<p>OP-- your d is lucky to have you! And she sounds like she will make the right decision…also it sounds like having this big, serious decision to make is great for her. Tell us what she decides, and why! I would love to know.</p>
<p>Marian-- I recognize everything you say. I went to college early, was academically ready and desperate to get out of the house…but those were the days when one slept with professors, never mind seniors…and I did not know how to deal with it at all. Times have changed, and kids have changed, and while for some, relationships with older people could cause serious problems, others will confident enough to deal well. The OP’s d sounds like one of those, as was Soozie’s d. I read this thread with great interest, as my niece will be heading off to college at 16 next year and I don’t want her to go through what I did…and I’m so glad you posted, because you hit my worries straight on. (And allowed me to resolve them!)</p>
<p>Let’s remember, too, that for a girl to date a boy who is 2 years older than herself is not too far fetched. That was the case for my D in college. But that is fairly common in HS too.</p>
<p>I can honestly say that the thought of what was going to happen vis a vis sex/dating didn’t really figure into the decision for S to leave hs a year early. (And I think I would have had the same perspective with a D.) I figured that kids develop at their own individual pace in that arena, and that spending one year in an institution as one of the younger students – since come sophomore year, there is an influx of the students’ chronological peers – just wouldn’t be a big deal for him. I think that the big deal would be if the student, while intellectually ready, comes across as very young for his or her age, or is socially immature in the context of high school – if you have a sense that when the younger student walks across the college campus, other students are going to wonder what he or she is doing there. Fortunately, IMHO, with most 17 year olds this just isn’t the case. I doubt that most of my kid’s college friends and acquaintances have any thoughts about how old he is unless he tells them.</p>
<p>I do remember that earlier free love era that was a clarion call to exploitation for sketchy faculty. But I really do think that that’s largely behind us and that students with a variety of values and practices are more respected now.</p>
<p>Nester…same here. This issue of sex/dating NEVER arose in the discussion of going to college early in our family. After all, my D ALREADY was in classes and summer programs and friendship groups with those who were older than her. Going off to college with this same grouping was what she WANTED to do (that was part of the reason in fact) and it wasn’t all about academics only. Being the young one in the group was the NORM for her. </p>
<p>Even in elem school, she not only entered K early, but we had multi age classrooms and she was always in the younger grade of the mixed grades, and on top of that, young for her own grade due to the early entrance. It was an issue come sixth grade in our K-6 school what to do since she was going to be the upper grade in her grade five/six class but we chose to not skip sixth (this arose) since she had already entered K early. But all through junior high and high school, she had to have accommodations and was in many classes with older grades (even taking some classes with seniors while in 8th grade). In junior high (gr. 7/8), she was allowed to audition for the HS plays and musicals (even though the junior high had their own) and was leads in the HS productions. In tenth and eleventh grade, she initiated and created her own musicals at the school and produced and directed them when everyone was older than her and she was the leader of 18 year olds and she was just 15. When she got to college, she was NEVER treated as younger and soon took on being the leader of several groups and activities at her university and was way younger than those in the groups…she was leading groups at 17 there who had 22 year olds in them. Nobody ever cared. Most had no idea her true age. Her age comes up ONCE a year in her friendship circle. It comes up on her birthday and is kind of a joking thing. She just turned 21 (is out of college now) and I know it was kind of a joke with all her friends (everyone is at least 22 but many are 23 or 24 now). We used to joke when she would play gigs in clubs in NYC and be too young to be served but was the entertainment! </p>
