Graduation & college - is he too young?

[MommyThrice]

OK, with my first-born son we were a little gung-ho. Now I'm worried that he'll graduate too young. I still have time to change this, but I need to act soon. He has a Sept. 7 birthday, but we went ahead an started school before he was five. Now he will be turning 13 and starting 8th grade. He's doing well in school, but I have concerns about sending him off to college at 17 (almost 18). Since I don't want to have FIVE years of high school on his transcript, I need to hold him back soon if I decide to do this.

 

What is your opinion of graduating at 17? Have any of you dealt with this?

 

Thanks,

 

MommyThrice

(Yes, thrice. We took a more "sane" approach with the next two. :)

[BeckyFL]

In Florida, you can dual-enroll for free while you're still in high school. Is there a local college where he might be able to do something like that while living at home? Sounds like a good transition.

[Kelli in TN]

Yes, we did graduate a 17 year old and send him off to college. I realized during his senior year that he was not ready, but it was too late to change it without having five year of high school on his transcript. He probably would have been okay if we had put him in community college and kept him at home. But there was a decent size scholarship on the table and we were afraid to say no to it. Off he went to college. By Christmas break his GPA was so low that not only was he on academic probation, but even if he'd pulled a 4.0 for the spring semester it would not have been enough to save the scholarship.

 

It was a disaster. Now he is 22 and still has not been to college. His life is good now, but it has been a long, twisty path and he really wishes he had a degree.

[Sandy in Indy]

My dd was 17 when she went to college. She's done well, is on the Dean's List and will graduate with honors next spring. BUT, she, by choice, lives at home. I don't know if she would have been ready for dorm life at 17.

[Pam in MA]

Would that help? He could find something cool to do, maybe take a few cc classes?

[summer]

I graduated at 17. And from the dates you gave, he will turn 18 right after college starts.

 

For me, I brought my DD back to her age grade, but she had a spring bday so she would have been 17 the entire first year of college. But another factor here is that if you are labeled a high schooler where I live, you can attend the local community college for free. This means, she could potentially start college at 18 with 2 full years of college credit to take with her, without having any student loans. That would be wonderful! I figure if she gets there and still wants to go to college a year early, we can allow it then. But this just opens up some more opportunities.

[Chris in CA]

Gap Year??

[CAMom]

We had the same issue. My son has a Nov. 7th birthday and started K (in private school) when he was 4. We started homeschooling him in 2nd grade.

 

We just faced this a few months ago. We all realized (him included) that it would be better for him to graduate at 18 instead of 17 due to maturity. So, we ended up counting this year as 9th grade instead of 10th which is the way we started the year.

 

We feel such a sense of relief making this decision and do plan on him doing some dual enrollment classes in 11th and 12th grade.:)

 

I really think it depends on the kid. In our case, our son would not be mature enough to go to college at 17 almost 18.

[Gwen in VA]

My dd1 also has a Sept. 7 birthday. We did not push her, so she graduated when she was 18.75. She was VERY strong academically, so our decision to keep her at her grade level was based purely on the thought that we were in no rush to send her off to college. We do think that her being older gave her an advantage in her high school academics.

 

She felt a bit self-conscious going off to college -- she felt she would be the only 19yo freshman on campus. WRONG! One of her closest friends is several months older, and she has actually met a 21yo freshman who just blends in with everyone else.

 

Dorm life was a bit of a challenge -- her college is known for its academics (hurrah!) and its partying (boo!). She has appreciated her extra maturity when she has been confronted with different issues on campus.

 

My next two are both spring boys. We have actually held one of them back, so he will be 19 when he graduates! And my 4th is a December girl. Even though academically and socially she is quite advanced, we will not graduate her early.

[Kareni]

Gap Year??

 

Some helpful links:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_year

 

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000308.htm

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Chris in VA]

I don't think that's young, really. Of course, young depends on maturity, doesn't it? :)

 

Mine's birthday is mid Sept. He was always older in his class, then we held him back in 3rd grade. Now he feels he's behind other kids.

