@TheNoticable - I’m looking at this from an objective perspective of an outsider who doesn’t know you. Skipping a grade isn’t something a student normally just gets to decide to do or to do a trial of. You have yet to give us any true reason to make us see why you think you should skip.
I might be wrong but I don’t think a high school will agree to let you skip before you even become a matriculated 9th grade student. Does your high school tend to allow kids to skip a grade? I’ve heard of kids graduating early but never skipping a high school grade early on.
Dual Enrollment isn’t a Florida controlled thing. Each high school or school district has its own rules/requirements. Traditionally you need to have approval ahead of time to take college classes from a agreed upon school for your high school to give you high school credit. You can take 10 math classes on your own but unless your high school gives you credit none of them will count towards your requirements for high school graduation as an example. Some places dual enrollment is free other places it is not. Normally you also need to provide your own transportation. Your high school may have something set up with a particular school. You may find that you want to do some high school and some de classes and that you need to be in say 11th grade to take DE classes.
Another thing to consider - people with perfect grades and perfect test scores still get rejected. For Ec’s they are looking for passion, dedication, and possibly leadership but none of that needs to come from founding a club or having an official title. Right now if you want to do anything perhaps start with seeing if you or your parents can talk to the high school guidance counselor so you know how things are for your high school. You or your parents can even call college admissions and ask what they think abut skipping a high school grade. Be prepared to say more than middle school is easy so I’m too smart for high school. For lots of people middle school is easy and classes like AP/IB/DE offer a good challenge.
@TheNoticable My son skipped 8th grade, which is probably logistically easier than skipping 9th. He did so for a variety of reasons, with the primary reason being social. He seemed to fit in better with the cohort ahead of him than the current year’s group. We knew this because he was already accelerated in foreign language and in math. The overall grade skip offered him a more reasonable schedule, with all of his classes in the upper school instead of a split between two schools. We were very very pleased with the social side of the skip – he finally seemed to have a close group of friends. On the academic side it was a mixed result for complicated reasons I will not go into here.
Nevertheless – the skip was not in any manner helpful for college applications. In fact, it probably hurt him, because for a while, as he adjusted, he received less than perfect grades. (From a developmental perspective, I think this was a positive for him, because he learned to deal with academic challenge – something he hadn’t faced prior. But it did hurt his college prospects.). Furthermore, rather than going to college a year early, he chose to do a year abroad in South America with Rotary club. So in the end he went to college back at his “proper” age (when he was 18).
If you are truly finding the hardest classes less than challenging across the board, perhaps a skip is warranted. Just keep in mind that you have other options rather than going to college early. There can be a lot of barriers for a college student who is under age 18. Medical decisions may not be your own to make (depending on what state you are in), you may not be able to sign legal documents, you may not be considered particularly “cool” by your peers. I have several friends who went to college at age 16 – none of them thought it was a great situation socially. One developed a serious medical condition (diabetes) while an undergrad, and almost died because doctors did not take her symptoms seriously until she became comatose. I promise you – once you are a grad student, no one cares if you went to undergrad a year or two early. It confers no particular advantage in one’s life or career.
I doubt if any of my son’s current friends or professors know he skipped a year.
@TheNoticable - Depending on where in Florida you live, you might be able to take advantage of an “Early College High School” program. These programs are partnerships between high schools and colleges (generally community colleges) that allow high school students to finish HS with an Associates Degree. Finally, there are a few universities that accept high school seniors (you apply in your junior year) to skip their senior year and begin college early. USC Resident Honors program, and Bard at Simon’s Rock are among the most established programs.
There are a lot of options for bright, ambitious, and high achieving students to challenge themselves. For reasons that have already be discussed, skipping an early grade in high school – where it to even be possible – is probably not one of the most effective ways to go about it.
When I asked why you think you’re ready, I hoped you’d enlighten us about your grades, rigor and mastery, testing or assessments. Not just that you want a trial period. That doesn’t tell us you’re ready. Nothng tell us why you think this.
What “trial” for skipping a grade? Does your school let you test 10th grade? And then what? You won’t have the 9th grade prep. Do you think you just go back and start 9th after the trial, if you don’t like it or it’s too hard? Go back to 9th having missed the first x weeks or months?
Skipping a grade in middle school or elementary school probably would have been better. Challenge yourself early, and then take all of HS (4 years) to prepare for college. Prepare = study for the SATs, take challenging HS & college courses, school & summer ECs, etc. If you’re in 8th going into HS, start at 9th grade and take everything that’s interesting/fun/needed, develop a plan, build & execute that plan…and explore/look at other schools besides Harvard & the Ivy League. There are a lot of wonderful colleges out there.
