College at 15?

quiddity
Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:54:52 +0000

I would advise that you not go to college at such a young age.


Missing out on all those years can mess up your personality/maturity, and when you do go to college, you may be an outcast simply because you act like a middle schooler.
If you go to college at 15, unless you’re a super genius, you probably won’t be accepted to the top colleges. Sure, you might be able to transfer later, but I know that at least some universities–such as Princeton–do not accept transfer students, so you would be eliminating your chances at going there.
Going somewhere like a community college or Mary Baldwin will not reflect well on you. For instance, when you apply to grad school or for a job, people may not be impressed by, “I went to a mediocre undergraduate college, but that’s because I was sooooo young, so I’m still smart!” It’s better to go to a top-notch college at a normal age than to go to a not-so-great college at a younger age.
What’s the point? Enjoy life while you’re still a teen. If you want, you can start doing real world stuff when you’re 15, 16, 17, and 18, waiting to go to college. Start a business. Start a charity. Create an organization dedicated to doing something productive. Do a research project. That way, when time comes for everyone to go to college, you at least still shine out–not for being ultra-young, but for having already accomplished something that most people don’t accomplish until they’re at least thirty.