 

I say just get on with schooling. If you notice he is not "brain-mature" enough for higher math or lit analysis, you can then think about a gap year. But I'd also explore CC if you get to the point where he's really not ready to go away to school. It cuts down on costs, and he can stay at home.

 

Really, though, he'll be 18 the first month of school. That's really not unusual.

[Sharon in MD]

They took more of the gap year (or two) approach, using the CC to take some courses so that she would be more prepared in terms of social and emotional maturity for college. Our son will graduate with his year group thanks in part to her experience. I just think that for most kids it is better to be the best of your peer/age group. Unless you have a child who is super gifted and needs to be accelerated way ahead of their year group, you can keep them in their "grade" for their age and simply offer them more challenging material that is on par with their abilities. I think that for the most part this gives kids a greater sense of self confidence too, which is so important when they are more on their own.

 

The woman whose daughter graduated high school early is a popular home school leader and speaker in our area. I attended a talk that she gave on the subject of homeschooling high school and excellence. I'll never forget what she said "I have learned that homeschooling isn't a race. There is no prize for being the first to finish." It may not strike a chord with everyone, but it certainly resonated with me.

 

HTH

[LaJuana]

Dear Mommy Thrice,

 

SO much depends on the child, the college he ends up attending, his life plans and goals, his maturity, etc. I have had four children graduate from high school so far. Two of them had fall birthdays (one in early September), and both of them graduated at age 18, almost 19, which was perfect for them. However, I also have one child who graduated from high school when he was barely 17yo, and who will not be 18yo until almost the end of his freshman year in college. He is on the fast-track to adulthood, and that was perfect for him, too.

 

One thing that you might consider is to adopt the later graduation date for now. That will allow you to put off the decision until you and your son both know when he is ready to go away to college. You can always decide to let your son graduate a year early if he is ready to attend college at 17. If he accumulates enough credits to graduate at age 17 instead of 18, it won't matter that some of the credits were earned in "8th grade". It's not as simple to add a fifth year of high school without raising college admissions folks' eyebrows. While community college during his last year at home is a possibility, you will want to be careful about accumulating enough credits to achieve sophomore status, which can compromise freshman scholarship offers at many colleges.

 

I don't think that I would let this "grade level" decision change the academic work that he is doing. You can list high school credits completed before 9th grade on a transcript, which could be important if you and your son decide that he is ready to graduate when he is 17.

 

hth

[MommyThrice]

It really is so sweet for each of you to take the time out of your busy day and offer advice. You have given me quite a bit to think about and research.

[Quiver0f10]

My next in line will graduate at 17 too, but he is going to get his AS at the CC down the road and then transfer to the bigger university as a junior.

[Alice]

I was 17 and didn't turn 18 until Feb of my freshman yr in college. For me, it was fine. I was ready.

 

Unrelated to age, I do really wish that I had done some kind of gap year though. I went straight from hs to college to med school to residency to life. Looking back, what I regret most is that I never had a chance to take a year and travel or volunteer or do something unrelated to the ultimate goal of being a doctor. I plan on having my kids do a gap year, if they want it.

[xxxxxxxx]

I was 17 when I finished high school (Public). I turned 18 right before I entered college and did just fine. Of course, it probably will depend on the maturity of your ds and if he knows what he wants to do for the rest of his life!

[langfam]

DD will turn 17 in March of her senior year. We're thinking she should stay close to home for awhile by going to the local university. Many times I wish I hadn't put her a grade ahead. Looking back now I did it for my own convenience, so I could HS her with ds in the same grade.

[Plaid Dad]

I was barely 17 when I graduated from high school, and if it hadn't been for bureaucratic shenanigans on the part of the district, I would have been out even earlier. I went directly to college with no trouble at all.

 

Assuming the student has the maturity and academic readiness, I don't think graduating at 17 is a big deal.

