Laughing... yeah, that about sums it up.

It really depends on the school. Negotiation is going to be a term that will be off putting to most financial officers - it can prompt the reaction "we aren't running a used car lot." On the other hand, what the article talks about which is using professional judgement based on documentation is going to get you further. I absolutely think it makes sense for families to go back to financial aid if the first choice school offer is too low. Typically you will get furthest if you can provide some kind of documentation of expenses (such as extraordinary medical costs) or circumstances (a job loss) that were not a part of the initial consideration.

While some colleges may place additional roadblocks for younger students, many of them won't say "you're ready for college at 18, come on in" either. At any school that is selective students will need to be prepared to demonstrate they are ready. One of the main ways to do this is with test scores - SAT or ACT, APs or SAT subject tests. Personally I would not make the final decision to graduate a child early without first seeing demonstrated success in a college classroom environment. Even if the college does not specifically list dual enrollment options they may be open to a student taking classes part time if they can demonstrate they are ready (again most likely through an ACT or SAT score). I would do this prior to high school graduation if it all possible. Delaying graduation a year or two may really open up more scholarship options. Finally, I would keep in mind that distance or community college may not necessarily be less expensive. If the student is very competitive they may find a stronger school is actually less expensive once merit awards are considered. Our early entrant has a full merit scholarship.

This is a really good article and may help with some of your questions: http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/negotiation.phtml

It can be so frustrating to deal with. For us lists have been key. At 12 it is really important that he participate in identifying problems and developing solutions. It is important to not try to tackle too much at one time. Identify one problem, work with him to make a visual reminder or a plan, check in with you about how it is going, modify the plan as needed, celebrate when you see improvements. Lather, rinse, repeat. Take time to teach stuff that you may not need to teach another kid. In time, bit by bit, it will improve. That said, some people, yeah, they are probably still going to be the ones who sometimes try to put the bowl away with the spoon still in it.

Learning a trade is a great idea. Do you have a good memory? Do you work quickly? Those are both really important abilities for medical coding. As far as history leading to a good life.... I can think of three people I know who majored in history who are having happy lives: One works in a museum, one is a college professor, and one went on to get an MSW and became a social worker. It is always great to have a back up plan but I would not assume exploring your love of history is a dead end. One of the least employable degrees right now is a general business degree. If you are interested in business you are well advised to get some additional specialty training such as accounting or computer science.

Homeschooling is about a custom education that's a good fit for your kid. Do what works. Don't do what doesn't work. You know your child best.

It is an 8th grade test so they are testing out of level. I don't believe there is a minimum age, just as there is not for the ACT or SAT but individual talent search organizations may have different limits. For out of level testing purposes it is most typically taken by third to sixth graders. The student would need to be able to be separate from parents and be able to follow instructions and concentrate for the length of the test. I believe testing is over for this year but students can register in the fall for next year. http://www.act.org/explore/ests/policies.html

That sounds like a great plan. Good point to mention that EXPLORE, or later SAT or ACT, testing are much less expensive ways to get get acheivement testing done.

I agree that would be a bad approach. I don't think that is what anyone here is advocating.

I would very, very strongly urge you to raise these concerns with the psychologist. I think there is a very good chance you will be reassured by her response. Most gifted psychologists talk about intelligence in part due to concerns with the exact two things you mentioned above. Please don't just worry about it, talk to the therapist. I agree that it is easier to negotiate a lot of this while homeschooling. Access to mixed age groups does make it a lot easier. Also, in a lot of homeschooling groups there is just more acceptance of difference and it isn't as big of a deal. Still though, people will notice and it is good to get to a place where you can feel comfortable with it. I'd say the best approach is a combination of saying nothing - just let them be and don't feel like you have to explain. And, sometimes making cheerful comments that normalize the situation. "She is really chess crazy right now, thanks so much for playing with her."

