Hi,
Curious to know if anyone has experience with their son/daughter joining IMSA (Illinois Math and Science Academy) right after 8th grade (hence skipping 9th grade) and if that impacted college admissions positively or negatively? Not sure if colleges look favorably to applicants who skipped a grade of high school.
Colleges don’t care what you’ve skipped- they care about what you’ve done.
So if skipping means missing out on foundational courses that would allow a kid to advance in a traditional HS curriculum- then probably not an optimal idea. If skipping means less time to explore different EC’s, artistic accomplishments, athletic activities etc- then keep that in mind.
Will missing 9th grade impact the foreign language/math/lab science progression? I’d start there.
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Or completing the “four years of English” that is commonly required or preferred by colleges for frosh admission?
If the school (Illinois Math and Science Academy) is an indicator of the student’s interests, it is more likely that the student will take enough math and science anyway – but the student needs to be careful not to be deficient in English, history and social studies, foreign language, and arts when trying to figure out what gets squeezed out by doing 3 instead of 4 years of high school.
For reference, UIUC’s requirements and recommendations for high school course work are listed at First-Year Application Requirements, Undergraduate Admissions, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign .
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This is an older thread, but it should answer your question.
I sure IMSA will make sure your child has met the required courses to not only graduate but to be well positioned going in to college applications when the time comes.
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The decision will not be age-based, so shouldn’t have any effect, so long as your student has a successful high school career.
Back in the dawn of time, I skipped some grades and matriculated at college at age 14. Then, years later, our daughter was born on the cutoff date and we were given a choice to make her the oldest or youngest in her grade. We chose the former. All worked out well for both of us. That said, it is important to consider that it can be challenging for a student to have a compressed “growing up” period and leave the nest early.
Wishing your student the best!
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The impact will vary by child. I had a good friend in college that skipped a grade around this same period in his education. He was academically ready for college but not so socially or emotionally. It seemed like he was OK at first, but the pressure of college just caught up with him. He took a year off and came back and did very well.
Another person I know that skipped a grade did just fine.
As others have said, the colleges will look at what you’ve done and not your age.
But the real question is why rush things? Are you really looking to move on to the “real world” and all its responsibilities as fast as possible. Take it easy, slow down. Take other classes that fuel your passions. Enjoy the ride.
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My D had a girl in her class who skipped a grade and she didnt do any better in the college admissions process.
Schools didnt “reward” her for skipping a grade just as colleges dont care if you took BC calculus in your junior year vs. your senior year.
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IMSA is a very challenging high school, so skipping 9th grade may make it more challenging, if your kid is expected to have taken certain classes in 9th grade. So don’t think about college admissions, but about how this will affect their high school success.
Also, I thought that your kid is a Sophomore this year, or is this another kid?
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Thank you everyone for your valuable insights. Everything you have mentioned resonates with me and will help us decide the next step. Yes this question was keeping my second child in mind.
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Good luck!
While we decided against IMSA because our kid had strong art interests and is a dancer, there really is no better place in the USA for a kid with interests in math, engineering, and life science. I know a large number of alumni and parents of alumni, and they all have great things to say about it.
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