[Blossom'sGirl]

He spent the next year teaching English to 3rd graders at our church's christian school and I think he also worked in construction. Then he went overseas for most of a year to home school some missionary kids whose mom was due with baby #4. I think this really helped him to mature before moving on to college. He ended up going to community college at 20 with almost a perfect A average.

 

I think the only thing his parents may have lacked in was guidance counseling. He really knew very little about financial aide and the possibilities of careers that are out there. I think they held him back to keep him near.

 

But I love him and I'm glad he was around.

[Anna]

My dd#1 works part-time with Campus Security at her college. Knowing what I've learned from her experiences with college students... and this is a religious, private college... I would NEVER send a 17-18 out of town to live in a dorm, at least not unless they were extremely mature for their age. Dd#2 who is 17, has been attending community college part-time for the last year. This fall she'll be a full-time student there but she will be living at home.

 

Even in college, many of these seemingly good kids will quickly turn bad under peer pressure. Or the good kid will behave himself but have a room mate or suite mate who is participating in illegal behavior. The good kid doesn't know how to deal with it, whether they should report it or what. The illegal behavior can easily affect the good kid's studies in a huge way. Faculty often tells them, "Deal with it." Meanwhile parents and students are shelling out big bucks to stay in a school and live in a dorm where maintaining quiet space to sleep and study are often next to impossible.

 

Campus Security gets calls all the time even from *good* students who are so plastered that they call CS to come help them find their dorm. I'm not talking about their room. They can't even find THE BUILDING; that's sad. I'm sure the state schools are no better with this. Presently, most of dd#1's friends live in the dorms. She also hears from them all the nightmarish stuff that goes on.

 

I know, there are MANY serious college students but they always have to deal with the annoyances of the kids who are there to play. If the serious student is too young, dealing with it can be a big problem while trying to get through college.

 

Sorry if I painted a bad picture of what many of you think are wonderful academic institutions that are only filled with students who study hard and are there to learn. The same high school kids who always misbehaved... well, now they've moved on to college and still can't behave themselves. Think about it-- If these kids were not taught to be mature, serious students by high school, what makes any of us think that they will automatically grow up because they're in college?

 

Sorry for my:rant: . Well, not too sorry. Many parents send their kids off to college and are clueless about some of the stuff that goes on. Better to go in knowing what's ahead rather than find out when your kid's in the midst of it.

[seanda]

We are facing the same issue but I don't see it as an issue. I will call the last 4 years at home her high school years. She also will turn 13 too. We will call it 8th grade.. but she has already completely Algebra and is halfway through Biology, having finished Physical Science.

 

I went to college at 17 and did fine... but I do see the dangers of that. I do not plan on having my kids go away to college at 17 but I have no problems with them doing college work then, or younger. Community college, AP, CLEP, all are valid options. Even going to a local college but living at home is a viable choice.

 

I am not going to slow her down for this. You don't have to either. We will just adjust our transcript so that the last 4 years, whatever they are... are her high school years. :001_smile:

[Tammyla]

I think it really depends on the individual. I graduated at 17 and didn't turn 18for seven months. I've chosen to allow my kids on paper to be older. They work at their academic level, and there is always the option for early graduation or cc.

[praisefor3]

Our oldest is 17 just starting her senior year. She'll be 18 when she graduates (although just by one month.) Our youngest is 3 with a September 2nd birthday. As I have considered when to start the youngest and when we want her to finish, yes, a lot could be based on the child, their strengths, etc. But irregardless of any of this, this is why we have decided to slow her down: I fully believe (and am convicted) that children need MORE family today, not less. They need mom and dad around more, not less. I want to have MORE opportunity to be the primary influence, not less. Oh she may be ready academically and possibly even socially. But why would I NOT want another year to transition her, train her, guide her, etc. Some will graduate early and have no trouble. But if I can have another year to extend the family influence, I will take it. No longer do I think the "norm" of graduating from high school and immediately moving away from home is the best transition for most kids. And an economic benefit is that it almost guarantees that by her senior year she will be ready for some cc courses taken while living at home and earning credits before going to the next step. Just my thoughts.

