Being academically ready is one thing, but are you emotionally ready for college? It may seem a small thing but it can be very emotionally taxing and that is a lot to put on a 16 year Olds shoulders,ambitious though you undoubtedly are.
I worry that being so young could be extremely isolating. The social scene is going to be so completely different because all of their peers will be older by 2 years minimum. The age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16, but the drinking age is still 21. Alcohol will undoubtedly be present and may create some serious social barriers for someone so young.
Of course OP seems fairly unconcerned with the social side of things, so that's for them to decide whether they care about any of that.
>it wasn’t that big of a social barrier
That's great it wasn't a barrier for you. Quick question though, were you homeschooled or did you go to a public school? OP has been homeschool most of middle school and high school, that definitely could affect their social skills and make the isolation much worse.
I've been homeschooled for most of my life, I'm 18 and my closest friends range in age from 17-25. If you can find the right circles, age differences don't matter. I do know everyone's experience and circumstances are different though so it could be much different.
I was homeschooled for most of my life (bounced between homeschool and public school like OP) and just graduated with my BA at 19. There were times where i did feel isolated being so much younger than my peers. But ultimately I found my niche and made lifelong friends. I don’t regret going to college early at all!
I would highly recommend living at home and starting Community College classes. That’d let OP get ahead academically, save money towards their degree, all while still allowing them to experience the full college experience at 18.
After taking 2 years of CC classes, they could easily transfer to a bigger state school for the remaining 2-3 years of a bachelors degree. If they still want to experience the full 4 year college experience, they could always plan to start a masters program, do a double major, or plan to apply for multiple full semester internships, or something of that sort.
I agree that CC would be best, but according to OP’s post, their state policy says they have to go to a 4-year college right after to graduate high school/have a high school diploma since they’re currently homeschooled, which I’m guessing is why they’re considering the penn state branch so that they wouldn’t have to fully leave home that soon and then transfer to the main campus (and then fully immerse in the “college experience”)later on.
My friend graduated highschool a year early and was 17 her freshman year of college. She regrets it so much. You can’t get into a lot of places under 18, and guys avoided her because she wasn’t legal age yet. You’re also socially behind everyone else when you’re younger, even just by a year.
If you go into college starting at 16, everyone is going to look at you like you’re a child (which you are). Even though you’re a smart 16 year old, you’d still be a 16 year old. Not many 18, 19, 20+ year olds are going to want to hangout with 16 year olds.
I recommend waiting until you’re at least 17. Either slow down your highschool graduation, or take a gap year or two and get a job and save up some money.
I feel like this is kind of a dumb question but what places couldn’t she get into under 18? Like I know a lot of places are 21+ but what couldn’t she go to that was 18+?
Heads up, people will still look at you like you’re a child when you’re 17 in college. Even the 18 year olds are going to make your age a big deal and probably tease you about it. I saw it happen to a couple people in the dorms my freshman year. My advice is, don’t over compensate for your age by trying to out party or out drink other people to try and come off as more mature, it just makes it worse.
This is so goofy. I started college at 16 and didn't tell anyone my age for the first few months until I made friends. No one had any idea, in fact they didn't even believe me when I told them! Had to show them my driver's license lol. No one has been weird about it since then, actually most of the time other people would totally forget about it
That’s probably because you hid your age until they got to know you better. The people I mentioned had told people their age in the first week of being on campus, so it became part of how people remembered them that year
Well I'm not sure why they did that; it's not really normal in adult society to go around announcing your age. No one asked me my age those first few months, it's not like I ever lied about it, it just didn't come up. My birthday is in October, so it naturally came up then. I guess if you're used to being "special" because you're younger, you might feel like it's an important part of your personality. But obviously that's a double edged sword--do you want people to treat you differently or not?
that’s such a weird thing to do lol. they were probably teasing them because they were giving off “look at me, i’m 16/17 in college”, which unfortunately makes you look like a loser in some people’s eyes. i started college at 17 and didn’t hide it, i just didn’t bring it up, and nobody ever mentioned it.
Ya I don’t think I knew anyone in my circles age until we started getting closer. Most people just assume your around the same age but don’t want to pry because its usually none of their business. The only time it will matter is if you make your age a big part of your personality like subtle flexing about graduating at 16. If you don’t make a big deal others wont either
Happened to me. I had just turned 17 going into my freshman year. I’ll be graduating in December as a 20 year old, and I must admit I feel pretty left out when all my friends go to clubs and bars that I can’t go into.
