<p>I for one would have loved to graduate early, though I imagine my social life in college might have suffered because of it. Still, I feel that this year and last year didn't benefit me very much at all (the academic aspects that is -- through my private studies I've grown immensely), so it would have been amazing to simply skip that and enter college straight away.</p>
<p>This doesn't seem too radically different from the AP-tests-for-college-credit system or dual enrollment though, so I dunno quite how much it would have helped me in the long run. Still, the college setting would have probably been more conductive to my education than my high school classes were...</p>
<p>Should be able to. Options are always good, though I don't think many students should take advantage of this particular one. You'd have to be really mature to successfully make the transition, a fact that would probably (definitely) be ignored by some pushy (Asian) parents.</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn't have been ready after 10th grade. After this year, 11th grade, maybe.</p>
<p>I think it should depend on the person, not only a series of "rigorous" tests, simply due to common sense: Are most teenagers nearly mature enough by the time they're around 16? If you are like me, there are so few, and even then, those people have a few "kiddish" tendencies. "Retaining your youth" versus being immature sometimes maintains a thin line, but who knows? If they can handle the responsibility, I wouldn't stop them.</p>
<p>I knew a 10th grader last year that had the maturity of a 5 year old, and he probably would have been one of the one's that would leave early. I don't think people like that should be going to college when they're 16.</p>
<p>On-topic, though: In England, the last two years of High School are called Sixth Form, and that is basically, I guess it's appropriate, their version of college as after those two years of A-level examinations, they go to university (you know, grad school).</p>
<p>So yeah, maybe the US could do something like that...</p>
<p>I think it really depends on the individual kid. My dad went to college at 16 and was fine, but there are going to be a lot of issues with social life.</p>
<p>P.S. Leon Botstein, the president at Bard, seriously advocates for high school to end at the 10th grade.</p>
<p>Thanks Ansar, personally, I believe that students should be allowed to graduate early if they feel ready for college. In some special cases, I think that some freshmen are mature and intelligent enough to do so.</p>
<p>
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Students who pass will be prepared to move on to the state's community or technical colleges, skipping the last two years of high school.
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<p>What New Hampshire is pushing for is a way to get students that aren't interested in going to a four year college a way to get out of high school early and into the careers they're interested in sooner. I imagine this way they'd be able to cut down on drop-out rates, decrease class sizes, and reduce the budget required for schooling. If you're planning on going to a traditional college you'd still be expected to graduate from HS like normal.</p>
<p>Edit: There's also a thread on this in the Parents' Forum.</p>
<p>Most 10th graders don't have the maturity levels of a peanut. If they'd be allowed to go to college, it'd have to be on a case-by-case basis. </p>
<p>But still, missing 2 years of high school would be horrible for your social life. No prom, no graduation day, no that-awkward-thing-that-happened-in-12th grade-health-class... half (or more than half) of the memories compiled during high school would never exist!</p>
<p>It depends if the kid would be ready for it..
I know a kid that's a senior at Cornell University this year and he's 16..
His mom has to be with him most of the time though</p>
<p>^ I wouldn't mind having half my high school memories go away. </p>
<p>BTW, I don't think many of you read the article. The people most affected by this won't be your classmates at Harvard, they'll be going to community college/vocational school and getting a head start on their careers. Other students will stay in school and take their APs and electives and go to state school or ivies or wherever. Personally, I love this idea.</p>
<p>
[quote]
On-topic, though: In England, the last two years of High School are called Sixth Form, and that is basically, I guess it's appropriate, their version of college as after those two years of A-level examinations, they go to university (you know, grad school).
[/quote]
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<p>I don't think that's accurate. "University" is the equivalent of college, not grad school. Your first degree from a university is the equivalent of a bachelor's.</p>
<p>
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I don't think that's accurate. "University" is the equivalent of college, not grad school. Your first degree from a university is the equivalent of a bachelor's.
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What I mean is, at 18, they go to graduate schools (like Medical school). </p>
<p>Ex. Here in the states, if you go to a university (ex. Harvard), you go to Harvard College, not Harvard University. ;)</p>
<p>On that story about the kid being a senior in college and being 16.Damn. I mean it's cool right but his mom is always with him really though?? Tough I'm guessing I would love to graduate at the time I'm supposed to then later in univ. excel.. </p>
<p>I personally would have loved this opportunity, but I agree with AeroEngineer that it would have to be on a case-by-case basis. It's difficult to measure a person's intellectual maturity with a test. Maybe graduating after 11th grade would be more plausible. Most of my friends went to college when I was a freshman in high school. Now I'm a senior in hs and there's very few people I can connect with (I go to a small school). Graduating 2 years early is something I've considered in retrospect (I would have never thought of it at the time and my school would have never allowed it anyway). In my case if I went to college my social life would have been 10x better. In my experience high school administrators hate giving special treatment to specific students like this but I have a very limited perspective coming from a small school.</p>