[SallyMac]

I have a November birthday, so I graduated and went off to live in a dorm in Boston at 17. I also moved to NYC on my own at 19 which was definitely scarey. But it wasn't too bad ... and I am female.

 

On the other hand, my ds has a late September birthday, and we put him in a pre-one class (against the teacher's advice) that they used to have at the school. This comes after kindergarden and before 1st grade and they had to have fall birthdays to be in the class.

 

I haven't read the other posts yet, but maybe he could work part-time and go to college part-time until the following year. Or, could he do a gap year and travel?

[MaryM]

Well, I went through this same decision process two years ago and my ds is two academic years ahead of his age without skipping grades. I thought it wise, at the time, to do an extra year of school before high school and was planning on it but reality hit. It's not quite that simple to keep adding materials to keep a bright kids challenged and he was a good and fast learner so taking sciences twice, for instance, wasn't going to cut it without boredom setting in. Even classes at the poor local college would not be as challenging as those at home thanks to all the resources available now. So, when it came right down to it, we did the work for high school and kept him where he was academically despite age. He is on track to graduate at 16 and is likely either going to do a gap year or go to a college that can support a young student. These schools are out there. It's not Mom's ideal preference to have her only kiddo leave the nest so young but he is ready for the academic and social challenges presented at a small liberal arts school or a well controlled(!) private college.

 

It all comes down to your child and what resources you have available to hi, I'd say. Try not to compare yourself or him to others but instead design a program that works for the present and the future will fall into place. Or at least that's what I'm hoping!! You know your student best!

 

Good luck.

 

Mary

[Vicki]

All three of my children that have graduated had late summer birthdays and all started college either shortly before or after they turned 18. My oldest is 26 and working on a triple doctorate, my oldest dd will graduated next year with a degree in elementary degree. My middle ds only went 1 semester. He has been working fulltime ever since and is still trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. I guess it depends on the child. With my middle ds I don't think holding him back a year would have made any difference.

God bless,

Vicki

[Ellie]

13 is the "normal" age for a child starting 8th grade; how long he stays 13 depends on when the cut-off date is in your state.

 

I graduated in June and turned 18 in July.

 

I don't think your ds will be graduating "too early." He'll be in good company.

[Mary in WA]

Our twin sons graduated at 17, and then, to escape mom's rules (that's a joke, sort of), they joined the Marines. They were little.. only weighing about 135 lb. each. But they seemed strong and mature. They did okay, but David did keep writing to tell me to pray for him as his comedy was not appreciated by the DI's. Doug sailed through. By the time they were 19, they decided to try out for the Naval Academy, and we were surprised to learn that Prior Enlisted Marines have an excellent chance of getting in. The net result is that they learned so much more than I could have taught them. They are both officers now, age 31, and are the joy of my life. So, I say, if they are boys, and want to "jump off the high diving board", then you have to let them go with blessings. Again, though, "it all depends."

[percytruffle]

My dd#1 works part-time with Campus Security at her college. Knowing what I've learned from her experiences with college students... and this is a religious, private college... I would NEVER send a 17-18 out of town to live in a dorm, at least not unless they were extremely mature for their age. Dd#2 who is 17, has been attending community college part-time for the last year. This fall she'll be a full-time student there but she will be living at home.

 

Even in college, many of these seemingly good kids will quickly turn bad under peer pressure. Or the good kid will behave himself but have a room mate or suite mate who is participating in illegal behavior. The good kid doesn't know how to deal with it, whether they should report it or what. The illegal behavior can easily affect the good kid's studies in a huge way. Faculty often tells them, "Deal with it." Meanwhile parents and students are shelling out big bucks to stay in a school and live in a dorm where maintaining quiet space to sleep and study are often next to impossible.

 

Campus Security gets calls all the time even from *good* students who are so plastered that they call CS to come help them find their dorm. I'm not talking about their room. They can't even find THE BUILDING; that's sad. I'm sure the state schools are no better with this. Presently, most of dd#1's friends live in the dorms. She also hears from them all the nightmarish stuff that goes on.

