<p>A very long time ago, my freshman year roommate was 16. Yes, she was brilliant and very mature. But she really abused her new found independence and I am quite sure that if her parents ever knew what she was doing every night they would have brought her home immediately. I remember it being hard for me because I felt like someone in authority should notice what was happening to her but no one did. I’m pretty sure she graduated but I lost touch with her after freshman year. But it really scared me that she was so bright but so unprepared for real life.</p>
<p>I can’t believe all the posters (parents) who ask “why rush it?”. Imagine being a bright teenager, not into the social scene at high school, having to sit through a lot of uninspiring busywork, while the guidance counselor tells you to build up a resume. </p>
<p>My 16 year old son is a freshman at Simon’s Rock College and LOVES it. He has finally found a group of bright, mature kids who are excited about learning, curious and motivated. The professors are excellent. Individual attention is the norm. He is in heaven. Simon’s Rock has some very generous scholarships for exceptional students. Look into it.</p>
<p>We didn’t think we “rushed it” at all. We think of high school as mostly hokum. Why take high school chemistry when you can do college chemistry? Or canned history as defined by the local school board? Or what passes for “English”? Now, granted, mine already had 66 credits, so there was no question she could do the work? And the colleges saw it the same way.</p>
<p>The Bard NYC program has proven pretty conclusively that NON-gifted 15 and 16-year olds (they aren’t looking to accept gifted students), without any special background, can handle a rigorous college curriculum quite well, provided they have the motivation. The 16-year-old may be motivated, better “prepared” for a college than the same student at 18 who has been forced to slog her way through.</p>
<p>My D is going to graduate a year Early in 2013 (vs. 2014), she is doing her Sophomore and Junior Yr this year part of which includes DE classes. D’s guidance fully supports her choice to graduate early and thinks it is in her best interest.</p>
<p>Each student & family will make the best decision they can with the information available to them. Many kids are amazingly adaptable and will manage whether they COULD have started college at 16 or start it much later. So much depends on what the totality of options available are and which seems the most appropriate.</p>
<p>Our D was actually relieved she started college after JR year of HS. We’re all different & there are many paths for different people.</p>
<p>ndeleven, you can find a high-school accredited online class here:
[High</a> School Credits | Online high School Diploma | MU High School](<a href=“http://cdis.missouri.edu/high-school.aspx]High”>http://cdis.missouri.edu/high-school.aspx)</p>
<p>Yes, it’s possible to graduate high school a year early, but they make it a bit of a bureaucracy because schools don’t want it to become a trend. You’ll need to first get someone at school on your side – a counselor or principal – especially because you’ll need a gym-class waiver and that might have to be approved by central administration.</p>
<p>If you can’t get everything lined up in time, you may still be able to take your outside class and graduate next August, which would also set you up for college by next fall.</p>