<p>My daughter transferred out of a prestigious NYC specialized high school after two very stressful years… There are extenuating circumstances and in the end her grades suffered.</p>
<p>She transferred to a terrific transfer school but they have their own requirements for graduation and therefore her prior credits don’t apply. While she can theoretically graduate from the transfer school in two years, it’s been suggested that she take another semester which can be used to improve her GPA. Her SAT scores are good (750,720,660) and she is planning to take several subject tests which I expect her to do well on.</p>
<p>Aside from my daughter not liking the idea of staying in high school longer, what do colleges think of this? If she were to wait until the following September to start college, it would be five years from the start of her high school career. </p>
<p>It is common to use a PG year at boarding school to improve academic achievements. I’d recommend taking the entire year (instead of just one semester).</p>
<p>Can’t she make some of the courses up during summer? I would try to finish up in 4 yrs. and move on. There comes a point where one outgrows high school both academically and socially.</p>
<p>For reasons related to learning disabilities and his health, we had planned to have my son graduate in 5 years rather than 4 or not get a diploma from the HS (he was partially homeschooled). Ultimately and to our surprise, the school district decided to award him credits for things they had originally said they would not and let him graduate with his class a year ago. He then took a gap year and applied to college during this fall. </p>
<p>I think many colleges would have no difficulty with her situation if there is a good explanation. My son never took a language and had a funky looking schedule. But, he had high SATs, high grades, and strong recs and was admitted to some really good schools. I think the explanation will be key and it might come both in the optional essay and from the guidance counselor, whom you might have to coach.</p>
<p>Life is not a race. Could she complete her work as part of a gap year?</p>
<p>It is very common for kids to either repeat a grade or take a PG year after their senior year at all of the top NE boarding schools (think Andover, Exeter, etc.). These kids have top college admits that you wouldn’t believe.</p>
<p>The extra year in HS will probably only improve college matriculation options.</p>
<p>It seems largely unnecessary and uncommon for someone to complete HS in more than 4 years unless there is a learning disability or some other circumstance.</p>
<p>her school offers no summer options and this alternative is not offered because she “can’t” graduate in time … it was suggested so that she could boost her GPA - which because of extenuating circumstances is below what she should be showing considering her intelligence & SAT scores…</p>
<p>Goodness, my kids would be “spitting nails” so to speak. To me, it would depend on how much discord there was with the GPA. Is “one more semester” really going to boost a GPA so much it’s worth spending another year in high school. Is an additional semester going to make that much of a difference in what college would be attended? Is the “new school” really so inflexible that they can’t figure out a way to get enough credits to meet state requirements? Could not a GED suffice instead of a “high school diploma?”</p>
<p>Again – she can graduate on time but her GPA is low … it was suggested that with extra time she could boost the GPA AND take college courses & possibly an internship… all to boost her application to college.</p>
<p>“her GPA is low … it was suggested that with extra time she could boost the GPA AND take college courses & possibly an internship… all to boost her application to college.”</p>
<p>What specific experience do the guidance counselors have with students like your daughter? Have they seen significant improvements in college options with an additional semester?</p>
<p>Just exactly how bad are your daughter’s grades from the first HS? </p>
<p>What kinds of colleges/universities is your daughter interested in? What major? Would it make more sense to send her to a college she can get into now, and consider a transfer later? If she was miserable at the high pressure HS, would she also be miserable at a high pressure college?</p>
<p>How much of this “boosting her application” is about helping her find the best place for HER to study, and how much is about making her current HS look better by getting one more student into a “better” college or university?</p>
<p>fudgemaster- It is not at all uncommon for someone transferring schools to drop back a grade and thereby take an extra year to get out of high school. It happens all the time and not due to academic deficiencies. For example, a kid might start a prep boarding school as a junior instead of a senior in order to (1) get admitted and (2) have 2 years at the school to prepare college applications, build relationships, improve athletics etc.</p>
<p>Colleges do not look down upon taking extra time in high school. They appreciate the increased maturity of the applicant. I know students who have done this who are at many highly selective schools.</p>
<p>I do know students who have done it and found it beneficial. So it’s not unheard of. But it might be a hard sell if she doesn’t want to do it. Also, if she can’t get into the school of her dreams, she might be able to transfer if she does well. So you have to keep your own budget in mind.</p>
<p>happymomof1 - you raise some very good questions that I will definitely take up with the college counselor in her school… They are used to dealing with kids that graduate late … As a transfer school they take kids that take off for all kinds of reasons in the middle of their career and then resume studies – or kids who for any number of reasons leave their original school for this one.</p>
<p>In terms of what she’s interested in – it’s Japanese… either Japanese language or culture… possibly east asian studies… </p>
<p>Earlham was mentioned as a possibility as her high school placed someone there just this last year who was very interested in Japanese and had had some problems in school … </p>
<p>I should note that her high school has about 120 kids total - with a graduating class of around 20-30 kids …</p>