 

I know, there are MANY serious college students but they always have to deal with the annoyances of the kids who are there to play. If the serious student is too young, dealing with it can be a big problem while trying to get through college.

 

Sorry if I painted a bad picture of what many of you think are wonderful academic institutions that are only filled with students who study hard and are there to learn. The same high school kids who always misbehaved... well, now they've moved on to college and still can't behave themselves. Think about it-- If these kids were not taught to be mature, serious students by high school, what makes any of us think that they will automatically grow up because they're in college?

 

Sorry for my:rant: . Well, not too sorry. Many parents send their kids off to college and are clueless about some of the stuff that goes on. Better to go in knowing what's ahead rather than find out when your kid's in the midst of it.

 

 

Anna, dh and I have had many discussions over the years about the very issues you brought up. We are delighted that our dc are choosing to attend the local cc first and then transfer to a four year school. Some memories don't fade with age. I still vividly recall dorm life as a 17 yo Freshman and the challenges facing me as a serious student in a sea of stale beer and s*x. And, I lived on a study floor in an all women's dorm on a Catholic campus. It was still there. It may not have been right next door, but it was still disruptive. I'm sure things have only declined since my days in college. I have listened to some scary feedback from nieces about their experiences.

 

I do think that society in general keeps skewing the age limitations it places on children's responsibilities and independence. When I went to school it was not uncommon for there to be several other four year olds in the class. Now, parents are holding back their kids until they are at least five and oftentimes six. They want them to succeed and compete. So, consequently, there aren't as many 17 year old college Freshmen as there used to be. Is this a bad thing? Maybe not. I don't think the 18 and 19 year olds are any more mature and ready today as the 17 year olds were twenty years ago. That is a problem. I don't think the homeschoolers on this board generally fall into that category though, nor do students who excel in the public schools and graduate early. The middle students seems to have lost ground while the more mature and capable students have not.

 

With such a varied incoming college student body, I think it is more important than ever to know your kid, talk to your kid about whether they think they are responsible enough to go, and then make a joint decision. Some kids are ready, others are not. My dd knew she was not ready to leave home. She has stayed, gone to the cc, and done extremely well as a big fish in a small pond. Other kids would feel left behind in the same situation. There is no one right answer to give other than know your kids and help them to decide. Just because they are 17 doesn't mean they all of a sudden have some superior ability to make judgments about their life goals. Maybe they do, maybe they don't.

[Hannah C.]

I turned 18 six days before my high school graduation and went to college in the fall. Maturity-wise, I was just fine. I had at least two classmates who both turned 18 somewhere during the school year, and they were fine as well.

 

That being said, even at my college there is some of the objectionable behavior mentioned by Anna. I look at it and go "I am not putting myself in that kind of situation, ever." Other people my age obviously do not have that "skill." A teenager may be ready academically for college, but not be ready to cope responsibly with dorm life. It's a very individual thing.

[LoriM]

This has already been a popular thread, but I thought I'd add my two cents. My daughters spend six years in high school. We do "fourteen" grades. This allowed them to hit seventh grade material at age 10, and start their traditionally-ninth grade material at age 12. (So, my daughters completed Algebra I, II and Geometry prior to high school!) Now, that causes its own challenges, in that I had to encourage my daughters to continue with advanced math (which hasn't been a problem) and advanced science, and more in-depth history, and college coursework while still living at home and prior to high school graduation.

 

I think it's worked very well for them.

 

On the other hand, I graduated at 16 (nearly 17) and went off to college at age 17. I fizzled and flunked out (!) and learned to abuse alcohol. Luckily, I survived it and got over it (grin) and managed to continue on in my education after I grew up.

 

So, if you have the opportunity to do "fifth-year Senior" and have him take concurrent enrollment classes, I highly recommend it. You set the standards for graduation, and in our house, it is as much about life skills, maturity and certain milestones as it is academic achievement.