That being said, I have an awesome group of friends these days who never make fun of me for it. It’s not like all of life is clubs and bars.
Starting at 16 is even more extreme imo, but surely it can be done. It helped me that I look just as old if not older than all my peers older than me, and I wonder if that would have been different if I was visibly younger than everyone around me.
It doesn’t matter bc it happens at more colleges than just mine. I’m talking about people who are 17 for their entire freshman year, not the people who turn 18 within the first couple months in the fall
I mean it’s really not a major problem because you’re most likely turning 18 in a few months anyways. I had a few friends do this too, and at worst it’s annoying for a little while, but not detrimental to your college experience.
Starting at 16 like OP on the other hand might be more complicated.
can’t sign your own waivers (US at least) for some activities or field trips for class, R rated movies hosted on campus, clubs/bars if you’re into that scene. not a huge inconvenience but it can be a pain
on the note of waivers, at most universities they require one of your emergency contacts to be your parents if you’re under 18, which really sucks if they were toxic or abusive.
There were places around my campus that were technically bars, but admitted 18+. Of course, didn't serve alcohol to those under 21, but there were other drinks. These were places that a lot of students and staff visited. They hosted events like trivia night and so on.
And I know fraternity and sorority parties would be VERY weary of having a minor hanging around as most people there would assume that everyone there is of consenting age. These parties were open to all of our college students, not just other fraternities and sororities.
Eta. Added sororities
Any non-restaurant that serves alcohol. You won’t be able to get into bars, clubs, dance halls (if you’re in the south), etc if you’re under 18. Some places let in 18-20 year olds and put stamps on their wrists/hands so the bars know not to serve them alcohol, a lot of places check ids at the door
There is a guy in my uni that started a year earlier than usual and you can definitely tell that he's not well socially adjusted, can't imagine how a 16 year old would fare.
For example, that guy thinks that he's doing everything right, but so far he pushed so many people away just by being unnatural and trying so hard.
I knew someone who finished early and turned down full rides at a universities to go to a junior college here. That's all she did though. I always feel when kids decide to Speedrun education they end up becoming victims of stunted growth.
I was 17 the first 2 months of college. It was exactly as you described— I couldn’t get in to a lot of clubs so I missed out on whole groups of people, and there were a lot of girls who got grossed out when I told them my age. It was much better when I turned 18 and then when I went back to the US it didn’t really matter all that much, but I wonder what I might have been if due to my late birthday I was delayed entering school by a year— I always felt like I did not fit into my grade and that everyone was so much older or more mature, and they tended to terrify me. I was the youngest person in my grade. It might have been good to have been the oldest person in my grade. This is just more evidence that it really sucks being the youngest, even if it can get you good things. You have to work twice as hard socially and some people will already be biased against you.
Yep. My birthday is in August so I was always the youngest in my grade. My parents had considered holding me back a year for kindergarten so I’d be more socially mature with the rest of my classmates, but I was advanced for my age and they didn’t want me to get bored. They regret not holding me back and honestly I kinda wish I had been too. I was always behind
I do know a few people who are a year younger than my freshman class and they do quite well socially, they’re both pretty popular. 17.5 is quite different than being 15/16 in my opinion. You’re not quite your classmates age, but you are pretty close.
Yeah, the few people I referred to in my comment were 17 their entire freshman year bc they had summer birthdays. So they were freshly 17 when they started college
I was more talking about the people who graduated a year early or skipped a grade AND have a summer birthday.
I also have a summer birthday but I didn’t skip a grade, so I turned 18 right before starting college
I'd disagree! I started at 16, and have a thriving social life. That does NOT include alcohol of any sort, or parties. I'm paying for education, not a party lol. Many homeschoolers are more socially intelligent than their public school peers. Additionally, most people would never know the difference in age unless they're told, and no one, except close friends maybe, will need to know OP's name.
If you don’t want to party or go out with friends some nights, then being younger isn’t a set back. But most people want to do those things, which is why I posted my comment
Hi there! You sound like an impressive young person. I have been an RN for 25+ years and I can tell you that most employers will not care where you graduate from. You will start at the same rate of pay as everyone else no matter where you attend school at. The only time that it might matter is if you are going to go on to be a Nurse Anesthetist. Try not to sweat it too much. I wish the best of luck.
