What steps do you have to take in high school in order to graduate from college in 3 years?

[Anonymous]

I went to a good state school, but not top notch. More a SLAC-type. I took special tests for $300 a pop that entitled me to get LA credit for various things, generally outside my major (like Art History, Science and Math). My high school only offered 2 APs, so this was key in my ability to skip a year. I did super well on them so I think basic, educated person knowledge is good enough. I graduated as valedictorian in 3 years with 2 majors and 2 minors. Went to Harvard for grad school so it didn't hurt me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I took 14 AP classes and graduated from an Ivy in 3 years with a major and a minor. Would do again. But warning: it's hard to manage from a job hunt and social perspective. If I had to do it again, I would take a year of absence in the middle vs. graduating early.

I love this as an alternative. If possible, get a internship or coop, and have a job set set for graduation.

[Anonymous]

If his high school offers There are several colleges that award automatic sophomore standing to graduates with an IB diploma

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools that don't accept APs aren't going to accept community college credits taken in high school either. So if the goal is 3 years then look for schools that do accept AP credits. My DC goes to a top state flagship and got credit for 9 APs, which was a year of credit. That required 4s and 5s on all the tests. Some had to be a 5 to get credit.

While DC could have graduated in 3 or 3.5 years that wasn't a goal or an interest so it will be 4 years.

If you really want to save money a better option may be the community college to 4 year college route.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I took 14 AP classes and graduated from an Ivy in 3 years with a major and a minor. Would do again. But warning: it's hard to manage from a job hunt and social perspective. If I had to do it again, I would take a year of absence in the middle vs. graduating early.

Which Ivy? My kid could not use APs despite all 5s to reduce credit hours at Dartmouth.

[Anonymous]

You could also save money by sending him somewhere locally commutable so you don't pay room and board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took 14 AP classes and graduated from an Ivy in 3 years with a major and a minor. Would do again. But warning: it's hard to manage from a job hunt and social perspective. If I had to do it again, I would take a year of absence in the middle vs. graduating early.

Which Ivy? My kid could not use APs despite all 5s to reduce credit hours at Dartmouth.

Op is probably talking about 10-20 years ago, not today

Cornell and penn might still give credit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did college in 3 yrs by carrying 18 credits per semester and 6 credits during the summers.[/quote

Your major was ...? I'm guessing nothing math or science related as Op is looking to save money and paying for summer classes does not accomplish that.

OP you are WAY over the top controlling . You want to start turning the screws on your kid's adult life and he's only in middle school? To save some money? You're a terrible terrible parent and you're going to severely mess up your kid and totally cut him off at the knees before he even gets started. I hope that somehow he has the sense to cut ties with you as soon as he turns 18.

[Anonymous]

You early graduates - what was your major? I'm guessing nothing math or science related as Op is looking to save 18 and paying for summer classes does not accomplish that.

OP you are WAY over the top controlling . You want to start turning the screws on your kid's adult life and he's only in middle school? To save some money? You're a terrible terrible parent and you're going to severely mess up your kid and totally cut him off at the knees before he even gets started. I hope that somehow he has the sense to cut ties with you as soon as he turns 18.

All of you talking about your former 'achievements' from 30 years ago and how you were so great in racing through college are just evil assholes. I hope you don't have children. None of you have a decent, nurturing bone in your body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You early graduates - what was your major? I'm guessing nothing math or science related as Op is looking to save 18 and paying for summer classes does not accomplish that.

OP you are WAY over the top controlling . You want to start turning the screws on your kid's adult life and he's only in middle school? To save some money? You're a terrible terrible parent and you're going to severely mess up your kid and totally cut him off at the knees before he even gets started. I hope that somehow he has the sense to cut ties with you as soon as he turns 18.

All of you talking about your former 'achievements' from 30 years ago and how you were so great in racing through college are just evil assholes. I hope you don't have children. None of you have a decent, nurturing bone in your body.

Sorry, but what? This seems like a very extreme reaction. How does saying that it's possible to get through college in 3 years and is an idea worth considering depending on the student/family's goals mean that anyone lacks a "decent, nurturing bone in [their] body"? It's not like it was some horrible, torturous experience, at least for me. It just made the most sense for many reasons. And if a kid tries the expedited track and finds themselves too stressed, they can always reevaluate the plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You early graduates - what was your major? I'm guessing nothing math or science related as Op is looking to save 18 and paying for summer classes does not accomplish that.

OP you are WAY over the top controlling . You want to start turning the screws on your kid's adult life and he's only in middle school? To save some money? You're a terrible terrible parent and you're going to severely mess up your kid and totally cut him off at the knees before he even gets started. I hope that somehow he has the sense to cut ties with you as soon as he turns 18.

All of you talking about your former 'achievements' from 30 years ago and how you were so great in racing through college are just evil assholes. I hope you don't have children. None of you have a decent, nurturing bone in your body.

I have a kid in public. Some of his friends come in with lots of AP credits - one actually had enough to start as a junior. You know why the family did it? They don't have the money to spend on college - this was the cheapest way for them and for the kid not to graduate with loans. Not everyone is in the same financial circumstances as you. And this is an engineering school - the kid will be an engineer and he will be doing coops to earn money for school.

[Anonymous]

I didn't have any AP class carryovers to college and still could have easily graduated in 3 or 3.5 years. Just take some online courses during the summer, easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't have any AP class carryovers to college and still could have easily graduated in 3 or 3.5 years. Just take some online courses during the summer, easy.

Not every school offers online classes. And, not every school accepts all AP, especially in their major.

[Anonymous]

The UK universities will require APs for entry but will not give "credit" for any of them. They are just prerequisites.

[Anonymous]

If he picks a major in anything outside of STEM, then graduating in 3 years will be totally doable without earning college credit in high school. Like a PP said, all he would have to do is take 18 units during the semester and 6 units during the summers, which isn't very stressful if you're taking art classes, social science classes, etc. However, if he does plan to major in something math-related, AP credits are just the start. I know many STEM majors who entered with a ton of AP credits and still took the full 4 years.