Skipping - I can’t see any benefit to skipping a grade like you are looking at. You’d be young compared to others. I don’t know how that would help you. ~~ i have an 8th Grd daughter. She’s bright but youngest in her class. I’ve actually been considering having her repeat 8th grade to give her another year to mature and grow. Your situation will differ of course, but i can’t think of any reasons to skip.
Let us say that you are a super smart person. The kind of person who can get into Harvard and who would be able to skip a grade.
There are some different tracks you could do:
“Skip a grade”…that is, try to compact 4 years of HS into three…you would not have the ECs or leadership of senior year. Yes you would be a senior, but would you show leadership at a younger age? You would not be able to get ahead much. You would start Harvard taking normal freshman courses
Do Normal HS: Keep taking as advanced HS classes as you can.You will be able to do ECs and probably get som e leadership. It would increase your chances for a Harvard over skipping a grade.
Do more Dual Enrollment…you coudl take more advanced math classes for example…and you could start off either advanced in college or depending on the college graduate earlier (cheaper) and then go on to grad school.
So basically skipping a grade seems like the worse choice to me.
If you really want to get out of the HS environment, do as much dual enrollment you can.
I didn’t read the entire thread but another aspect to consider is extracurricular activities. Most Harvard students have a long list of these and have attained a fairly high level in some. Having one year less time than others, essentially cuts your EC’s by 25%. That is not good. Not to mention, it’s unlikely that a young 10 th grader will know what to take (plan). High schools are designed that 9th grade is the ramp up year, then kids hit the ground for the next couple of years. Only a portion of that is academic. Have you considered that those kids have already made friends the previous year?
I have a senior that was identified as profoundly gifted in early elementary school. He is graduating on time and never skipped a grade. He had college ready ACT scores in middle school. He took high challenge classes, is doing 2 years of dual enrollment, and dove deep into extracurriculars (which are actually informing his college direction now).
It’s actually a huge disadvantage to skip a grade if you really want to go to competitive schools. If you are very unhappy and learning nothing in your current academic environment, start by talking to your parents. Talk to them about your goals. They need to be totally onboard. My kid has sky high test scores and grades and we cannot apply to most elite schools due to finances. There are many good options out there.
Another thing that you can consider is the high school that you attend. If you live near a large population, there may be some more rigorous (private) high schools. Many require entrance exam that are occurring right now.
Thanks to all of you! I am now considering Dual Enrollment, and for you @lookingforward .
English:99 Spelling:100 Science:97 Social Studies:100 Math:99
As for rigors, none I can think of. Yes I go to U.S. schools, Tennessee to be more specific. In the trial as far as I know after I pass the test to qualify for it I get 1-2 weeks to see how well I fit in, and if not then I just go to normal classes. Anyway in my experience the first two weeks are pretty easy.
Are you enrolled in a rigorous curriculum?
A rigorous 9th grade would be: GeometryH or Algebra2H; Foreign Language 2H or 3H; AP Human Geography; Biology Honors, Chemistry Honors, or Physics Honors (depending on the way your school structures the sequence - you’ll need all three); English Honors; an art class (and, often, Health/Phys Ed).
I’m going to speculate that the OP attends a school with relatively few academic options, minimal rigor in even the most rigorous classes, and a relatively high dropout rate. My spouse went to such a school, and was graduated after three years - which was normal for high performing kids, because they’d already met the graduation requirements and it was seen as better to graduate them than to risk them dropping out due to family obligations (work, pregnancy, immigration issues) and never getting a diploma.
Rather than jump grades, I’d suggest OP lay low and learn as much as he can about what top colleges look for, come up with a strategy. This is the first few months of 8th grade. No standardized testing, no special programs like TIP, he seems to be saying no rigorous courses. (Looks like a typical 8th grade curric.)
This seems to boil down to just that he wants to advance. I don’t see evidence this is well thought out or that he tested himself or that his hs is suggesting a jump. And there’s so much more kids can do to enhance their learning than skipping a grade. The motivated find these opps. Lots of kids on CC are engaged in spicing up their studies.
Funny you bring up gouvenour, my brother is going there @LoveTheBard@momtogirls2 @lookingforward, no I do not have any rigorous courses.
I decided not to skip a grade, but if you guys can give me ways to spice up my 8th grade year(education wise) Thanks! I go to Sevierville Middle.