<p>Steve, I agree with you. Like with anything, there are pluses and minuses. I certainly don’t think it’s a good idea to go into a program like this thinking that you can stop taking Math (or English or whatever) after 10th grade. But it is a good opportunity for kids that are so inclined to get ahead in certain subjects. My S could have graduated early (after either grade 10 or 11) but that would not have been a good choice for him. Let’s just say that his organization skills are not nearly as well developed as his academic skills! In addition to that, he is enjoying his time in HS participating in a variety of activities and developing social and leadership skills. I know there are plenty of people who have different opinions on the matter, but I really see no reason to rush things along as long as the student can stay interested and motivated. </p>
<p>You may want to suggest that your niece take the ACTs (or SATs) at the end of 10th grade or the beginning of 11th while the material is still relatively fresh. My S took them at the beginning of 10th grade on a whim, without prep, because his older sister was taking them and he wanted to see where he stood. Turned out that he did very well…except for the darned essay which was mediocre (but that’s a subject for a different thread!).</p>
<p>ETA The 4 year colleges were the ones we researched! While they are fine for certain subjects, advanced math and science courses are not a strong point. These are the schools that his teachers suggested avoiding. The CCs in the area offer only remedial courses ion math and science. I know there are several CCs in the country that do much better. Wish that was the case here.</p>