<p>rosie,</p>
<p>A young lady at my D’s school did exactly the sort of thing you are contemplating. She left her small public school after her sophomore year for Bard, spent two years there and got her AA degree and will start at a traditional state U this fall to get her bachelor’s. From there she will go for her MD. The one thing she did differently is that she actually returned to the high school and got her diploma based on her courses at Bard, AFTER she had her AA (received a few weeks earlier). I don’t know her religion, but she spoke at the graduation and talked about the on-going support of her school. She told kids they could do whatever they set their minds to. So I would look seriously at Bard.</p>
<p>I know of a deeply religious girl (my friend’s D) who was homeschooled and got HER AA from a local CC at 18 at the same time as her high school diploma, then entered a well-regarded state U as a junior. She will graduate at 20 with her BA and is already narrowing down her choice of graduate schools. Like you, she is highly gifted and left traditional school for that reason. She has found the religious life she needs in the city where her school is located.</p>
<p>Both girls are the sort who can relate to people of all abilities, but definitely found college at an early age a great way to make academic peers. These are only 2 people and neither are math prodigies, but at least now you know of two who took the road you’re on.</p>