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High School/College Advice

iamhammill

iamhammill

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 20, 2006
286
0
York, PA
Well, I have a pretty important descion to make by monday, and what a better place to ask than MacRumors! ;)


Ok so I just finished my sophmore year in highschool. I'm in the top 10% of my class, with a GPA around 4.1. I took my SATs, but haven't got any results back yet. Right now I have the option to skip my junior year of high school and graduate next year.

I have no idea what to do.

If I decide to graduate early, I have to take 2 classes this summer. One class is at my local college, and the other is at my high school. I'm not really looking foward to these, but I'll take them if it's the right thing to do.

So I'm not sure what would look better to a college admissions director and future job employers;

graduate high school in 3 years
or
graduate high school in 4 years, with a lot of AP classes my senior year

I figured there a lot of members that are already in college and others that are already established in their careers. I'm thinking about either going into bussiness or dentistry, but lately I've had this crazy passion for film/photography production, and am really enjoying it.

So anyways, I need to decide by monday (first summer class starts) and right now I have no idea.

Any advice would be awesome!

Jake
 
It's based on a weighted 4.0 If you take honors (worth 4.8) classes it can bump it over.


I guess unweighted, my gpa would be about 3.85 out of 4
 
Competetive colleges don't always like that- I applied to 3 competetive schools (ivy league or close) and was rejected at 2 and waitlisted at the other. The reason is that they don't always want to admit someone a year younger who miight not have the same maturity. Do what's best for you though- if you'd hate senior year then by all menas graduate early. Monday isn't much time- this is a pretty big decision.
 
w_parietti22 said:
4.0 is perfect. But if you take AP (Advanced Placement) courses (Which give you more credit) you can get more than a 4.0
Click to expand...


That only good for class rank. Colleges do not consider the "extra" credit you get from you AP courses and they will want you GPA unadjusted for it. (Reason being that everyone school does it differently so they going to look at the unadjusted GPA.

I would say go for the full 4 years. And enjoy it. Going to college a year early is really going to put you out of place in many ways and stand out like a sore thumb. Freshmen are already babys in my eyes. I was helping out at the orginzation fair last week and the incoming freshmen look like jr high kids to me (really incoming freshmen to college but they look like jr high kids to most people in there sr year or past it. I just finish my 5th year of college and still have a year to go because I change my major late).

The ones coming in earily are even more out of balance than the incoming freshmen. They dont have everything together yet. They did great in HS but the stress of college killed them because they didnt know how to relate to any one and being at college alone sucks. I seen people like you come to school and flunk out the first semester not because of the course load but they did know how to just relax and hang out with people.

That is an entire other side of college is getting to know people and hanging out with them. Best advice for any incoming freshman i can give is GET INVOLVED in something. That be hanging out with people in your dorm or some orginzation but get involved.
 
obviously you may change ur mind....

but- do you have a desired career in mind?

(aka college major)
 
Timepass said:
I would say go for the full 4 years. And enjoy it. Going to college a year early is really going to put you out of place in many ways and stand out like a sore thumb. Freshmen are already babys in my eyes. I was helping out at the orginzation fair last week and the incoming freshmen look like jr high kids to me (really incoming freshmen to college but they look like jr high kids to most people in there sr year or past it. I just finish my 5th year of college and still have a year to go because I change my major late).
Click to expand...

Well if we are going by looks, i look like i am 14 and am basically a senior in college, and my girlfriend looks 18 and she is actually 27 and in college.

Don't pay attention to what you look like. Do what you think is best for yourself.

However if it were my situation. I would stay in HS.
 
I'm not woried at all about hanging out with people and meeting new faces. I guess thats a trait that can't really be identified on a forum. Plus, I'm commonly mistaken as a 18-20 year old. I don't think I'll have many problems with that.

I plan on applying to-

Penn State
Berkley
UCLA
Pitt
Penn (looonnnnggggg shot)
UC Santa Barbra (film/photo route)
Miami (possible internship with ad agency in Miami)


Anyone have experiences with any of these colleges?

gallagb said:
obviously you may change ur mind....

but- do you have a desired career in mind?

