<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I skipped two grades (7th and 9th) and was just accepted into U of M TC PSEO full time for junior year. Seeing as I'm only fourteen and going to be a junior, I need volunteer hours or something similar, but it doesn't seem like anyone will let someone only 14 to do volunteer hours because young kids obviously can't be trusted. Does anyone know if volunteering at churches and stuff like that still looks okay on college apps, or if there are places that would allow me to volunteer and to some real work despite my age? I don't want my age to be a big problem on college apps (I'll be 16 when I apply) so I'm trying to overcome that. Any help?</p>
<p>Think carefully about what you’re planning. I know several people who were just 1 year ahead when they applied to college, and many of them wished they had waited. College is more than just instruction; it is a bridge from youth to adulthood. You’ll be living with, learning from, dating, etc. peers who are going to be 2 years older than you. At your age there are leaps every year in maturity, and your interactions with your fellow students are likely to be impaired if you’re 2 years younger than everyone else in your classes.</p>
<p>I suggest you ask on the parents forum and see what other adults say about going to college 2 years early. Some people there are profs and can give you their perspective, too.</p>
<p>My 2 cents worth, anyway.</p>
<p>Lots of people go to college at 16. I know someone who went when he was 15, and he even lived in his own apartment in a building owned by his grandparents. That can sort itself out when you get there. If you feel “too young”, it is entirely OK to take a Gap Year (or two) between high school and college.</p>
<p>As for the volunteer/service learning issues, ask around. Churches count. Public libraries count. Counselor-in-training duty at a summer camp counts. Food banks count. Even if the work isn’t terribly interesting to begin with, if you show responsibility and make a true effort to improve your skills related to that volunteer position, it is likely that you will be offered more interesting and responsible work after a while. Really good work can lead to a part-time paid job. Keep looking, and you will find something that suits you.</p>