<p>First off, this is my “maiden” post! I am new here. My question is: does anyone have a HS junior who entered college early instead of finishing HS? My son is a burnt-out IB student who does not want to return to HS for his senior year. I noticed that a few colleges allow for early admittance.</p>
<p>4tocollege:</p>
<p>My S entered college early, as did SoozieVT’s D. I should point out, though, that being burnt out by a high school program does not sound like a good reason for going to college early. The main reason is that a student has exhausted the available curriculum at the high school level. This was the case of my S who had 9 college courses plus 6 APs by the time he entered college.</p>
<p>Adcoms will not cut any slack to students who are younger and have not completed the full high school program. In fact, they are likely to be more demanding as they will consider that a younger student has time to polish his or her r</p>
<p>It’s awfully late to start applying now. Will your son’s choices be limited by the fact that the application deadlines for many colleges have already passed (or are coming up so soon that it may not be possible for him to line up the necessary teacher and counselor recommendations and transcripts and have his test scores sent in time)?</p>
<p>Usually, the decision for a junior to graduate early, or to apply to colleges a year early without graduating from high school, is made earlier in the school year.</p>
<p>Please describe “Burnt Out”. If you mean that he is getting straight “A’s” in everything because it is all too easy for him, then I suggest that he add a night college course at the local community college if available. It will challenge him. Also, get involved with some clubs or sports. If he’s that good in his grades, then taking the SL/HL IB tests and getting a 4 or higher on them will gain him a lot of college credit. Many colleges give credit for the IB classes. My daughter received 12 credits towards college for her IB tests. Her friend almost eliminated her entire freshman year at college by getting 28 college credits. Each college is different. Plus, if he get’s his IB diploma; which is also very difficult to do and not accomplished by many, it will open up his options for studying abroad.</p>
<p>Now, if burnt out doesn’t include straight “A’s” and he just doesn’t like high school, then he needs to learn to deal with it. There will be many things in life that he isn’t going to like. Quitting isn’t a good option, but once started becomes a habit in everything and difficult to break. But, to answer your question, colleges require a high school diploma or GED. If he gets his ged, he can apply to college. It doesn’t matter his age. I started college at 17 years old. (I was just a lot younger). Realize however, while officially it shouldn’t mean anything, colleges don’t look as nicely on GED compared to a high school diploma. It normally means someone dropped out of high school. A community college or state-U probably won’t make a difference, but it will to just about any private college.</p>
<p>If it was my kid, I would get with him and his guidance counselor and find out what is “Burning him out”. Then see about dealing with that. In my opinion, quitting something you started is not an option. But then again, that’s just my opinion. My son, having already been accepted to 5 colleges so far doesn’t want to do his extended essay or take the HL/SL IB tests. He says they won’t benefit his college plans in any way. He is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. However, I impressed upon him that he started something and needs to see it through. That too is part of growing up. It instills integrety and work ethic. Again, just my opinion.</p>
<p>Burnt out? That needs a better explanation, as other posters have said. </p>
<p>That said, my D who is now a junior, wants to go to college early too, since all her siblings will be gone and she doesn’t want to be the only one still at home next year. We are considering it for her. She is fairly mature, but not worldly, and we would not consider a long-distance college for her, though we will entertain her living in a dorm at a small college within 50-75 miles from home. She already takes two classes at such a college part-time, so it would be a logical step for her, since she already has enough high school credits to gradutate.</p>
<p>I am concerned for your son, though; how will he handle the stress of college, especially being a year or more younger than his peers, if he is having trouble in high school? I might consider a few online classes for him, with a couple community college classes thrown in for experience. This option, plus a substantial part-time job, might cure his blues and be exceptional preparation for the rigors of college. But do ask him and yourself: is he burnt out socially? academically? emotionally? </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>My mom did this (skipping senior year, heading off a year early).</p>
<p>As a result of her experiences, she would not allow me to do it.</p>
<p>I know someone, an old dormmate who is currently a college junior, who graduated from high school two years early. He worked for the railroads for two years and then entered college at the normal age. The transition back to student life was a bit difficult for him, but he thought that working life was good for him and that it was important to have gained that extra maturity before going to college, instead of going early.</p>
<p>Work experience often grants a certain maturity to students, which makes them better academically, and definitely more focused. But, parents always worry that Junior won’t want to give up the paycheck to return to college fulltime.</p>
<p>I may be misinterpreting the situation, but it appears to me that the student is burnt out by the demands of the IB program. I realize that in Florida, it is possible to go to college early, after junior year. But not being able to cope with the demands of an IB program does not augur well for his ability to cope academically in college, in my opinion. Instead of graduating early, one option is to drop out of the IB program.</p>
<p>DD’s roommate left HS after Junior Year since she had all her APs and coursework needed. She is doing fine, although sometime the 18 month age difference between them causes some misunderstandings. They have different levels of experience and expectations. They have worked things out, though, and from what I understand DD’s roommate has had a successful first semester. </p>
<p>However, most of the application deadlines have passed I believe. There may be some still open but you are limiting your choices. Maybe another option would be better at this point. .</p>