(aka college major)
Click to expand...


Biz admistration, go back and get my MBA (minor marketing?)
Pre-med
Film/Photo/Music production

Most likely one of those three.
 
eva01 said:
Well if we are going by looks, i look like i am 14 and am basically a senior in college, and my girlfriend looks 18 and she is actually 27 and in college.

Don't pay attention to what you look like. Do what you think is best for yourself.

However if it were my situation. I would stay in HS.
Click to expand...


Oh I know. that much. It just as I grow older the incomign freshmen look younger and younger.

But that being said you can general spot a freshman from about a mile away and they are really easy to tell who are freshmen are at school. After about a year there is a huge change in maturity level and they just look different. The ones who come earily tend to not be able to make that transition as well.
 
celebrian23 said:
My experience with UPenn:
rejected

*burn*
We only had one kid in my school get into an ivy this year...not me :) He's ranked #2 ;)
Click to expand...


Yeah, hence the "loooonnnngggg shot"
 
I would stay in high school, though make sure the college you are thinking about going to accepts AP credit from your high school. If they don't then there is no point and you should graduate early. If they do, stay in High School and enter college almost a sophmore with your AP credit. Hell I only took two APs (Calculus & Biology) and almost had one semester done at my college. Being ahead in college like that is more beneficial than getting there a year too early IMO.

EDIT - What no SDSU?!?!:p

I don't know too much about your college list though UCSB has a great bicycle campus right on the ocean and one crazy party at Halloween.
 
Timepass said:
Oh I know. that much. It just as I grow older the incomign freshmen look younger and younger.

But that being said you can general spot a freshman from about a mile away and they are really easy to tell who are freshmen are at school. After about a year there is a huge change in maturity level and they just look different. The ones who come earily tend to not be able to make that transition as well.
Click to expand...

It is fun to see them just look dazed and confused for the first month :p
 
I wouldn't toss your social life out of this equation, either.

Are you miserable in your high school? Are you stuck with a bunch of horridly annoying people? Do you love your high school and the people in it?

I'd suggest you put in the four years, but that's just 'cause I don't think education is something you should be rushing through.

It might be fun to spend a year interning (or taking classes at a community college) and trying to wed your practical interest in buisness to your burgeoning interest in film/production.
 
Don't graduate early. All it means is you'll have to work one extra year until retirement, and employeres don't really care, and while it might look good to colleges, dong great your senior year will look better. I'd recommend staying with your peers.
 
Here is my two cents:

As far as skiping a year, finishing your senior year gives you a chance to take some more classes, get the AP tests in, and basically get comfortable with more basics. If you don't take them in HS, you are going to have to start there in college. And college is much more expensive per credit.

I have told this part to many high school kids. Quit looking at the school as a whole and look at the specific program you are interested in. Notre Dame has an engineering school, but I would bet that Purdue University might be a better (and cheaper) bet, espically if you are interested in nuclear or aviation. I talked to one kid who wanted to go to the University of Chicago, study biology, and become a marine biologist. Unless you want to study rivers and lakes, I imagine being closer to an ocean might be a good idea.
 
Biz admistration, go back and get my MBA (minor marketing?)
Pre-med
Film/Photo/Music production


those 3 options are
a) very diverse
b) very different
c) very cool
but

>>>>> no need to graduate early <<<<<<
spend that extra year in HS
take the AP's
and also focus a lot on your extra curricular's
(pick 1-2 of them and really make them awesome)
do some community based stuff - or get a cool internship w/ some company that does what u think is cool-

if you want to take some summer school college classes- go for it- it will only put you in a better position for college-
but the flip side- enjoy being a HS'er- find some cute person to hang out w/
find some good friends to goof around w/....

go to the local grocery store and ring up everything as bananas or something
(ok- don't do the last thing- it's not really legal) --

but: have fun!

---

make sure the colleges you are interested in offer the programs you are interested in- also make sure you can 'cut it' @ the particular school

ie- don't go to harvard and make 'C's
 
iamhammill said:
I'm not woried at all about hanging out with people and meeting new faces. I guess thats a trait that can't really be identified on a forum. Plus, I'm commonly mistaken as a 18-20 year old. I don't think I'll have many problems with that.