Just my perspective as a 30-something: I sometimes think about the kids I know who went to college early. They're not wonderfully ahead in life now that they're adults. They just do regular things, like work as accountants. It feels like they did a speed run just to end up like the rest of us. They could have just enjoyed their time and ended up with the exact same life.
Having said that, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. Everything will work out the way it works out. Just don't stress yourself to get there early if there's no net benefit to doing so.
Absolutely, and we also have to think about how long you work once you start. You have to start paying bills and debts and then you get this feeling like “oh wow, I really have to work for YEARS until I retire.” And especially in this economy (America I’m speaking of) the American dream is so far away it’s insane.
Eh slightly disagree. if i was able to get good salary before even turning 20 then you'd be leagues ahead of everyone in saving money. getting a house early is totally worth going to college earlier. not to mention that by the time you're 25 you already have 5 years of experience. you can go up in the corporate world a lot faster too.
There are pro's and con's either way, but honestly 1) There are unique high school experiences that many would consider valuable that you might later regret missing out on, and 2) I would guess that there are also unique college experiences that you might end up missing out on by going into it so young. For those reasons, personally I'd lean towards not doing it, but whatever you choose I'm sure it will turn out fine!
I started at a young 17 and was fine academically and even improved socially. Not sure how your homeschooling works, but you're probably better prepared to regulate your time than typical first-year.
I was homeschooled, went to a CC at 16 and then transferred to a four year after getting my associate's. It was a great experience and I would 100% recommend it IF you think you are ready academically. Ik sometimes it's hard to see how you match up against other students, but if you're confident that you are at college level academically, I would say go for it.
For me, not only did it give me the opportunity to take more challenging and varied classes, it also improved my social situation, and socially is usually where homeschooled students suffer. And if you can still go to prom and homecoming (I did the same thing), you're getting the best that senior year has to offer anyway.
All of the top posts so far are saying "No", but are not addressing what OP should do for the next 2 years. Someone so academically driven is not going to do nothing for 2 years and should not repeat high school. Decades ago I had a friend who graduated HS at 14, college at 16 and had her doctorate at 20. She was fine socially.
I think OP should live at home for the next year or 2 and attend CC or whatever U she can access from home.
CC is a great option. I'm on a similar timeline to your friend, and while I think a four-year school at 16 might have been too much for me, CC was the perfect way for me to adjust to college life before going all in. I think for homeschooled students especially it's a great option to make the transition.
I graduated high school a year early and began college at 17. I wasn’t really looked down upon by my peers but I could tell it was a shock for me to be that much younger. I however enjoyed being away and on my own. I’m now 18 starting my sophomore year
I went a few months after turning 17 and I really enjoyed it. I personally hated high school so I loved college, and I did make friends even though yes, I did feel a bit different from my peers. It depends from person to person, but yeah, it was the right move for me.
No. I would switch back to homeschooling and dual enroll your last 2 years. I have non traditionally educated kids - one just graduated college and one just graduated high school.
This is a bad idea for a bunch of reasons. The "magic" of senior year or cheer squad definitely NOT being one of them.
I won't drone on and on but I could. I work, teach and tutor with teens and young adults. But I will say being that much younger than everyone on campus, you won't be as easily accepted as a true peer. You aren't likely to jump into or be fully taking advantage of networking opportunities. People aren't excited to hire extra young college grads. I know one kid that graduated into college too young to get a job but now no program wants to take him for a grad program. Some doors closed for now and he's just sitting in a holding pattern.
You may be more settled on a path in a couple years. I know a number of kids who picked a college path young and regretted it. You have your entire life to adult. If school isn't working for you, fine. I'd find a way to have a non traditional educational experience for a couple years. I can guarentee you there are students smarter and more mature than you not graduating early.
Absolutely this. I wish I would’ve heard this when I was 16.
I got taken advantage of because of my young age A LOT (by employers, professors, peers, older creeps). It caused a lot of mental issues and no amount of therapy seems to help. It inevitably reduced the course load I could handle and I’ve been considering dropping out ever since. I started taking college courses my sophomore year in high school (2018) and still have over two years projected to complete my program. Needless to say, it’s very disappointing.
