15 and Ready for More: The Quandry of Going to College Early

College Search & Selection
1

<p>According to our beloved public school district, I should be going in to tenth grade. Some have called it pig-headed, others imprudent, my mother would say I'm growing up too fast, but my family has made the radical choice to pull me out of school after ten years at a competitive, classical private school and instead have me take classes at a local liberal arts college while I finish up my high school graduation requirements. </p>

<pre><code> Last July as I watched the fireworks I had no idea that in a year I would be thinking about college already. Now I am finding myself face-to-face with all kinds of personal challenges that I hadn't even expected, such as trying to explain to skeptical adults why I am not going to school or learning to assimilate to a crowd of twenty-somethings when I haven't even got a drivers permit. Above all, I find myself a few short months out from needing to send in college applications without a clue of where I want to even go to college.

I have done my share of internet research, but I have found most college promotional material to be comically unhelpful. So far my list consists of Grove City, Messiah College, MIT, Princeton, Bard college, and Cooper Union. However, those also happen to be the first six colleges I considered, and I could just as readily see myself at a small Christian liberal arts college, if I just knew of any good candidates. I could really use any adivce any one has.

Academics: The main reason I am going to college early is to find peers. What I value most in a college is a stimulating and tight-knit intellectual community. I wouldn't mind going to a small, almost incognito school if it had a good intellectual enviroment. I also plan on majoring in mathematics, so I would like to go to a college with a strong mathematics program. I took the SAT's at the end of ninth grade and got a 2330 and I will probably have a 4.0 gpa. I laso expect to have about 30 college credits earned by the end of next year, including math up through at least Calculus III.

Religion: I am a commited born-again Christian who wants to continue to take my faith seriously in college. More importantly, my parents are dedicated Christians who don't want to see their daughter go away to college early and fall away from the faith. So, I will need to go to a Christian college, a college with an active Chritsian organization on campus, such as Campus Crusade, or or a college in a larger city where I could get involved in a church. I feel like their are a lot of small Christian colleges that I just don't know about and would really appreciate the suggestions from older Christians. 

Price: My family belongs to that funny socio-economic class which prevents us from ever getting any kind of financial aid but at the same time prohibits any possibility of affording the ridiculous and rising price of colleges. So, I cannot count on any need-based aid, but hope to get some merit aid. Beyond any scholarshipo money, my parents can contribute around 15,000 dollars.

Location: I live in Harrisburg, PA. I would like to go to school no more than seven hours away, unless I get a full ride scholarship in which case I could spend room and board money on frequent plane tickets.

Size: I would prefer going to a small school but am open for anything.

I thank you all in advance for taking the time to read this. I know it sounds a little demanding. If you know of a college that might be right for me or know of a website or resource I could use, I would greatly appreciate your advice.
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<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Sincerely,</p>

<p>Rosietheriveter</p>

2

<p>I don’t know if this would effect my search, but It might be important to know that my expected graduation year is 2013 and that I am a girl.</p>

3

<p>Don’t you think your jumping ahead of yourself? You’re fifteen. Fifteen year olds are healthier and happier remaining in their own social circles. You will seriously damage yourself emotionally by trying to fling yourslef into college prematurely. I have met kids like you. They think they have the whole world figured out, but they are just as lost as the rest of us.</p>

4

<p>I don’t think I have the whole world figured out, and who, if they are honest with themselves, isn’t lost? But, I am definitely going to college next year. I have met much opposition. Ironically, the kids whose classes I was in were perfectly kind and accepting. It was the adults who seemed to mind having a ninth grader in a twelfth grade class. I believe that if people are genuine and sincere, are willing to adapt themselves to others around them , and truly seek to moment-by-moment help others become everything they are, their relationship can surpass baoundaries of religion, education, race, and yes, even age. I do not need help deciding if I should go to college. I need help deciding where I should go to college.</p>

5

<p>If you aren’t a GED student or you haven’t graduated high school then I don’t think you can apply to colleges as a degree student.</p>

6

<p>“instead have me take classes at a local liberal arts college while I finish up my high school graduation requirements.”</p>

<p>Sounds like she’s graduating. In any case, there are many colleges and universities (for example Swarthmore and Brown) that do not require high school diplomas or GEDs for admissions.</p>

