<p>These are lesser known options for bright students looking for a way to advance themselves. You complete high school (enter in 11th grade) while starting a college degree. You take the classes with the regular college students. You get the residential experience and separate advisors (I know at least two have separate dorms). Most have the same mix of domestic and international applicants as BS. </p>
<p>There have also been options popping up (last ten years or so) of small public high schools that are partnered with colleges, so the student goes to a local high school, but upper classes are taught by professors and the student can graduate with an Associate’s degree. I know of a couple in NYC, and one in the Buffalo region, but I don’t believe these are only in NY state.</p>
<p>NB, there is a significant difference between early college programs – which are a specialized kind of high school – and early entrance programs, which integrate high schoolers directly into the college. [Early</a> college high schools](<a href=“http://www.earlycolleges.org/"]Early”>http://www.earlycolleges.org/) have been around for about 9 years. Early entrance programs date back to the Hutchins Program at the University of Chicago in the 1930s. </p>
<p>Boston University Academy is another early option. It’s tied to Boston University (of course) - and the introduction of BU courses is relatively seamless, allowing a ‘ceilingless’ academic experience while still providing a nurturing high school setting.</p>
<p>Another advantage of early entrance programs many states is that they’re free–public ed. funding follows the child–it’s our current plan for our second child to send him to the local cc in 11th grade. Great option for kids who want to get to a specific career or to grad school quickly.</p>
<p>In the list from the OP is the Mary Baldwin College Early College Entry Program. It is only for women (ofcourse), but “girls” as young as 8th graders can apply. It seems really intense… I like it! Does anyone have any experience first hand with these kind of programs?
Would prep school be better or more intense than these programs (especially as a 9th grader)</p>
<p>I’m sorry, the program I was talking about above is actually called PEG. It is the Program for the Exeptionally Gifted. It allows girls 13-16 to bypass some (or all) of their high school grades to pursue an undergraduate degree.</p>
<p>Two of my daughters skipped part or all of high school. My oldest started taking classes at the local community college when she was 11, and graduated at 14. She is not a genius, she was just bored in middle school, and hated the weird social stuff. She worked, traveled, received her BA from Reed College, then her PG (Post Graduate) degree from University of Cardiff (in Wales). My youngest decided at 16 she could not stand another day, let alone another year, of high school. She applied to, and was accepted at, Shimer College, which someone else mentioned above. She is completing her first year there, and while it is academically rigorous, it is also very small and very “nurturing.” I highly recommend Shimer College in Chicago for anyone who is bright and wants out of high school. By the way, it is not a special program–she takes all regular college classes with the rest of the college students. The only difference is that if she continues straight through, she will graduate with a BA at 20. Just remember, when you look at your high school yearbook, the “Student Most Likely to Succeed” isn’t attending high school. It’s the 16 or 17 year old who is successfully completing college.</p>
<p>the university of washington in seattle is a great option, and starts as early as 9th grade. It is also a great school on the west coast, and comes with a top medical program. it is definitely kid-friendly, although 9th grade might be a little young.</p>
<p>Bard College at Simon’s Rock is different from other early college programs in that the entire undergraduate population (approx 400 students) is made up of students who leave high school after 10th or 11th grade to start college. </p>
<p>Simon’s Rock remains the only college in the country entirely devoted to this early college model and the average age of an incoming first-year student is 16 1/2 years old. </p>
<p>Since completing high school is not a necessity for a Simon’s Rock student, one way to explain this is to say that our students skip the last year (or two years) of their high school careers to begin their undergraduate studies. </p>
<p>It certainly is great that there are all of these early college options out there now for interested students!</p>
<p>Thanks, Exie, but it appears that it is too late for the best FA opportunities. If prep school doesn’t work out, I guess it is another option for next year.</p>
<p>Is the USC program only for people in their Senior year? Also, was wondering, if one were to complete their undergraduate degree at one of these fine programs, say, when they were 20 (instead of 22, because that’s when people who take the normal route start at 18 and finish 4 years later at 22), would they be of age to apply for grad school, or is their no age requirement to get into a grad school?</p>
<p>I know of a couple kids who started grad school in their early to mid teens. Sometimes younger students take time off between degree programs, but it isn’t necessary.</p>
<p>Simon’s Rock is on a rolling admission cycle with a May 31 regular application deadline. Be in touch with the admission office and the counselor from your area will be in touch with you soon.</p>