<p>HavingTwo:</p>
<p>I can quite see your and your D’s dilemma! Her ACT score is great and so is her class rank. Has she been taking any AP? In that case, she will have some AP scores to submit to colleges. That will help her case greatly.</p>
<p>If she is thinking of applying to top colleges, many do require at least 2 SAT-IIs and some 3 (and some terrific colleges are SAT-optional!). Some require the SAT-IIs to be in specific fields, others merely ask for 2 or 3 in any field. This is something that your D should look into, as she should be taking the SAT-IIs at the completion of the relevant courses (I suggest May and June, with perhaps a retake in October or November).</p>
<p>Some of the top tier schools do not require a HS diploma, so if the new school 's graduation requirements are too difficult to fulfill because of the move, that may not matter. What would matter would be the kind of courses your D took. But it would make things easier if she could have that HS diploma.</p>
<p>I doubt that she could graduate from her present school if she moves away, but she could graduate from a new school, perhaps with some tweaking.
So it is important that you investigate whether all or some of her credits could transfer to the new school. Since she is such a good student, she might also thrive at a community college if one is within easy access. </p>
<p>I know it’s tough to contemplate separating for some length of time. Try to think of it as an extended summer camp!</p>