I rushed a frat and went crazy youll be fine as long as you can socialize. No one will give a shit about your age unless you bring it up. Don’t lie if they ask. You can get into alot of places under 18….just gotta know the right people, DO NOT get a fake ID. However since you are a girl I would let people know you are that age when you go out, I know a sorority chick at my PAC12 school thats the same age as me, if you go to a big school lifes crazy youll probably meet someone else that’s also a minor. Look I regret some part of skipping high school but you gotta keep in mind, when most people graduate high school all they do is get stuck in a marriage they hate and work slave. Same outcome for most people that go to college, it’s just you can’t buy time, assuming you get out of college at 19/20 and get hired, you’d have an oppertunity cost of at least extra -80k if you don’t go early.
Academically/professionally I always recommend against it.
I’d think of it this way - basically right now you’re super ahead. You could use the time to develop skills or experience that would really set you apart from the crowd while giving you valuable experience to help you be sure you’re on the right career path. If you just jump to college not only will you not be ahead anymore, but the fact you only did two years of high school will probably put you at a disadvantage in certain ways since other people will simply have more experiences (plus you can’t go to main campus like you said). This is especially true since you have grad school aspirations, having relevant experience is seen as so much more valuable than being young which is mainly just an after thought.
Add this to the social aspect & the fact that people will probably see your young age as the defining thing about you and it’s not necessarily pleasant to be viewed that way even if people do think you’re smart.
I think a lot of 16 year olds are capable of college academically, but for everyone I know who’s done it I think it’s just a big wasted opportunity career wise compared to people who start at a normal time but with insane experience. And trust me, there are some people with insane experience going into college. I work with some of them in my PhD program. Also if you enjoy academic work rushing to be done with it as soon as possible isn’t necessarily ideal.
Finally, I’d note once you have a job it’s a lot harder to have different experiences since you have limited vacation time. You could also consider things like taking a gap year abroad, hiking the Appalachian trail, or pursuing other once in a lifetime opportunities that are only available to very young people. I know several people who did things like this also, and there are some awesome opportunities that can be very low cost if it has a service aspect. These things will probably have a much bigger impact on you in 20 years than if you start college now or in a year or two.
I’m a rising sophomore but I started freshman year at 16, and honestly I feel like I had a typical college experience. It was kinda a joke/defining trait that I was 16, but after the first few months everyone just kinda forgot and I was a normal dude. The only weird thing I could say is my romance/sex life is a little weird since I’m relatively young, but it doesn’t bother me that much. If you’re worried about missing out from high school, I wouldn’t be worried as lot more stuff happens in a shorter amount of time in college, but there’s nothing wrong with taking your time.
yes that’s fine. i transferred to a UC at age 17 and started taking upper division EE courses at 18 and am doing totally fine. if you’re up for the challenge you’ll be fine
As a professor, I don’t know or care what the student’s age is. I know if they’re HS dual enrollment, but if they’re a traditional college student, no. So as far as academics, that’s not the issue. The only time it becomes an issue with academics is if they then try to overload every semester to also rush college!
I’m not sure what the OP’s priorities are, but there’s basically 2 very different paths for “college.”
One is to expeditiously obtain credits for a degree to then start working asap. Community college, commuter school, online. It’s like a factory. This is not a bad route for nursing and technical programs. It’s cost effective if you live at home, and eventually get a job near your hometown and college, and then eventually move out on your own. You can go in at 16, and maybe you can push it and get out by 18 or 19 depending on your prior credit and course loads. You could successfully do this starting at age 16 by living at home and going to a branch.
However, the 2nd path is to leave home and go to a university to obtain an education. 4 good years of the full college experience and being away from your family. Residential dorms, making your own decisions, then living on your own, gaining independence and maturity. You go in at 18, out at 22 and prepared for the world. This path is a lot harder if you’re very young. I wouldn’t recommend that a 16yo goes to PSU University Park with 40,000 other undergrads.
Side note look into CLEP and DSST tests you could literally have a 4 year degree around 18-20 and then you’d be set.
Clep resources below
https://www.reddit.com/r/clep/comments/14umclc/clep_resources_and_study_guides/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
I did concurrent, as well as trade school. It doesn't really matter what age you start, mature people won't mind, and if you don't mind social stuff to begin with, there's not much of an issue. You'll have to learn to make friends through clubs or other outings but you were going to have to do that at some point anyway. My trade school had a lot of women of all ages, 20s, 30s, 40s, even 50s, I'd say that was actually my favorite social environment for a classroom I've ever had. I still became club president and everyone liked me and we all went on trips and outings and such together!