<p>It is an issue for someone who is young and not ready…for sure. But if someone is able to socially mix with older peers and is on that emotional level, it is of no issue that they go to school with some kids a year or a couple years older. For my D, this IS her social group. Her boyfriends have all (but one in her life in HS) been 1-3 years older than herself. Has not been a problem at all. It might be for someone else though.</p>
<p>The issue of dating never once came up with S. Young men and women will not remain 16 or 17 year old freshmen for ever; in fact they won’t remain so for more than a year. Who says that they can only date member of their own cohort?When I was a freshman, I dated a guy who was a senior. We’ve been married for nearly four decades.</p>
<p>My wife was young for her class and graduated from high school early. She applied to college in her last year of high school, but then took a gap year before starting college, and was still way at the young end of her class. She was going to a truly crappy high school in a semi-rural area, she really had nothing to learn there, and she hated the atmosphere. She had a few friends, but she still had them after graduating. At the time, she thought she wanted to work in clinical psychology, and she spent her gap year working at a school for autistic children, which she found challenging and satisfying. She was woefully prepared for college, and worked like a dog on her way to graduating summa and Phi Beta Kappa. But another year of her high school would hardly have made a difference in that regard.</p>
<p>She probably wouldn’t have chosen to apply to college as a junior, but her high school principal said she couldn’t graduate early unless she had a college acceptance in hand. The school had a bad enough college attendance rate as it was; he wasn’t going to let one of his academic kids out without being able to count her as going to college. Her first choice was Smith, but Smith didn’t accept her. Brown did, but didn’t let her take a gap year. Only Yale was willing to accept her early and let her take the gap year, so that’s where she went.</p>
<p>It never occurred to me to graduate early. I really liked my high school, and I found stuff to do while I was there (learned a new language, took courses outside my comfort zone, took a course at a local university, played sports, wrote, edited the literary magazine, caroused). I was academically prepared for college by the end of 10th grade, and I was used to being the youngest person in the room, but I relished the chance NOT to be that for a year. But I was pretty social by nature – I wasn’t going to college just to study.</p>
<p>marite…you post made me smile. That’s just it! I did not go to college early but I met a boy right at the start of my freshman year who was the age of a senior (he took some time off in college and so was not about to graduate just yet) and am still married to him 32 years later. It is pretty common for girls to date boys who are a couple of years older than themselves. It is not all that different for someone who enters college a little early. If they date a freshman or soph, they are not that far apart in age…one or two years. I’m not sure the big deal. It never entered our minds. As I said, my kid always was friends with kids in a grade or two or three ahead of herself. College was not all that different in that respect. And for that matter, I got married at 20 (not that I would advocate that for my own girls) and so it is not as if these teens are so young that they can’t mix with those a little older. I realize there are some kids who might have a hard time with it but that is not a blanket thing for all.</p>
<p>I graduated high school at 16, in NJ. My parents and I realized that I had completed alg, trig, geom, & pre-cal by sophomore year and wondered if I could graduate early.
We met w/our School Board and was told that I could walk w/graduating class, but could not received a diploma or class rank until the following year. I explained that I needed a diploma in order to take advantage of my scholarship for college. They were adamant about their decision, but, allowed me to take Eng 3 & 4 simultaneously.
We decided to go to the Director of Education for Governor Corzine NJ. We met with her and she approved my graduating early, w/a diploma. She was kind enough to call the Brd of Ed on our behalf.
I took 6 college credits in the winter/spring of my junior year and graduated @ 16.
Some teachers couldn’t understand my decision because I seemed so happy and had many friends in school. I wasn’t leaving because I was unhappy, I had a plan and wanted to start putting it in motion.<br>
I still visit my former high school Principal, date the same boyfriend since sophomore year, & have lunch w/my freshman eng teacher once a month.<br>
For me, it was the best decision that I could have made.