7

<p>I believe you are ready academically, but as a parent, I would be concerned that you are still 15. There is a lot of craziness in dormitories, and so, I would want a more protected environment. Since you are a Christian and are looking for this kind of college, I think that is easier to find.</p>

<p>I am Jewish and have no personal experience with any of these schools, but I know of some Christian students who were happy with them:</p>

<p>Meredith College in Raleigh was founded by Baptists and is now independent- so look into their religious activities. It is an all women’s college, but in a major city. This would cut down on some co ed dorm issues…</p>

<p>Garner Webb University- Christian school in NC</p>

<p>Lenoir Rhyne University- Lutheran school and religiously focused. Has a good sacred music program. Small and supportive. It also has an accelerated program for local high school students as well as a Christian high school where the students take the last 2 years of classes on campus- in the regular classes. You would not be the only 15 year old on campus.</p>

<p>other schools I am less familiar with:</p>

<p>High Point University- has strong Christian roots- open to all religions so I do not know how much religion is a presence here.</p>

<p>Campbell University.</p>

8

<p>^Good luck being able afford Caltech at 15k a year with no financial aid.</p>

9

<p>Not sure of religion, but this is worth looking into:</p>

<p>[Program</a> for the Exceptionally Gifted — College Programs for High School Students Graduating Early](<a href=“http://www.mbc.edu/early_college/peg/]Program”>http://www.mbc.edu/early_college/peg/)</p>

<p>Not sure some of the schools I suggested would meet your academic needs based on your stats, but may meet your social needs. High Point may give you a full ride for your stats and probably others. LRU and Garner Webb may be way too easy.</p>

10

<p>I would say don’t go to college unless it is a school specifically for HS age students such as Simon’s Rock which doesn’t sound like it would be in the cards for you as it is not a Christian school. Find stimulation by perhaps doing a science research project, finding a part-time job you love, getting involved in activities at school such as the newspaper, learning an instrument, teaching at church etc. While you may feel you are intellectually ready for college, there is much more to the college experience than academics. One girl on my freshman hall was 16 and while she was intellectually ready, she was not socially ready nor did many students want to hang out with her. I would finish HS (even if you do it in 3 years). You could also consider a gap year program (maybe one is offered through your church) and take classes at a local CC.</p>

11

<p>I’m not sure I understand the plan.</p>

<p>Next year you are not going to HS but attending a local LAC and will take about 30 credits. Yes? Were you accepted as a full-time student at this school? Or are you taking a full course load although not enrolled as a freshman?</p>

<p>To me here is the possible catch … if you take 30 credits this coming year then a lot of schools might consider you a transfer when you apply.</p>

<p>As a parent the other possible concern I’d have is by taking 30 credits next year you’ll be set up to graduate from college 3 years later … at 19. That is absolutely the right thing for some people but in general I’d ask if the student is sure they want to push ahead that much. After comes work which lasts for 40+ years … are you sure you want to shorten your time as a student to increase your time working?</p>

12

<p>“After comes work which lasts for 40+ years … are you sure you want to shorten your time as a student to increase your time working?”</p>

<p>New perspective on life.</p>

13

<p>I don’t know enough about the OP, but I don’t think one can generalize about all who go off to college at an age younger than that which is typical. I agree that academic readiness is not enough justification for going to college early. But there are some students who are ready in all developmental areas to go to college earlier than usual. </p>

<p>The OP will likely be 16 by the time she enters college. My daughter went to college at age 16 after her junior year of high school (she graduated with a diploma). However, she also entered K a year early and so where we live, she was the age of someone who should have just finished 10th grade when she left for college. She was ready in all developmental areas, not just intellectually. She even went from a very small rural town of 1700 people to NYC for college. She had a very successful college experience, achieved a lot including scholarships and national awards, and was a leader at her college in several capacities even though she was younger than the student body. She graduated college at age 20 and has accomplished a lot since then and is now 23. It is not for all people. I don’t know if it is right for the OP, but it is for some kids.</p>

14

<p>Are you planning on taking college classes while you apply? The other thing to be careful about is that once you have college credit, you are no longer a freshman but a transfer student. Merit aid for students with high stats like yours is for freshmen ONLY. They will not help you get the large merit scholarships as a transfer that your stats will get you as an entering freshman.</p>

