm MBA’s but the choice of school did affect initial job opportunities. My daughters chose very nice liberal arts colleges over top 20 universities, the curricula are a little more limited. One was later interviewed over a year early by a med school. I would suggest that you intensively review the college guides <em>this</em> summer. For my own children in high school, the system became, step 1, read page-by-page through Princeton Review 3xx first, compare freshman class ranks and SAT/ACT score range and read the two summary pages. Then, step 2, read Fiske (or other guides) on the top 20-25 candidate schools. For the hard choice on May 1, read <em>every</em> guide on the top 2 - 5 schools. Talk to teachers, current college students and recent alumni. One daughter, an unstoppable challenger, sole valedictorian with indifferent scores, went to the hardest high ranked liberal arts college after 11 AP classes, 5 in senior year and big on after school activities. The other, went in the top 10% of a “good” LAC for its best department after spending her senior year full time in the local university’s honors program (straight A’s) in hand picked and evaluated courses. Both had many merit offers but chose by their heart and personality. I went to a top 20 university at almost 17, too immature, undisciplined and uptight. I still love my alma mater but wished that I had had better high school options and parental counseling. My hs had no AP courses then, this required self-preparation (a high interest) in math and science. Choose carefully. Good luck.</p>
<p>I don’t really see the problem with staying in high school. . . what would be the benefits of graduating early?</p>
<p>I agree with schrizto. If you go to college a year early, you’ll be a year younger than everyone else (which really won’t be cool when your friends go out to bars and clubs but you’re too young to). Take it from a current senior-- senior year of high school is the best year. Once you get into college you can really chill out and just hang out with your friends for the last year you’re all together.</p>