Need advise on how to prepare a precocious kid to enter top Universities at 17/18 ?

[ConcernFather]

<p>From afan:

To get back to the OP. Your son definitely needs to spend a lot more time with kids his age before thinking about college. Going to college that young will make him an outsider, too small, too young, to be really a part of the environment. Also, your comments about his non science skills, esp writing and literature mean he is nowhere near ready. All elite colleges expect their students to be very good at this, and by your account he is slightly above grade level. This would make the college literature courses an impossible challenge.

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<p>I think we are actually in perfect agreement here about waiting. This is NOT a thread from a father who is trying to push his son into early college. It’s a TOTALLY DIFERENT type of thread. If you read my original post, I want to keep my son until 17/18 so that he has a chance to get into good colleges. BTW, when I say that his non science skills are slightly above grade level, I mean that he is still taking Grade 5 subjects and have been accelerated by 1 year. However, he is in the top 1% in an already “gifted” class, and that is why he skipped 4th grade gifted entirely. In his recent PSAT, his writing is actually 78th percentile (compared to high school kid), and he is only 10. Like what 4Giggles have said, he is not “deficient” in these other areas… he just doesn’t want to do them right now. Well said, 4Giggles!!! It’s not a matter of abilities…it’s a matter of interests. And he has all the time in the world to wait. :)</p>

<p>His social skills is good, and there is no concern there too. He spend half the day with 18 years old high school seniors. They don’t treat him like a kid, but as an intellectual peer. They work with him in the AP Biology DNA labs, and depend on his results as an “equal” lab partner. In AP Statistics, his is grouped with 18 years old for “Partner Quiz”, and he is also valued there because of his contribution and his ideas. </p>

<p>What I really wanted to find out was : what do I do with his Math and Science, once he finished all the available AP courses at 11 next year. Many of the parents have given me GREAT suggestions. I also realised that he could self-study AP Computer Science and AP Music Theory and take these 2 subjects on his own. However, I want him to wait a few more years to see if he can develop a passion for liberal arts and language. And if the passion does not come in a few more years… I might have to re-evaluate my current “wait-and-see” approach.</p>

<p>All the other advise from various other parents about keeping him balance, immersing him in sports because it is good for him, etc were also very good!!! I need to hear that too.</p>