<p>If you have graduated, instead of taking college level classes, consider some kind of “gap year” as a home schooled student. Finish your degree if you need to by taking high school classes online- and AP classes that will get you credit later but won’t undo your status as an entering freshman. Get a job if you can, do some volunteer work in an area that interests you, or research. Go on some mission trips with your church or anything that would enrich you- play an instrument, art classes, drama, sports…</p>

15

<p>From our own experience, being younger has real disadvantages. DD1 was 17 the first semester of college. if she hadn’t been on a sports team and part of a small cadre within the Honors College that took classes together, I’m not sure her experience would have been a happy one. Even with the support of these organized programs, she still got excluded from some informal activities because she couldn’t get into the venues (even as innocuous as meeting friends to watch a football game at a local pub style restaurant) till 2nd semester sophomore year.</p>

<p>DD2 will turn 16 just before her senior year starts, and will be just 17 as a college freshman. We have always been very careful not to accelerate her more than she can adapt to socially, keeping her as close to grade level as possible (1-2 years) and arranging for her to take her more accelerated math and science classes. As a result, she has been able to make many friends, even elected to leadership positions by her peers, and plays varsity sports. Yes, she gets bored with classes, but she has the luxury of time and energy to spend with friends/engaging in EC’s as a result. She will be going to a large U with lots of opportunities to make a “small college” experience for herself. We would be encouraging a gap year before college if she wasn’t so well socialized in HS. If she hadn’t found a niche for herself in HS, chances are she’ ll have even more problems in college with the added complication of “mature” life issues.</p>

<p>Can you make a place for yourself at any college as a 15 year old? Even at a religious college? Religious students at DD1’s college marry very young (think before graduation - DD1 has already attended 2 such weddings). So you probably won’t be avoiding “mature” life in a religious college setting. You probably also won’t be invited to some informal things because of your age (other students might feel they are acting as camp counsellors or babysitters to you).</p>

<p>Have you thought about a gap year - time to mature physically, emotionally and socially? Working with a reputable service organization on a meaningful project would provide social interaction and help you develop a more mature world view.</p>

16

<p>You might try exploring the Christian Colleges subforum (under College Search).</p>

<p>I agree that you might want to consider AFS or other opportunities for learning and growth.</p>

17

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<p>If you plan to major in math, you probably need a school with a strong graduate program in math if you will complete multivariable calculus while still in high school, since you could easily exhaust the math offerings at a smaller school since you are already so advanced in math. Most of these are big universities (though some may be small universities like Caltech).</p>

<p>However, most of the universities with strong math departments are not religious, although many secular universities have various student religious organizations or nearby churches. If you are Catholic, Notre Dame may meet the criteria, but Catholics typically do not describe themselves as “born-again”. Of course, which denomination of Christianity you follow can be important, since many of the religious schools are associated with a particular denomination.</p>

<p>You may want to go through the list found here. But note that there are various denominations represented, and the schools may have varying level of religiousness in the environment and curriculum. (The last few pages should have the most complete and updated information.)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/christian-colleges/876276-2010-updated-protestant-christian-college-university-list-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/christian-colleges/876276-2010-updated-protestant-christian-college-university-list-3.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

18

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<p>Many colleges only require students who have college credit to apply as transfers instead of freshmen if the college credit was earned after graduating from high school. Check each college to be sure.</p>

19

<p>“I will need to go to a Christian college, a college with an active Chritsian organization on campus, such as Campus Crusade, or or a college in a larger city where I could get involved in a church.”</p>

<p>This set includes pretty much every college in the country. You’d have to be talking about very small towns indeed if they were too small to have a church you could get involved in.</p>

<p>"I could just as readily see myself at a small Christian liberal arts college, if I just knew of any good candidates. "</p>

<p>Don’t Messiah and Grove City fit that description? Do you not consider them good candidates?</p>

<p>What do YOU want out of the experience if you go away to college next year?</p>

20

<p>As noted above, the student being very advanced in math (probably will be ready for upper division courses as a college freshman) and wanting to major in math imposes the constraint of needing a strong math department with graduate level courses and research opportunities; smaller undergraduate-only liberal arts colleges may be too limiting for her academic abilities in the subject.</p>

<p>But if a secular school with the appropriate religious student organizations and/or nearby church and religious community is acceptable, then the religious constraint may not be too limiting in the selection.</p>