Early college in high school

[FTFYFTFY]

Hello!

I am going into my sophomore year of highschool! I wanted some advice on doing the early college program. In my county, you can choose to do dual enrollment, where you go to high school for half the day and then go to MC for the other half, or the early college option, where you only attend MC. When I talked to my counselor, she said, "Early College is only a good idea if you don't care about the high school experience." I don't care about it. I was online in 9th grade, so I would only attend my high school for a year if I did early college. However, I was wondering if this could cause issues when applying to med school because I keep reading posts about people regretting early college due to some issues it's causing with medical school applications. Those posts don't seem to have the same structured dual enrollment my county offers.

Anyway, here are my pros and cons:

Dual Enrollment:

Pros:

• I can still do AP classes while taking college classes.
• I can take college classes for everything offered at MC.

Cons:

• No associate degree.
• It could be difficult going to both college and high school.

Early College:

Pros:

• I am terrified at the thought of a recession hitting while I'm getting my bachelor's degree and potentially hindering/slowing down becoming an MD. There are a lot of places to get a job as a nurse, this offers some security.
• I was also thinking of going for the computer science associate because that's likely to be my bachelor's major.

Cons:

• I could become a CNA/GNA over the summer.
• I can only take college classes for whatever associate degree I choose to pursue. For example, if I go with a nursing associate, I can't do classes in economics or computer science.

Note: I believe whether I do early college or dual enrollment, I will only be doing 1-2 extracurricular activities max at my home high school. I'm looking to volunteer at hospitals and with the Red Cross instead.

One more thing about early college: I don't think I care about the high school experience, but when I was deciding between PA vs MD, my biggest worry about MD was not getting the same experience as others in my 20s. However, doing the early college program is contradictory to that line of thinking. I'm afraid years down the line I might regret my decision. I guess what I'm asking is how big of an impact did your high school experience have on your view of the world?

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[Z_C]

I wrote something and now disagree with my wording: the upshot is I think you would probably be better served doing 4 years in high school and focusing on having a good time and growing as a person. I didn't focus on that in high school and I regret it.

 

[eigen]

Not sure what "MC" means here, could you clarify?

Two things to keep in mind:

1) Many colleges cap the amount of credit you can bring in as a first year. With an associates, you could apply as a transfer student rather than a first-time freshman, but your financial aid packages will be a lot lower.

2) If you're actually taking courses at an accredited college, it won't be a problem with medical school. You will just submit those transcripts when you need to. Not all dual enrollment programs have students *actually* take college / college equivalent courses, however.

By and large, I tend to not suggest students rush any of this: take the time to volunteer, get clinical experience, etc.

 

[FTFYFTFY]

Not sure what "MC" means here, could you clarify?

Two things to keep in mind:

1) Many colleges cap the amount of credit you can bring in as a first year. With an associates, you could apply as a transfer student rather than a first-time freshman, but your financial aid packages will be a lot lower.

2) If you're actually taking courses at an accredited college, it won't be a problem with medical school. You will just submit those transcripts when you need to. Not all dual enrollment programs have students *actually* take college / college equivalent courses, however.

By and large, I tend to not suggest students rush any of this: take the time to volunteer, get clinical experience, etc.

Sorry, MC = Montgomery college

1. In Maryland, they have you apply as an incoming freshmen instead of a transfer student. You are still technically a high school student while going to Montgomery College.

2. Thanks for the info!

 

[FTFYFTFY]

I wrote something and now disagree with my wording: the upshot is I think you would probably be better served doing 4 years in high school and focusing on having a good time and growing as a person. I didn't focus on that in high school and I regret it.

Thank you! I sometimes over-worry about my future, so I want to be sure I wont regret doing early college. I will take into account what you said!

 

[FTFYFTFY]

Do nursing permanently. Much less likely to be replaced by AI. You have at least 14 years until you could be an attending physician. It’s just not worth taking out 400k in loans for right now. Become an RN, do travel, bank 50-70k per year

I have always wanted to be a physician! Even if I got my bachelors in nursing I think I would still try and become an MD. I do understand what you mean about 400k in loans though lol. I am banking on getting a full-ride during undergrad to save as much as possible.