<p>I skipped my senior year and went straight to college about 1 hour from home. This was done at the suggestion of my dad (a college professor) who thought that I had nothing more to learn at HS. Not knowing any differently, I went ahead with it. I was a very young age-wise entering freshman and would not recommend it to anyone. While I could handle the work academically I was not at all prepared for it socially. Only you and your son can judge his maturity level to make this transition but do not underestimate the importance of social skills.</p>
<p>While I think social skills should be part of the equation. I knew several younger students when I was in college. (Roommate was barely 17 and my dh’s roommate was 15.) They both fit in very well. I wonder if you could organize some different kind of senior year for him - perhaps one that involved a distant learning high school or homeschooling with an internship or job?</p>
<p>Has he taken SAT or ACT? Which colleges would be available for him?</p>
<p>I did this too (20 years ago). The big issue for me was whether I stick it out in high school another year and try to get into an elite private school or skip senior year and go straight to our flagship state university. I think that’s a big question, if you have to sacrifice a lot in the type of college you end up in, it might be better to work out a half-high-school half community college plan for senior year, or something like that, to make another year tolerable.</p>
<p>The social issue really depends on the person. There are lots of kids who skip a grade, go to college early, etc., so a 17 year old in college is not uncommon at all. </p>
<p>Accelerating just because you can doesn’t make sense, but for people who are miserable in high school or completely bored academically, I think it can be a very good option.</p>
<p>The selective school deadlines may be past (or might be Jan 10), but wouldn’t it be possible for this kid to get into a rolling admission school? Maybe he’s already done an SAT or ACT, but even if he hasn’t, some colleges don’t require these.</p>
<p>?</p>
<p>I did this (33 years ago) and though it may not have been the best thing in the world, it worked for me. There is a difference between early admissions, a program where a school accepts a student without a HS diploma and the student completes coursework that will allow them to receive their HS diploma after completing college coursework, and regular freshman admissions. If your S is a HS junior and is contemplating this path I assume he would be looking for programs with the former description, not the latter. In my case it was a public school that offered the program. I attended for my freshman/senior year and then transferred to a selective private for my sophomore year on. At the time I felt that my HS had little to offer me academically and socially and I just wanted out. I definitely could have stayed, but the early college option appealed to me. I managed both academically and socially. </p>
<p>Look for colleges that offer “early admissions, without HS diploma”. There are definitely still programs like that out there.</p>
<p>A good friend of mine did this many years ago. She went to a small, well-respected (not top tier, but a good school) LAC within easy driving distance of her home. It worked for her. She has her PhD in chemistry from Purdue, with coursework at UMich, too. Different strokes for different folks. Only you can decide for your child. But yes, it can work.</p>
<p>My S is 1-2 years younger than most of his friends. That’s not an issue, mostly because he was around students much older than he throughout his high school years both in class and outside school. </p>
<p>I don’t think the issue for the OP’s son is one of age or maturity but of his feeling burnt out by the IB program. My understanding of “burnt out”" is that someone can no longer cope. That’s a far cry from being prepared for college academically and socially.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate that some one his age and is obviously intelligent cannot see the “forest for the trees”.<br>
- Dropping IB now would make an adcom wonder about his ability to complete a competitve curriculum in a competitive college. I have always said, “that what ever you start you should complete”. Put all of your efforts in now, so that the path is easier.
- My D started High school at age 11. It was important for her to graduate and complete the IB program, but not with out experiences that would truly give her a taste of life at college. What else does your son do??
- A lot of the time when you leave high school early, the end result of going to college is bitter sweet if not done correctly. Many students find that adcoms will take very few risk, and letting a student in early is not one lightly taken. </p>
<p>He has just over a year left…encourage him to stick it out. He will be rewarded in the end for completing such a rigorous program.</p>
<p>When it comes to education, you really shouldn’t always finish what you start. In fact, it’s far smarter to make adjustments along the way. It’s very difficult to predict ahead of time how things will go.</p>
<p>Mine entered college after what would have been her sophomore year (she was homeschooled, and already had 66 credits from three different colleges and universities, but entered as a first-year.) Worked just fine, both in admissions to most selective and elite institutions, none of which required (or even asked for) a high school diploma. Now she is carrying a 3.9 GPA in her major, a 1560 GRE score, and has just finished applying to graduate schools.</p>
<p>However, if the IB program isn’t working out, why not just take community college classes and see if that feels any better, before heading for the “real thing”?</p>
<p>My son did this a few years ago and graduated this past June. We never saw any evidence that his age was an issue. In a repeat of his HS experience he ended up developing better relationships with students a year or two ahead of him.</p>
<p>Not much to add to what Martie and other posters have already indicated regarding the multiple factors that should be taken into account when making this decision.</p>
<p>One thing that caught my attention is the timing of this post. The strategy our son used was to apply to only to a handful of (rather selective) schools he considered at the top of his list. The understanding was that he would stay in HS for his senior year and go to a local college if he did not get accepted to any of them. This worked for him but it seems too late for the OP’s son.</p>