 

Best,

 

Lori

[Lisa in TN]

From personal experience, I can add one more point of view. Finishing high school at 17, as I did many years ago, puts a young person in a position to make many critical, life-changing decisions at a younger age. Choosing which college to attend, what subjects to study, where to live, whether to attend graduate school, what job to accept, even whom to marry -- all of these decisions may come at an earlier age than they otherwise might. I believe I personally would have benefited from more maturity before facing some of these decisions.

[EKS]

I went to college at 17 (late October birthday). It was no problem In fact, in California it was quite common because the cut off date was (and still is) in early December.

[Kimberly in Sedona]

Some excellent suggestions have already been mentioned!

 

There is a good article in the June 19th Life Section of USA Today on the 'Gap Year." Not sure if you can view it online. Basically says to plan a productive year (internship, travel, helping others, etc.), secure a place in college and then defer enrollment, research programs (if you want to go that route), and plan ahead for health insurance, as some polices will not cover an adult that is not a student.

 

Community College can be an excellent option!

 

If you look at some of my past posts, I have one listed (I think) on my middle daughter. She graduated from home school high school and community college (with an Associate degree) at age 16. She went off to the university after just turning 17. She graduated this spring at age 18. She has an excellent position in the finance department of a Fortune 50 company (she interned there last summer). She has her own apartment (thankfully just two hours away). She was/is very mature for her age in most areas, sometimes though she is still very much a 19 year old! We have no regrets of letting her go at her own pace.

 

Contrast that with my youngest, we are thinking a 'gap year' might be the way to go!

 

My oldest could have graduated early, but we spread things out in such a way that she was able to study subjects she enjoyed very throughly. I did not think she was ready to go off to college. She did take some community college courses and ended up graduating from college one year early.

 

Each child is do very different...do your research and go with your heart!

 

Best wishes!!!

[rwalizer]

and because of when his birthday is, ds will too. That means that I would have been on my way to college (had I gone to college) just as I was turning 18. My b-day is in September and so is my ds.

[tristangrace]

The kid's maturity level is the issue, not his or her age--especially when you're talking about only one year's difference.

[Guest Geneece]

We graduated our now 19yo at the age of 16 1/2, which was in the month of December. Then he started college in the spring semester. He chose a Technical College, and was a triple major in the Computer program. The first two semesters were primarily distance learning, which was great because he was mostly still at home. When he exhausted the classes he could do by distance, he started taking campus classes. By then he was more mature, and a better driver (the campus is 45 minutes from home). He continued until he graduated with a triple Associates in computer networking and security at the age of 18. He was the only triple major, and the youngest graduate. By living at home he was able to be an integral part of the family, part of our church, and he chose to remain part of our homeschooling group as well. If this is a viable option for any family, I would definitely recommend it. I don't think I would have sent him off to live in a dorm situation at that age.

 

For my son who is 14, we are looking at dual credit courses, and having him graduate from high school, and with an Associate's Degree at the age of 18. We will again make use of distance learning and CLEP exams.

 

Have you read the book "Accelerated Distance Learning"? Excellent resource. Explains how to speed up college, and keep the cost down. Depending on the major, some youth would be able to earn a degree without ever leaving home.

[sarah in tenn]

One of my parents best friends( known since I was a toddler) just won a national award as pediatrician of the year, and his own children are brilliant. When I spoke with him about this personally, he was firmly against it. Saying college is more about maturity than academics. He was strongly against pushing too soon, saying it was detrimental for the kids in the long run.

Just a thought...

sarah

[SkateLeft]

I think it depends on the child.

 

My oldest has a late birthday, and is legally grade skipped. She'll be 12 at the end of July and is entering 8th grade in our charter school. She's on track to graduate high school at 16, although she's taking classes at the university this summer and loving being on campus, so she may finish sooner. The high school program we're planning on putting her in will allow dual enrollment, so she may graduate and transfer straight into the local UC as a junior. That's our plan right now, but a lot can change over the next few years.

