However, the objective should not be getting through college in the least amount of time. Do you want to be at a school that accepts IB as equivalent to its level of courses? Not all colleges are created equally.
I agree about the age difference. My son was still 16 when he started college, having spent the past seven years with the same peer group (did his acceleration in elementary school). I was so thankful the drinking age is 21, not 18 as it was in my era. I also remember declining a summer date with someone an acquaintance wanted to set me up with because I was older (and he was smarter, hard feature to come by for me). At least my son had socialization opportunities instead of just zooming academically- he got ahead because it took him so much less time to learn/do things. Knowing his and his parents’ personalities his social life is more due to his intrinsic self than age.
Would trying to finish college in three years take away time for nonacademic growth? Would it mean too much time spent on academics in HS instead of maturing/growing in other ways than academic?
Life is a series of experiences. Zoom through stages and miss out on a lot. Mid-high end gifted kids need to progress faster to not be held back to the boring usual pace for most. But- then choose the college that they can be engaged with and learn at their pace for a complete four years, having time for the other facets of their personality to develop as well. Four years can include grad level courses and prepare one for grad school. It includes time spent enjoying the unique lifestyle of the undergrad student, even with a limited budget such as I had. Unidimensional with a narrow focus or a broad, well rounded person.
Childhood, including the teen years, is to be lived in the present as well as preparation for adulthood. What will the thirty year old self think of missed experiences and current life? Will it have been worth it?