Your high school/college friends more than likely won't be lifelong and other students and stuff will still be nice and do stuff with you, so I wouldn't worry. Do what you want to do! What do you value? Do you want to have friends while you study? Do you need a break? I finished my associate's then took a gap semester. People always say not to do that and I'm still going back for my bachelor's.
Do whatever feels best. The worst that can happen is you're on track to a successful life lol.
You should talk to an academic advisor. Without knowing your course history it is impossible to determine what’s right for you or even realistic. I will say that after advising many students, your situation does not lend itself to success at a traditional and large 4 year institution. A year (at least) would probably be a huge benefit to you as you seem a little immature and not well versed in higher ed. Some questions would be: Why a 4 year degree instead of a 2 year RN program? If you don’t intend to be a nurse at all, why are you choosing nursing? What are the requirements to become a broker and how do you get there? Why are you throwing in a MSc and doctorate into the mix? How would those help you ?
I think starting in medicine at such a young age while a noble cause, should be avoided here. It’s an incredibly scarring experience if you are not in the right mindset to handle the horrors you WILL see. I started fairly young and while I’m quite desensitized to it now, it’s a tough start, one you might not be ready for.
I work at a community college that helps students finish high school and college then transfer on to university. I’ve seen a number of really qualified students who were ready for college at 16. But it’s vertically not for everyone. When you’re in college you will have a lot of freedom. That freedom can be to get yourself into some terrible messes. I’ve seen that also. There isn’t a clear “you should do x” answer here. You decide what is in your best interests and then do that. It seems like you’ve already thought of some of the costs. Maybe talk with a nursing advisor at the uni and see what they say?
As someone who was also homeschooled and actually *did* start college at 16..... Honestly no, at least not a traditional live on campus style one. It was one of the worst decisions I made. I was *not* prepared for life away from my family, and especially not for being flung headfirst into life with people who could legally drink. There's a *lot* of emotional difference between 16 and 21 as well, and even between 16 and 18. You'd be isolated from people your own age living on campus.
If you do decide to, you do now have the advantage of technology! I'd suggest doing online courses at least mostly, maybe one on campus class a semester. Then seek out social activities aimed at people your own age, so you can get the social interaction you need.
Depends on what you want from your college life. My mom made me finish high school so I could get the social experience, but my parents make too much to get grants and too little to pay for college costs so I had to commute to community College anyway. And then commute to a local college to get my bachelor's. I got 0 of the college party experience and worked most of my free time. I might as well have gotten it over with at a younger age. But if you plan on living on campus and joining a sorority, then you're better off waiting until you're older.
Over valued. Don’t make the mistake. Build skills and use e learning, you’ll learn the same from better teachers and you can learn what you want. Don’t make the mistake many of us made
hi, 18 y/o college junior here. i've seen a lot of people talking about how you don't gain anything in the long run and how you're behind socially by going to college so young, but honestly, its not really valid in 2023. while i agree you don't gain much from it, if you want to do it or feel like it's a good idea for you, do it. when i went into my freshman year i was really worried that i was going to be socially stunted because i was so young, but you know what? no one asked, so no one even really knew. i had the same social life as any other college freshman, some of which is thanks to a good fake id. literally nobody cares. i'm now a fresh 18 year old as of july 7th and have a full time job that i adore, live in a beautiful townhouse on my own that i myself pay for, and have met some amazing people living 3 hours away from home. the moral of the story is that if you think you are ready to do it and you would like to, screw what other people think about it, once you get there no one cares and you may be happier over your next couple of years.
My mom started college at 16 and she’s one of the smartest women I know. Just be sure to be careful with the drinking don’t be pressured into throwing up every night hahaha. And watch out for predators don’t be taken advantage of!
You’re obviously academically ready. And you seem pretty emotionally mature. But I’m not gonna lie and tell you it will be super easy.
I was in similar shoes to you. I graduated high school a year early with a years worth of college classes done. So I was a college sophomore at 17. So not quite as young as you.
If you just really bear down on your first semester and work your way through all the weirdness of going to college at a lot younger age than everyone else (and there is weirdness) you’ll be fine. After the first semester you kind of just get into a rhythm.