 

We have no intention of sending her away from home at that age, but we're not going to completely close any doors either. We're thinking that she'll either go to community college or the local UC or CSU, but we'll have to see what happens. :)

[K-FL]

I was 17 when I finished high school (Public). I turned 18 right before I entered college and did just fine. Of course, it probably will depend on the maturity of your ds and if he knows what he wants to do for the rest of his life!

 

Me too. At that time, the cut off date was in Dec, not Sept 1st as it is commonly now. I turned 18 the day before classes started at the U. Regardless of dc being 17 or 18, if you can do a year at home, I would. Not only does it save $$, but there's so much mental trash (IMO) that needs sorting through with adult supervision, not with your peers in the dorm.

 

My dd has been doing dual-enrollment since she was 15 (she's 17 now.) The classes were not academically a problem nor have the students, but this is at the cc. We do watch classes she takes for the political correctness quotient.

[ereks mom]

He turned 18 last week & will go to college in August. My younger dc, EK, on the other hand, has an early October birthday. Like you, we were gung-ho, and she started school a year earlier than she would have started if going to PS. We slowed down and allowed her to mature a bit, then picked the pace up again. She now works ahead of grade level, but we consider her a rising 8th grader, which is exactly where she would be if she went to PS. She is on track to turn 18 soon after she begins her senior year, and will graduate at about 18½.

[SheWhoWaits]

I started college at 17 and had no trouble at all. Of course, I also got married at 17, so I never experienced dorm life. And I went to a Christian college it would probably be different at a state school.

[Ellie]

OK, with my first-born son we were a little gung-ho. Now I'm worried that he'll graduate too young. I still have time to change this, but I need to act soon. He has a Sept. 7 birthday, but we went ahead an started school before he was five. Now he will be turning 13 and starting 8th grade. He's doing well in school, but I have concerns about sending him off to college at 17 (almost 18). Since I don't want to have FIVE years of high school on his transcript, I need to hold him back soon if I decide to do this.

 

What is your opinion of graduating at 17? Have any of you dealt with this?

 

Thanks,

 

MommyThrice

(Yes, thrice. We took a more "sane" approach with the next two. :)

I was 13 when I started 8th grade. I don't see a problem with your ds doing that. I'd rather see him spend a year at home working after graduating than to be held back somehow.

[TravelingChris]

Some of the problems people have at those age have nothing to do with maturity. My oldest went off to college at 16 1/3 and did not have big problems until he was almost 19. They had nothing to do with maturity but with a sickness that typically appears in late teenagers or early adults. There are a number of those and while there are some indications that more stress may bring out sickness earlier, there is no evidence that no stress stops these diseases. As it is, I am grateful that he got two plus years of college before the disease struck. He is now back in college and trying to finish his bachelors.

 

My next will be going to college full-time when she is almost 18 or is eighteen depending on college start dates. She will be completely ready and one of my main concerns is choosing a college for her will be the dorm situation. She has medical issues where a loud, rowdy dorm will just derail her education. I have been talking with her that it might come down to her living in eco-dorm, honors dorm, chemical sensitivities dorm, etc. We may have to simply get her a single room and very good ear plugs plus an air cleaner. Well I have at least a year to figure it out.

 

My youngest will start at nearly 19 since she has a December birthday. Since she is my only social one, I think that will be best.

[outtamyshell]

When I started college about 1/4 of the freshmen I knew were 17. Now we are living in a different state and I am always surprised at how old these kids are when they graduate from high school. And boy do these 18 and 19 year old high school seniors have a lot of confidence!

 

If your son is doing high school level work already, can you plan to graduate him at 18 without 'holding him back' now? Make that 8th grade year highschool level work and add it to the transcript should you choose to graduate him early. The beauty of homeschooling is that you can just keep going... five years of English, Math, History, Science, etc. Then, if you decide he's ready to graduate at 17, he's got all the appropriate highschool credit hours. I believe a last minute change to send him out early would be easier than a last minute change to keep him home an extra year.