I plan on applying to-

Penn State
Berkley
UCLA
Pitt
Penn (looonnnnggggg shot)
UC Santa Barbra (film/photo route)
Miami (possible internship with ad agency in Miami)


Anyone have experiences with any of these colleges?
Click to expand...

UCLA and Berkley are both extremely hard to get into. I know people rejected by UCLA who had 4.3 avg gpa's or higher. Both schools REALLY want you to have high test scores, around 2000 (preferably higher). Not that you can't get in, it's just tough. You shouldnt have any problem at UCSB, a 4.1 gpa and some good test scores should get you in no problem. A friend with a 4.3 and 1890 on the SATs got in no problem. Sorry I dont know much about the other schools. I'd definetly advise you to visit all of them. UCSB is nice, right on the Ocean, its a BIG party school so if you cant keep your head in your work with lots of distractions it might not be a top choice. Berkley is, well Berkley is Berkley, a few protests, lots of progressive view points, it's not for me but alot of people like it. UCLA, huge campus, great night life within a few minutes(Sunset Strip), theres alot to do with in a short distance, the only real downside: it's HARD to get into and it's in a HUGE city. If you want to go to school in Cali you might want to look at Pepperdine University in Malibu, its amazing, great campus and a good school, downside: its private so its expensive.

One thing, check and make sure each school you want to go to accepts the AP course youre taking for credit as an actual course, not an elective. I took AP stats last year and it only counts as elective credit at the school Im attending. Not a big deal beccause I wanted to take the class, but would have sucked to find out once I got to college.

Oh, one more, haha, if you're really interested in film and photo USC has a great film school. I believe UCLA's is also fairly good.
 
I would say definitely stay the full four years. While you appear to be smart, from the info you've given us so far you don't seem to be a whiz kid who is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. You'll be much better served by getting some advanced high school classes under your belt and following the traditional track. Colleges aren't really going to look favorably on someone in your apparent situation coming in a year early.
 
Hey. I also graduated sophomore year in high school this year, and I too have to choice of having only one more year of school. I rejected this. Why? Because I want to get into the highest college avaliable. I have a 4.1 gpa like you also, and I have a SAT score of 2100. (which I have plenty of time to get up if I take 2 more years of high school)

You said you wanted to apply to these colleges:

Penn State
Berkley
UCLA
Pitt
Penn (looonnnnggggg shot)
UC Santa Barbra (film/photo route)
Miami (possible internship with ad agency in Miami)

with a 4.1 berkley and penn and even UCLA are long shots. (People who apply to these schools get 4.3+, but if you get a high SAT score, anything can happen:D ) I am not familiar with Pitt and Miami, but I am sure you could make it into UCSB.

High school is fun. enjoy it while you can.
 
It's almost the same thing...if you finish high school early, college will still take you four years...if you go into college with AP credits, you'll have higher chances of finishing college early instead. Which would you rather do?

High school can be a tough era for alot of people, but there's no need to rush it.

In your position I would rather go for the AP credits..something I regret I not doing when I entered college (my roommate freshman year had sophomore credits after first semester because of this).

Good luck...it's your decision coughtaketheAPdammitcough
 
celebrian23 said:
Competetive colleges don't always like that- I applied to 3 competetive schools (ivy league or close) and was rejected at 2 and waitlisted at the other. The reason is that they don't always want to admit someone a year younger who miight not have the same maturity. Do what's best for you though- if you'd hate senior year then by all menas graduate early. Monday isn't much time- this is a pretty big decision.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Smack on. Colleges want people who will fit into the school, and early graduates are often too young.

As far as UPenn goes...one of my best friends is going there. :D (Sorry :eek:)

Granted, I have close friends going to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell...but that's what you get going to prep school I guess...
 
highschool years were some of the best years of my life. dont miss out.


then again I wasn't so big in the school scene but hey I still got in the college I wanted to and am doing great.
 
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