Is it better to graduate high school early, or to wait and build up your college resume?

Hi Anina, this is a great question! Every person is different when considering the right path for themselves. When you graduate high school early and go on to college at a younger age, you need to consider how well you can handle yourself amongst a student body that is older. As a younger student, you need to realize that there will be activities college students can participate in that you'll still need a parental note for (such as adventure trips some college's rec programs offer). And depending on how much younger you are than the other students, it may be hard to make friends when there are some social activities that they can participate in that you cannot.

However, it can be extremely rewarding if you're that rare breed of person who is mature and is comfortable and levelheaded around older people, and can keep up on the studies. You can get started sooner on your career, and it looks good on your resume to say you graduated early.

Something to keep in mind, too, is to explore the options your area has for early graduation--see if you can satisfy some of those undergrad requirements while you're still in high school. College is expensive, and many areas have AP classes or Running Start programs that allow you to get college credit in your junior and senior years. That saves money and time in the long run, and would be my recommendation rather than graduating early with a GED.

One thing you may want to consider - merit scholarships. Colleges consider your high school schedule when awarding merit scholarships. If you are able to maintain good grades in AP or college prep classes, this could make you a stronger candidate for a merit scholarship. However what is important is that you are prepared when you go to college. Good luck!