 

[eigen]

In Maryland, they have you apply as an incoming freshmen instead of a transfer student. You are still technically a high school student while going to Montgomery College.

Then you're going to run into issues with being credit capped. Are you sure you're going to go to college in Maryland? If not, then you need to look at what's the accepted practice US wide, not just in Maryland.

I can say, for example, that my college caps transfer credit at around 30 credits for incoming first years. Credits over that might be able to be used separately for medical school applications, but they won't speed up your degree. Students who have an associates, even if it was obtained during high school, can apply as transfer students and bring in a full two years of credit, but aren't considered first year students when they start.

By and large, I don't think significant dual enrollment is a huge benefit for most students. It can help some, but it doesn't speed up college as much as students think it will, and when it does it robs them of the opportunity to get into the "groove" of college in their early years and progress. For example, students who try to "start" in their 3rd or 4th year courses because they did 2 years of dual enrollment rarely do well jumping straight into Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry, in my experience. Moving rapidly though undergrad can also rob students of research opportunities and time to get involved in things that will show leadership.

There can be a financial benefit of getting a leg up, and having some transfer credit is great. And Dual Enrollment is *always* better than AP at actually preparing students for college. Additionally, "real" dual enrollment (you actually take classes with college students on a college campus) is going to be much better than "dual enrollment" in name only where you take classes at your HS and they may be taught by adjuncts, or by your regular HS teachers "contracted" to a local CC.

 

[FTFYFTFY]

Then you're going to run into issues with being credit capped. Are you sure you're going to go to college in Maryland? If not, then you need to look at what's the accepted practice US wide, not just in Maryland.

I can say, for example, that my college caps transfer credit at around 30 credits for incoming first years. Credits over that might be able to be used separately for medical school applications, but they won't speed up your degree. Students who have an associates, even if it was obtained during high school, can apply as transfer students and bring in a full two years of credit, but aren't considered first year students when they start.

By and large, I don't think significant dual enrollment is a huge benefit for most students. It can help some, but it doesn't speed up college as much as students think it will, and when it does it robs them of the opportunity to get into the "groove" of college in their early years and progress. For example, students who try to "start" in their 3rd or 4th year courses because they did 2 years of dual enrollment rarely do well jumping straight into Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry, in my experience. Moving rapidly though undergrad can also rob students of research opportunities and time to get involved in things that will show leadership.

There can be a financial benefit of getting a leg up, and having some transfer credit is great. And Dual Enrollment is *always* better than AP at actually preparing students for college. Additionally, "real" dual enrollment (you actually take classes with college students on a college campus) is going to be much better than "dual enrollment" in name only where you take classes at your HS and they may be taught by adjuncts, or by your regular HS teachers "contracted" to a local CC.

I am aiming for UMD because I'd get reduced tuition, but I'll go anywhere that gives me a full ride.

Thank you so much! You've given me so many more things to consider! I do want the full undergrad experience and completely forgot that I would be rushing that too, if I went for early college.

Also, the dual enrollment in Montgomery county public school is offered in 4 different ways.

1. you attend MC full time
2. You attend high school and MC (half the time)
3. You attend MC full time (online)
4. Is the one you were referring to. At a few schools, they have teachers who will teach the college course (I do not go to these schools anyway)

 

[eigen]

I think either 1 or 2 could both be useful options, depending on your current high school.

I did (1) in my senior year of high school, and I don't regret it at all. I might have missed out on some typical "high school" experience, but I got some additional college experience. On the other hand, my particular benefit was that I did DE with the school I ended up going to, so spending an "early year" on campus let me meet faculty, etc. in a way that was useful.

As you get closer, I would apply broadly for undergrad (see where you get funding) and look carefully at what supports they offer health professions students. For example, some larger state schools don't offer any support for alums, while there are some smaller feeder schools that offer robust support. Given the number of students who are applying with gap years, having full support of your health professions office during that time off can be huge.

 

[FTFYFTFY]

I think either 1 or 2 could both be useful options, depending on your current high school.

I did (1) in my senior year of high school, and I don't regret it at all. I might have missed out on some typical "high school" experience, but I got some additional college experience. On the other hand, my particular benefit was that I did DE with the school I ended up going to, so spending an "early year" on campus let me meet faculty, etc. in a way that was useful.

As you get closer, I would apply broadly for undergrad (see where you get funding) and look carefully at what supports they offer health professions students. For example, some larger state schools don't offer any support for alums, while there are some smaller feeder schools that offer robust support. Given the number of students who are applying with gap years, having full support of your health professions office during that time off can be huge.

I'll probably end up doing 2. Sadly, we can only do DE with Montgomery College. However, MCPS offers a lot of resecures that help with choosing an undergrad school. I think I'll reach out to my counselor about that.

 

[LunaOri]

Keep in mind that the grades you receive in your dual-enrollment college classes will count in your overall college GPA, so whichever option you choose, put in the work to get good grades.

 

[AJS59]

I know you said you'd lean towards option 2, but my advice would skew to option 1, if only that I think the (non-academic) experiences of high school are really fundamental to the growth and maturity required to go to medical school. You only ever get 1 chance to be in high school, to go to prom, etc. and throwing that away just to get an associate's degree may not be worth it. Plus, with option 1, you get a great deal of flexibility in your dual enrollment courses and if you play your cards right between AP and Dual Enrollment you still may be able to set yourself up well for when you actually get to undergrad.

 

[FTFYFTFY]

I know you said you'd lean towards option 2, but my advice would skew to option 1, if only that I think the (non-academic) experiences of high school are really fundamental to the growth and maturity required to go to medical school. You only ever get 1 chance to be in high school, to go to prom, etc. and throwing that away just to get an associate's degree may not be worth it. Plus, with option 1, you get a great deal of flexibility in your dual enrollment courses and if you play your cards right between AP and Dual Enrollment you still may be able to set yourself up well for when you actually get to undergrad.

Thank you for your input! In my school district even if you choose to attend Montgomery College (MC) full-time, you're still considered a high school student so you get to go to prom, graduation all that stuff. However, considering what you and others said, I think option 2 lets me experience high school while also preparing myself for undergrad. I also think you might have gotten option 2, and option 1 mixed up, option 1 means I go to all college classes (no AP classes.)

 

[FTFYFTFY]

Keep in mind that the grades you receive in your dual-enrollment college classes will count in your overall college GPA, so whichever option you choose, put in the work to get good grades.

Yep! If I go with option 2, I definitely will spend time researching/asking around how long people take studying and reading for any of the college classes I choose to take.

 

[chilly_md]

Moved to hSDN

 

[Hollow Knight]

So my personal take OP:

I wouldn't do it. It is VERY, VERY difficult to do all the "stuff" (shadowing, volunteering, research, clinical experience) you have to do to get into medical school during your freshman, sophomore, and junior years of college. That's why everyone is taking gap years now. I went straight through myself, but I was putting in well over 80 hour workweeks pretty much the whole time.

While doing all of this, you're required to get basically perfect grades in a harder than normal courseload (15 credit hours or so) and also knock the MCAT exam out of the park, which is debatably tied with step 1 (IMO) for being one of the hardest exams in the world.

If you do early college, unless you're going to somehow get research experience as a high school student, you're still going to have to take a few years to do all the "stuff." And since you did early college, all the "easy" classes (gen eds, psychology, English) will be done for you, and all your classes will be biochemistry 4 or something ridiculous.

If your goal is to go to medical school- just go live your life. You're in high school. Go have fun. Shadow if you think this is what you want to do.

Once college starts.... be prepared to be miserable basically the whole time unfortunately.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I have always wanted to be a physician! Even if I got my bachelors in nursing I think I would still try and become an MD. I do understand what you mean about 400k in loans though lol. I am banking on getting a full-ride during undergrad to save as much as possible.

If you find a college who will waive tuition or something, take it.

Some of my med school classmates who went to name-brand undergrads (Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, etc) have $600,000+ in loans. That's going to be difficult for them to pay off even as physicians.......... not impossible, but hard.