Yes, this is a common experience. Sometimes the kid concludes she's weird, bad, too odd to be accepted. She should be quiet, fade, hide. Or, some kids conclude they must be stupid since nobody understands them. Others conclude that other kids are not trying, lazy, or are worthless. Refusing to talk with kids honestly about their experiences is saying we think the messages they are getting from peers or random strangers at the grocery store are the ones we want to leave intact, without our input or shaping. As a parent I'm not comfortable with the idea that who gets to decide what this means is the receptionist at the doctor's office who wanted to go on and on about the little genius. I would much rather kids hear what their parents believe about intelligence, hard work, relationships with other people.

For us the best part has been the contact with the other families through e-lists and gatherings. In particular the homeschooling e-list is one we've found helpful over the years. Get togethers were not as important to us in the early years, but as kids get older for some kids this becomes a much higher priority. In addition to the large annual gathering, many parents put together regional events and if there isn't a lot going in in your region you could get that started. I have seen families who sort of skeptically went to one event and were totally floored by how helpful it was to meet other families. My overall take would be DYS is one of those experiences where some of it will depend on what you want to get out of it and what you want to put into it. It is a good resource for meeting people and getting support, but you have to seek it out. I wouldn't test for the sole purpose of getting into DYS, but if testing makes sense for other reasons or the child already has the scores I would definitely apply.

If you have not already done so, I would suggest talking to the psychologist and expressing your discomfort. Maybe more discussion will either put it into context and make you feel more comfortable, or it will confirm that something needs to change. As far as talking with kids, for me it probably depends in part of the level of giftedness. With highly and profoundly gifted kids it probably does need to be talked about in some way at least at some point, but it will really depend on the child and the situation. There are ways it can be approached that I am comfortable with and ways I would be not at all comfortable with. For all kids conversations like Laura described are a good idea.

Here's a few things to consider... Do you think that it is something specific that you see with her that has you worried OR is it generally what college is like that has you worried because really those are two different things. Has she generally made good decisions in the past? Have you shared your concerns with your daughter? What does she think?

It is so common for bright middle schoolers to take the SAT or ACT in middle school. No worries, it won't be held against him in any way.

http://www.startheregoplaces.com/ This is a really great website for high school students considering careers in accounting.

Free money is great. I would just give one little caution to students about these sites. They are collecting and selling your personal information. You may want to read the privacy statement and think about using a junk mail email address if you have one.

http://www.learner.org/resources/series180.html The Power of Place Geography for the 21st century. This might be a good option for a free short geography course. It has 26 free half an hour lectures. We haven't used this specific course but we've used some other Annenberg courses and really enjoyed them.

What sorts of colleges is he applying to? For me that would be the bigger consideration right now than med school admissions. The majority of the successful future science major applicants at highly selective schools will have had calculus in high school. It won't be all though, and it would make no sense to hold him off an entire year just to get calculus in.

Really, what's the worse case scenario. If they are insulted they don't take the offer and they don't counteroffer - oh well. Prior to the recession we sold our house for sale by owner. One buyer offered a really crazy lowball price. It was so low, we didn't take it seriously and we didn't offer a counter offer. Two weeks later, they came back and offered just $3,000 under the asking price. Sold.

Bravo Mom! Bravo DS!

It is kind that you want to help though. I'm wondering if there is any possibility that you or your teenager could set up a regular visiting schedule to go over and talk or read with her. If her balance isn't good or her mobility is limited, maybe chair exercises would be a good idea. I'm sure there are video guides on YouTube and here is a PDF of exercises. http://www.livewellagewell.info/study/2007/12-ChairExercisesUGA113006.pdf

Oh good, I was just about to post that I'd save it for summer. Fingerpaint is fun but much easier if you can hose them off after.

Typically awards cannot be given in excess of cost of attendance. The confusing thing though is that the cost of attendance is calculated by the college and it may for some students be in excess of what they typically spend. So, for example, the budgeted amount for books may be $500 but the student is a saavy online shopper and they spend much less than the budgeted amount. In this case, then yes, the remaining portion may go directly to the student. My student who has a full scholarship receives money each semester by direct deposit from the university. As far as taxes, it is not just the amount that exceeds cost of attendance that is taxable but any funds that are not for tuition, fees, or required materials. So, many students who have scholarships that cover room and board will find that some of that scholarship is taxable and they will need to file a tax return. This IRS publication explains. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf