moonlight Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Are there any? My DS 12 really wants to start high school early. He feels like he is ready and doesn't see why he shouldn't. I'm on the fence about it. I'd rather have extra time with him. He'd be a stronger student (for colleges if we wait a year), etc. And really, I'd like him home longer. On paper, he looks ready (finishing up Algebra 1 over the summer, writing skills are well developed) What are the advantages though if we did start high school early? And disadvantages? He's been so determined to do this and I haven't had a real reason to stop him. For now, I've told him that we can count next year as high school if we need to and we'd assess at the end of the year. But, there is a strong chance that we'd have an opportunity for all of us to travel extensively with my father. The idea of spending time with my father (DS's favorite person in the world) just might be enough to make him change his mind about starting early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I see only advantages in letting a student work according to his abilities. If a younger student is capable of working on high school level curriculum, I see no reason not to let him. There is nothing magical about "high school work" - it is merely the next level in a progression of learning. I also don't see a conflict between high school level work and extended traveling. There is no reason he can't travel just because he is doing algebra for his math. Btw, it is fairly typical that younger students do high school work in a few subjects, but not across the board. Whether the student who begins working on high school level work early should graduate early is a completely different question which does not have to be decided yet. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My kids start taking high school and college level classes whenever they are ready. I just don't change the grade level they are in. ETA: I just read Regentrude's post. To expand on hers just a bit, my rising 11th grader has had the ability to function on a mostly college level for over a yr. Only her math hasn't been that high, but she took pre-cal last yr as a 10th grader and plans on a liberal arts major, so even that is as high as she needs it to be. She is taking cal next yr even though she wouldn't even need to take it for college. ;) I am so glad we are a family who has never discussed early graduation. She was sick at lot last school yr and at the beginning of May she was extremely ill. She was recently diagnosed with Lupus. We are having to reevaluate her entire college scenario bc she was considering colleges internationally or extremely far away. Now we have complete freedom to navigate her illness on our terms with no pressure. You never know what life has in store. Planning a general path is a good idea. Being flexible is the best one. Life happens. Things change. 12 is a far different age than 18. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I'm with regentrude and 8. Let him study whatever and whenever he is ready to study, but don't call him a high school student until his age is appropriate. You can decide to graduate him early if desired a few years down the road. We have greater flexibility with dd's high school years and transcript because she started "high school work" much earlier. Like 8's dd, my dd15 is facing medical challenges. She's not been herself since January and has been in pain since March. There is a very strong possibility she will need surgery after the summer (I'm not messing with her summer plans!). Academics are the one aspect of life I am not worried about. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 I guess I'm asking about graduating early. He will continue to do work appropriate to him regardless next year. The issue I have with extended travel and high school has to do with him taking a couple of classes online that would require a time commitment and a lab commitment that definitely wouldn't be possible while traveling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Personally, I wouldn't want my graduated-16yo going off to college. And I wouldn't want to limit my gifted child (which I'm assuming yours is if the level of work at 12 is high school) stuck at home doing online college or CC while she matures enough for dorm life (or having to choose what is close by in order to live at home). I don't think most 16yo are ready for apt life. So I say give whatever content you want, and take 4 years (or 3 and 1 gap year to work for $$) to graduate like the norm. You will make a strong transcript and give a good chance at a top tier, if that is the goal. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 A recent thread on this topic that might be helpful: If your child is accelerated, does s/he graduate high school early? Some older, longer ones: Early College Logisitcs of Early College? And more food for thought: High school courses before high school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 ... I wouldn't want to limit my gifted child (which I'm assuming yours is if the level of work at 12 is high school) stuck at home doing online college or CC while she matures enough for dorm life (or having to choose what is close by in order to live at home)... There are world of different opportunities for learning outside of those 2 scenarios. Private tutors, independent study, learning subjects never studied before, etc. The path does not have to be linear. :) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 There are world of different opportunities for learning outside of those 2 scenarios. Private tutors, independent study, learning subjects never studied before, etc. The path does not have to be linear. :) Agreed! My kids will graduate with more credits than they need - no big deal. They are fitting in more foreign language study than they would if they were on a strict linear progression to graduation. Other kids might