I am now 18 and will have 64 credits by this Dec. I am transferring to Cornell U for Spring 2010.</p>
<p>I left high school early to attend Simon’s Rock (since renamed as Bard College at Simon’s Rock). After two years I transferred to an Ivy League School, largely because I wanted to be a bigger place for my final two years of college. Other people who transferred with me, and Simon’s Rock grads in general have no difficulty being accepted to and attending top schools. Further, since then I’ve completed a PhD at a highly ranked state school, completed postgrad work in yet another, have taught at various colleges and universities schools of various sorts, have tenure, done administrative work, I can say that the education that I got from Simon’s Rock was comparable and in many respects had the best classes and the best teaching, for undergraduates, of any school where I’ve attended or been a faculty member.</p>
<p>Simon’s Rock is best for students who are ready for college level work but who, being younger, may not be ready for fully being away at a larger four year college or university. It’s a really special place, in part because the teachers and students really want to be there, and they’ve chosen it, as opposed to the alternatives. Among the various alumni groups that I’ve known, I’ve become more and more impressed with my fellow Simon’s Rockers - many have gone into /theater/dance/writing/entertainment, quite a few into science/environment, some into politics and yes, there are a very few English professors…</p>
<p>The woman who started Simon’s Rock, Elizabeth Hall, who was for many years the Director of Concord Academy put it well. For many students, the final two years of high school are a waste of time. I have never had the slightest feeling of having “missed out” on the final year of high school. </p>
<p>For students who aren’t ready or able to leave home, taking courses at a local college also makes a lot of sense. This is a good, low-risk way to explore college without taking the larger “move” that going away can involve.</p>
<p>Son, with a fall birthday, went to kindergarten while still 4. He then compressed grades/skipped a grade in elementary school and was with grademates from 5th grade on- graduated from HS at 16. He was able to participate in all of the HS experiences except being ablee to have a parking permit for the student lot since he wasn’t old enough for a driver’s license the spring of junior year- he wouldn’t have been given our permission to drive to school anyhow. He needed to advance academically at the pace he did and socially extra years would not have changed him.</p>
<p>As a college freshman he had 2 HS students younger than he was in a physics class. I had worried about his being younger but it didn’t matter, he ran into no problems from others- college students are mature enough to not care about those details, if/when they knew. The 21 year old drinking laws helped as no one was legal in the dorms. He could have gotten his math degree in 3 years but doing the 4th year means he is better prepared for grad school as well as more mature. </p>
<p>Just as some kids are not ready for college/adulthood at 18 there are others who are ready to be independent at an earlier age. Perhaps my son would have ended up at a more prestgious school (top 10-20) if he had taken more time with elementary school, but he may also have had more problems secondary to boredom and performed too poorly to go to any college. I have also noted his overall intensity level has been a good fit where he is and he is competitive for grad schools that will suit him.</p>
<p>I would never advocate a gifted student take a year off/gap year after HS just to be closer in age to college classmates; students who spend 4 years with HS classmates have the shared experiences and haven’t missed anything. When we considered this we could find no replacement for college, especially since being a minor precluded travel and other intellectually satisfying opportunities. I would doubt such students lack the needed maturity- no beginning college freshman has the skills we think they should have when they start.</p>
<p>Choosing to forgo the senior year of HS is different. I would be sure the student will not have regrets about missing the childhood experiences- extracurricular activities- as they only can happen in HS. I know of a student who did her entire senior year taking classes away from home at a state college before attending an ivy. She wasn’t in the dorms and returned home weekends plus some idiotic NHS requirements for her HS so she wasn’t a regular college student. It makes a difference to go to a college as a regular student- living in the dorms and participating as a peer in the activities. The other factor would be if the school is the one the student plans to continue to get a degree in.</p>
<p>Good luck with the decision. There is no right or perfect answer.</p>
<p>Sooziet’s and Marite’s posts made me smile. My son is dating someone a few years older than he. He has always had friends a few years older, is the youngest in his lab, so makes sense this young woman is seen as a peer.</p>
<p>At the end of my Jr year I had completed all requirements for graduation of hs…so I took English and “gym” which was required in my state (NJ) and the school let me use the gym class as my tranfer period. I took 2 courses each semester at a community college.</p>
<p>While I was ready to “graduate”, I look back and see how much growing up I needed, emotionally and academically. Meaning this: I had poor study skills and poor time management. While those CC credits tranferred and got me out of classes, I didn’t know truly what the 24/7 freedom of college would mean and how I needed to learn to manage my time etc.</p>
<p>Our son is a jr (taking lots of APs) and could graduate this year (per our state regs ) as he has all of the requirements (and then some) however, his private school doesn’t allowed Jrs to receive a diploma and the school has plenty to keep our son busy next year–in very rigorous AP classes.
