<p>
LOL! Is that why you listed your age as 82 here on cc?? Too funny.</p>
<p>She had her mommy do her bidding? LOL. Sorry but that reminds me of the episode from Everybody Loves Raymond. </p>
<p>Everybody Loves Raymond-Lucky Suit: Clip 2</p>
<p>[Everybody</a> Loves Raymond-Lucky Suit: Clip 2 - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>^Love that show, we all know people like that!</p>
<p>She absolutely should not be admitted to the program. First of all, I think there’s something kind of telling about the fact that she went to UIUC at 14. The fact that she got in shows that she’s pretty bright, but also that her parents are the type that want to make some kind of a point about how special her intelligence is. But I would guess she isn’t a super-genius because if so, YALE would be wanting her at 14, not a state school. Or, her parents could have tried to send her to one of the top boarding schools in the country where she would surely find intellectual peers. What is the big rush to miss out on the four years of socialization that a normal high school would provide? So this situation definitely reeks of stage parenting. As far as going into clinical psychology goes, is this the kind of person who would be likely to have the emotional strength, compassion, self-knowledge, maturity, stability, etc., to deal with the traumas of real people? Good psychologists aren’t just people who get As. They are people who can be put in positions where they are constantly faced with the deep sufferings of others. To bear this kind of pain you need a very high level of emotional awareness. Someone who spent four years playing the little prodigy and being treated as if she were somehow more special than her peers seems to me potentially lacking in those human, as opposed to academic skills. And hey, if the Army can say it doesn’t want me because I’m too old, then I have no problem with a university saying no to her for being too young.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Though I agree she should not be admitted, it is because of her DEMONSTRATED IMMATURITY in bringing her mother and not necessarily because of her age. Had a classmate at my LAC who was 17 when he graduated with high honors and another who started at 13. Both were so emotionally mature and intelligent you wouldn’t have suspected unless they felt comfortable enough with you to tell you because of the widespread presumptions made of those of their ages. </p>
<p>Moreover, I’m not sure the point above is applicable for two reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>UIUC is a state institution and thus, mandated to adhere to regulations passed by the legislature…like the law allowing her to attend at 14. As a private institution, Yale is much more insulated from such governmental regulations/political pressures. </p></li>
<li><p>If Yale is like Harvard, they may have a strict unwritten policy of not admitting anyone below the age of 16. Commonly heard liability concerns and emotional immaturity experiences with past admits who were under 16 as reasons for Harvard’s unwritten policy from acquaintances who worked in Harvard’s undergrad admissions.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>for every example, there’s a counter-example…</p>
<p>I know a guy who gained entrance to a PHD program in MCB at Harvard at the ripe old age of 18…</p>
<p>I’d point out that the “backpacking through Europe” comment suggests that the problem wasn’t a lack of work or clinical experience. Assuming that’s an accurate quote, I find it rather condescending. Implying that a year of bumming around in hostels would make the student more qualified is bizarre, though I’m sure it would be a worthwhile and broadening experience for a student of any age.</p>
<p>I can see how this young lady would see taking a year or two off as squandering the considerable time advantage she earned over her peers by dint of her hard work. At this point, I’d guess she would want to keep moving forward at full speed and launch her career as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Again, with the “backpacking through Europe” comment we have only her statement about it (so I am not sure how accurate we can consider it), and it is presented without context. Perhaps the comment came at the end of a series of other more reasonable suggestions. Perhaps the speaker was thinking of what they would want to do in her position. Perhaps the speaker was concerned that she was pushing herself to the breaking point, and felt that she needed to take some time off before plunging into the non-stop insanity that is grad school.</p>
<p>I also do not see how she really has any “considerable time advantage” over her peers. She graduated early - so what? Is there a consistent track record of early college graduates going on to greatness? As many of them crack as succeed, and those who do succeed rarely wind up with more substantial careers than their peers (often the reverse, in fact). Even for those few who do well, it is unclear that graduating early provided them any real advantage - the success of a career is generally measured by great accomplishments, not by when you started it.</p>
<p>
Thats one of the reasons, as I said above, that this article doesn’t pass the smell test to me. If that was said, and thats a big IF, it’s likely it has been taken out of context and seems to be used to be inflammatory. Remember, the author “worked with State Senator Michael Frerichs to pass Bill 263 – reversing the minimum age requirement for college admissions – which passed unanimously in the Senate and in the House with only one vote against it.” so she may have an “agenda” to promote and a desire to write about it. Who knows, perhaps the conversation really went something like this: </p>
<p>Kelsey: I want to understand why I was not granted acceptance to your graduate program.
Professor: There were many, many highly qualified candidates for very few spots.
Kelsey: But why was I not admitted?
Professor: We accept only 1 in 20 applicants, and we feel the strongest candidates have had a few years of direct work and solid research experience in the field.
Kelsey: But I am a third author on a paper that has been accepted for publication.
Professor: Congratulations. That is wonderful.
Kelsey: So why was I not accepted?
Professor: We look for students who have both work and research experience. Your academic background is strong, but you would benefit from work experience in the field as well.
Kelsey: It is hard to find a job in the field, especially since I am still a minor.
Professor: Yes, age can be a problem.
Kelsey: What? You are saying I am too young to work or train in the field?
Professor: With patient care and JCHO (hospital) guidelines, being under 18 can be a challenge.
Kelsey: So you are saying my age is a barrier to my training!