do extra science courses, or some exotic electives. Or earn dual enrollment credits. People usually reference community college for dual enrollment, but many universities offer DE as well. My oldest dd takes courses at one of the local unis, she is on the main campus and in classes with 'regular' college students. Younger graduates are judged exactly the same as 18-yr-old graduates, so an extra year can really help if one is looking at more selective schools or chasing merit aid. Remember that high school is more about credits versus grade levels. I'd skip the online courses in favor of extended travel and give him the option of other high school level courses. It's really not this strict delineation between being in high school or not being in high school. Personally, if I wanted to go on the trip, I would not give him the chance to choose between travel and online classes. We'd be going on the trip, and everything else would work around that. It's a chance that may never come round again. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I am not letting my gifted ds graduate early because I want him home as long as possible! :) No, seriously I let him take HS classes when he was 12 and so "technically" he will have enough credits to graduate this year at age 15. We decided not to graduate early because we wanted him to have every opportunity for scholarships and to be able to compete with students his "actual age". He also wanted to go off to college with his friends. So he will probably have almost 2 yrs. of college done by the time he graduates. I don't see too many advantages to graduating early in my opinion but many reasons to keep them at home. Another reason is dual enrolled programs are so much cheaper and offer many advantages too! HTH 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Personally, I wouldn't want my graduated-16yo going off to college. And I wouldn't want to limit my gifted child (which I'm assuming yours is if the level of work at 12 is high school) stuck at home doing online college or CC while she matures enough for dorm life (or having to choose what is close by in order to live at home). I don't think most 16yo are ready for apt life. So I say give whatever content you want, and take 4 years (or 3 and 1 gap year to work for $$) to graduate like the norm. You will make a strong transcript and give a good chance at a top tier, if that is the goal. :iagree: In addition to the academic content, your son would have more time to build up his "resume" regarding other areas (e.g., volunteering, work exerience) which could increase potential scholarships, and allow him to have a better opportunity of finding out what field of study/employment he is really interested in pursuing. Finally, just having the time to relax and enjoy friends and activities before starting post-secondary education is valuable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Kind of a follow up question. With this information, what are some options we have? Please don't quote me. Will be deleting some of the specifics about us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 my understanding is that DE is at the state level. Some states may offer free DE for residents, but that does not mean that DE is generally at "state level". The student can apply for DE at the college, and the college will decide whether to admit that applicant for DE. Since there are online classes, that means there are also online options for DE. You should contact the college you are interested in. Or, if you don't need the credit, you can have your student take college classes online for free by doing MOOCs. There are tons of options available, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I think what you are asking about is residency. You might not have instate residency anywhere. Students can enroll as OOS students or at private schools (where residency doesn't matter.) When we moved right before spring semester, our college age student had to pay OOS tuition bc she did not meet the residency requirements. Our high school student was considered in state bc he was enrolled in our homeschool in the state. There is no single answer. Even when 2 students in the same family enroll at the exact same time! DE is not state related. It simply refers to enrolling in college level courses while still in high school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 The issue I have with extended travel and high school has to do with him taking a couple of classes online that would require a time commitment and a lab commitment that definitely wouldn't be possible while traveling. I wouldn't trade an extensive traveling opportunity (with a beloved Grandpa!) for an online class. Not for a 12yo who is learning as quickly as he can, and excelling. That sort of unpleasant tradeoff would be reserved for an older student who needed to make up a credit or two before a pending graduation. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaT Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I also wanted to add that you can travel AND do online classes, if you can arrange to travel in places where your DC can get online to do the work. Asynchronous classes work great for this. I have always thought that one of the secrets of homeschooling through high school is that there are many ways to have your cake and eat it, too. I also agree with PPs to not graduate a child from high school early, but to use the extra time to dive deeply into interests and passions. Your DC will really stand out in the college app department. Maria 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Kind of a follow up question. Many universities do offer online dual enrollment. You don't have to be in that particular state to participate, but usually a state will accept all credits from within its own system with no problem (or at least they have an established procedure and it is easy to know what will be credited and what will not). Some universities offer DE at a reduced cost to residents, and you are probably out of luck for that, unless you have an actual house with street address. You will also need a test score for placement. Lots of schools will take the ACT or SAT, but I think a few require an actual placement test like COMPASS. I don't know if that's something you can take where you are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 My ds14 started high school a year early, and since he is a late summer birthday he will actually graduate two years ahead of most of his friends. We are planning for him to go to a local college, so he will not be somewhere on his own when he is 16 -- the only difference is that someone else will be teaching him and he will be earning college credits. One advantage that I can think of is work. I haven't looked into the laws (because he isn't old enough to get a job yet and the laws change so often), but I know when I was in high school I was limited to 5 hours on school days. If he graduates, he will be able to put in more hours = more $$ for college. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Travel with you dad. Your ds has one chance to travel with your dad. He has lots of chances to start and finish high school classes. Remember he does not have to start a course in the fall and finish in the spring. You can adjust start times to accomodate your travel plans. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 My ds14 started high school a year early, and since he is a late summer birthday he will actually graduate two years ahead of most of his friends. We are planning for him to go to a local college, so he will not be somewhere on his own when he is 16 -- the only difference is that someone else will be teaching him and he will be earning college credits. One advantage that I can think of is work. I haven't looked into the laws (because he isn't old enough to get a job yet and the laws change so often), but I know when I was in high school I was limited to 5 hours on school days. If he graduates, he will be able to put in more hours = more $$ for college. Do check on dual enrollment as well. If the local college offers a price break, it may more than offset the amount of money he could earn working longer hours at a job, while still racking up quite a bit of college credit. It will also likely make him a stronger candidate for merit aid, and more merit aid is offered to incoming freshmen than to transfers. dd's dual enrollment university allows up to 11 hours per semester at a highly reduced cost, and we don't have to pay any of the fees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Do you mean home school or sending him there? If home school, move at his own pace and arrange the classes how you like, so long as you meet all requirements of your state for graduation. You can list the high school classes he does early as "Early High School" credits on the transcript. If you are sending him there to a local public/charter school, I would reconsider and examine everything closely, based on previous experiences. I did it and regretted it, not academically, as mine was above grade level by far and at the top of every class, but socially. If you went to high school long ago, as I did, you will be shocked at what goes on today. That would be my only concern. If yours is academically advanced, he will top out early, mine have, and then you need to find new options. Mine were at the top of the class in senior classes as sophomores (different settings), which sounds great, except then you have to scramble finding classes afterward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 I meant online classes. For now, I'm going to keep records of all classwork he does in case I need to count this year or some of the classes for high school at a later date. We'll reassess the situation in a year or two when it's more relevant. The traveling plans area definite yes. At no point was I considering not doing it, just trying to figure out the logistics of it. We can at least do a Lit/Writing class that looks good and figure out the rest. Thanks everyone for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Are there any? My DS 12 really wants to start high school early. He feels like he is ready and doesn't see why he shouldn't. I'm on the fence about it. I'd rather have extra time with him. He'd be a stronger student (for colleges if we wait a year), etc. And really, I'd like him home longer. On paper, he looks ready (finishing up Algebra 1 over the summer, writing skills are well developed) What are the advantages though if we did start high school early? And disadvantages? He's been so determined to do this and I haven't had a real reason to stop him. For now, I've told him that we can count next year as high school if we need to and we'd assess at the end of the year. But, there is a strong chance that we'd have an opportunity for all of us to travel extensively with my father. The idea of spending time with my father (DS's favorite person in the world) just might be enough to make him change his mind about starting early. See, I wouldn't think of it as "starting high school early." I would think of it as allowing him to work until he has achieved whatever you all think he needs to achieve at home to be graduated. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 As others have said keep working where ever he is at. When it comes to the point where he is of age to be in high school if he has completed all the required course work you can start on dual enrollment class (either on line or at a local community/jr college). For my dd she will be finishing some of her high school classes either in her official 9th or 10th grade. At that point I plan on looking at the other options so she can dip her feet into college work slowly. It will also give her the opportunity to explore areas of interest in a deeper fashion before college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.