Also he is already 1 yr younger than most of his classmates, which means if he were away at school, he wouldn’t be 18 until after his freshman year. That would be a challenge if there were an emergancey etc as he can’t sign a medical form etc.</p>
<p>We have friends in another part of our state who’s son is now taking classes at a CC because his school allows dual enrollment, so that works for him.</p>
<p>Fog, I had a few minor hurdles when I went to dorm away at 16. I couldn’t work on campus b/c I was 16, couldn’t go to 18+ dance clubs w/roomates, & couldn’t drive alone b/c I was operating w/a permit. The driving part saved me when I was pledging a sorority. I was never woken up at 2:am to drive a sister somewhere!!
Like you, I am also from NJ. Regarding the gym requirement, I was told by Gov. Corzine that gym is only a state requirement if you are in attendance at that time. I graduated @ 16, so, I didn’t need a 4th year of gym. Our Superintendent of Education was also unaware of this rule.
Ok…I’m off to class!!
Have a great day everyone :)</p>
<p>I’m thinking about applying to colleges my my junior year (last minute decision to apply during my junior year). But I’m running into a problem because I’ll only have three years of English after my junior year (the way my high school is structured you can’t double up in English). So please answer as many of my questions as you can:
What colleges/universities only require 3 years of English? (I know of CalTech)
What colleges/universities will make an exception to their 4 year requirement of English for a junior applicant?
Anyone have any experience w/ applying to college/university with only 3 years (or less) of English?</p>
<p>It sounds like you are a junior right now? If so, yes, this is a last minute decision and less than ideal to go about this process without much planning. </p>
<p>The issue here (based on the little info. you have shared) is that you are talking about Early Entrance into college, right? This is not the same as Early Graduation. You are not earning a high school diploma, is that correct? Not all colleges take students early who have NOT earned a HS diploma. For example, my kid graduated early (after junior year in HS) but earned a diploma and before we allowed her to graduate early, we called the colleges she was interested in and asked if they took early graduates and all did IF they had a HS diploma (they didn’t care how many years it took to earn the HS diploma). But there are less schools that take students early into college without the diploma (not referring now to home school students). But there are some. So, those who enter college early without a diploma, often do not have 4 years of Enlgish or 4 years of anything for that matter. So, you need to find colleges that accept students early without a diploma if you go that route which limits your options and is all very last minute and may not be in your best interests. </p>
<p>However, perhaps there is a way to graduate early and earn a diploma? Again, very last minute to make that happen. But last year I did advise a student in her college admissions process who decided right before junior year to graduate early and apply to college. What she did to graduate early (kinda last min. but not as last min. as you, as she had a 3 month gain on your decision and college search), is that she had enough credits but 4 years of English and so she enrolled in a community college English class for June, following her junior year which ended in May. Her colleges knew she would be taking that course and earning a diploma, as she mentioned this in a statement she included about Early Graduation with her applications. Being an early graduate is something many colleges will consider but there are less (though some!!) colleges that take students early into college with no HS diploma. Those are the schools you would need to find but in my view, this is very late to not have your college search well explored and considered, let alone to be doing effective applications.</p>
<p>EngProfMom, I was very glad to read your post about having gone to Simon’s Rock. My son is there now; it’s so so SO good to know that he is happy at school after the schooling that he endured up until now! He loves it.</p>
<p>I am also happy Owlice that your son is happy there!
Can you share more about the school, his experience, living there (dorms, food).
Do you have to pay tuition? How much? How difficult was the application process?</p>
<p>DD’s first roommate was there early and was a full 18 months younger than DD. She just did not take responsibility for her actions well. She struggled to get to classes and do normal self management tasks like sleeping and laundry. It caused a lot of problems because she was very immature. Of course who is to say if she would have become more mature in another year. Did not work with my S2 and S3. </p>
<p>I think this a very important component of the decision as several posters have said. It is not the work, it is the living away, dealing with managing your own time, resources and social life. If not sure, going on to do the work but living at home can be a good happy medium.</p>
<p>whi,
My S did this mid-dec. Tech schools were ok with it, but other colleges said ok to apply, but were harsh. S didnt need eng 4 for the tech schools. I wanted him to have a HS degree. He took a semester of eng 4 thru a free on-line course, and an english course in college counted towards other semester. The on line course was easy, as he didn’t need to take AP. His close friend never bothered to get a HS degree, and he is in grad school now. good luck</p>
Did not work with my S2 and S3. </p>