Professor: I am saying that age does matter in environments where hospital accreditation guidelines are concerned.
Kelsey: So what can I do to strengthern my application?
Professor: Perhaps there are opportunites for volunteer work through the red cross, or the peace corps , etc where you can work overseas in the mental health field. Perhaps while you are there you can enjoy some time for yourself as well, since you have worked so diligently through school . You might have the opportunity to go backpacking while you are there helping victims of war-torn nations or families in Africa torn apart by illness or famine.
Kelsey: What? You are telling me to go backpacking?
Professor: I am saying there are opportunities to enjoy yourself and balance the stress of these positions with the benefits of leisure time. You can best take care of others when you take care of yourself first.
…</p>
<p>If Kelsey wanted to have a publication on her vitae and application, the HuffPost was not the place to do it. I think she may have shot herself in the foot. At UIUC for sure.</p>
<p><strong><em>crossposted with cosmicfish</em></strong>** Same thoughts</p>
<p>Is her dad this prof at UIUC?
[Gustavo</a> Caetano-Anolles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Caetano-Anolles]Gustavo”>Gustavo Caetano-Anolles - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Good catch, hazelorb. </p>
<p>** Edit** here they are in an article about her HS graduation (all public information) <a href=“http://www.news-gazette.com/news/people/2008-01-29/13-year-old-graduate-high-school-may.html[/url]”>http://www.news-gazette.com/news/people/2008-01-29/13-year-old-graduate-high-school-may.html</a></p>
<p>
</p>
<p>LOLOL! That was great. Reads like a Harry Potter book. Man is Kelsey annoying!</p>
<p>The above dialog reads more like the computer voiced “I want the iphone 4” video on You Tube. No matter what is said the answer is always the same & the hearing is limited and Jym’s dialog may be frighteningly accurate! Most educators are well versed in PC speak and would not just tell a denied student, “you are too young, go backpack across Europe” even if that were the truth.</p>
<p>If a HS GC wrote this phrase in a LOR:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>wouldn’t that be GC code for a hard worker not a genius and actually detract from an Ivy type application?</p>
<p>LOL, somemom, that youtube is great! Its got foul language in it, so we can’t link it. But yes, that was exactly my point. Its possible Kelsey was fishing for or pushing for a response that sounded like the faculty member was going to blame age as the reason for her denial, especially given her history. Interestingly, from the article written about her 3 1/2 years ago, they talked about her then interest in law and public policy. But what caught my eye was her resistence even then to being told she could take time off and enjoy life (see the last few sentences)
Sounds like that’s still a hot button.</p>
<p>OK, so now at least we know WHY she brought her parents to the meeting- he’s faculty! That makes for an even “stickier” situation for the grad school admissions decision. But sh has definitely burned the bridge to that program with this action, AND, I wouldn’t be surprised if her name is now " mud " to many professors and colleagues at other Psychology graduate schools by now.</p>
<p>Exactly (about her name possibly being “mud”). Which is unfortunate. </p>
<p>And it sounds like she took mom to the meeting- not sure if dad also attended. Wonder if the publication (that was mentioned by a poster above) might be co-authored with dad, not someone in the psych dept. Just hypothesizing. Have no clue.</p>
<p>Many clinics, hospitals, etc will not allow a minor to have any direct patient contact due to privacy rules, etc. granted she should be turning 18 soon, but it is still a potential roadblock, whether she likes it or not.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>boysx3, when I was in college there was a 14 year old girl in my class. People were “oogling” her, pronouncing her as some genius. But the fact of the matter was, she was NOT. In fact, MOST of the very young people that one sees on campus aren’t inherently more intelligent than any other good student. The real difference just amounts to preparation from the “get go”. Their parents started them on a heavy academic regiment from the time they started walking. </p>
<p>So they end up being more prepared to enter college at a younger age. Sure there are a few REAL young geniuses here and there; but, ALMOST ALL of the young students on campus are NOT geniuses.</p>
<p>It reminds me of that girl a few years ago who sued the district or something like that to become valedictorian. She was the one that gamed the system, got out of PE (GPA lowering etc). You look at these articles and think, “hmmm, what is to be gained from the fight versus how you would have done without it” The valedictorian label is so unimportant, except for a few scholarship specific awards, but the name in the news makes one so unattractive.</p>
<p>Same with this girl. I am all for NOT having age discrimination, but having kids who graduating young, I see all sorts of non academic reasons why the choice to get more life experience could be a positive for her career. Life is not a race, it’s a journey, but this kid is racing for the finish line</p>
<p>By the time most of us apply to graduate programs we have the life experience to not be too phased if we don’t get accepted to some of them. It happens, you don’t go looking for a smoking gun, you accept one of your other options.</p>
<p>This girl is very young and it sounds to me like she is lacking the life experience to be prepared for this rejection. By her own admission what she brought to the table was a good academic record. That’s not necessarily enough, and if she was older she would have known that and not been so upset by this one rejection. When I applied to graduate school I remember what the other candidates looked like, many were already authors of published papers. They had much more to offer than I did, which is why I applied to many programs and considered myself lucky to be accepted to any of them.</p>
<p>This girl was so anxious to become a grownup. Well, now she is a college graduate and not sure when she should do next. Welcome to the grown up world. I feel for her that she has to face this predicament at 17 when most of us didn’t have to face it until we were in our 20s.</p>