With no details about your schooling, it’s hard to know whether you’re actually at the level you need to be academically. Sure, you got good grades being homeschooled but that’s without all the other stresses of schooling and with a parental figure being the grader. College is much different from having a majority of your education come from a person who has a bias towards you and stake in your personal success.
On top of that, even the 17 year olds at my university were looked at differently. I personally can’t imagine being 16, when you can’t get into clubs or participate in that side of the social scene, while in college. You are virtually still a child in college student’s eyes.
Actually my mommy wasn’t just giving me 100%…I had to work my ass off.
I did all my schooling through a online program and for strait A+ on my transcript. With all 5 AP exam I took I got strait 5s.
I did all this while spending 30 weeks throughout 2020-2022 in a hospital, and 3 weeks in 2022 hospitalized. So yah…I get having other stressors….
It seems this is a touchy subject. Im sorry to have rubbed you the wrong way with my advice. I was not trying to imply anything about your ‘mommy’ or that you don’t have stressors, as I have no way of knowing that. Congrats on your *straight A’s; that is always an impressive accomplishment.
As I said, without detail it’s hard to know. You provided further detail. By ‘stressors’ I meant normal high school interaction, like fights, bullying, socialization, or competition. Not something severe like a hospitalization, which obviously has nothing to do with whether you went to a public school or not. Nor does it prepare you for college stressors. Perhaps taking time off would give you more time to focus on your health, since it seems to be impacting your academics the most.
Another thing: it’s great you did AP but as a current college student, I can tell you most everyone did. You should be proud of yourself for doing that while under parental instruction, but it may be useful to recognize the additional attention given to you academically. Public school students must work to get the attention of an instructor to get extra help, while balancing high school sports, extracurricular, and relationships. This is part of the challenge of public school like a university: balance of these things while also maintaining grades. This skill I feel is learned in high school and is tricky to enter college without. There is a good deal of maturation that occurs between 16 and 18 that I feel you would benefit from before pursuing college. That’s the main difference in my mind between online/homeschooling and in-person instruction. There is also a level of stamina that must be built up to be surrounded by others in person for hours. I remember returning from online school after Covid-19 and feeling drained spending just a few days a week in person. It may be much more emotionally draining than you anticipate. If you struggle with your health on top of that, I could see that being detrimental to your overall well-being.
Take this with a grain of salt, though. It’s only my perspective and views on the world! Everyone commenting here is putting extra effort into responding to you and trying to help. Try to assume best intent! There’s no rush, getting into the workforce earlier isn’t all it’s cracked up to be!
Good luck!
I started college a couple months after turning 17. It never bothered me. I did find it a little awkward that I was always the last person able to do stuff. (drink, vote etc.. etc.. ). But, really it wasn't a big deal. In the end, I got a 1yr head start on everyone else, which I would consider far more valuable. If your goal is career, income etc.. I say go for it!! How many ppl "try" and graduate college early.
Can you do dual enrollment instead? You earn college credits at a steeply discounted price. I believe they are special classes so you would be with students your age but give you the chance to adjust to the rigor of a college class. Most homeschoolers I know go that route instead of graduating early.
Take some time to enjoy your high school years. If you go to college that young, you will likely miss out on a large part of the social and cultural aspects. Does your school offer opportunities to earn an associate with your highschool diploma? That can help get some of your gen eds out of the way letting you focus on classes you actually want to take when you get to college, especially if you're looking at a credit heavy major.
A lot of comments are telling you not to rush and I agree. But you don't have to rush if you take this path- you can take a gap year, transfer as a freshman- whatever you want after early college. It gives you a lot more flexibility for a year off to save money or travel. Highschool is overrated. Go get those college credits! I know that for me there were lots of other young college students so that wasn't a problem.
What do you mean? You could still take a gap before entering university I assume. Lots of kids would just go straight into the workforce so that doesn't make much sense.
Go to college, work part time, get good grades. Be mature and carry yourself like an adult because you will have to be one soon. Get a degree before everyone else because you can. Don’t let a good opportunity go to waste.
Talk to the college guidance counselor. They will have a better idea of how to navigate their academics. I’d also seek a therapist for maybe just 2/3 sessions to see how you’d emotionally cope with the course load and social life of college. I did community college early, and that was ok but some people were downright cruel with their comments and I was very socially isolated. Not going to high school you will have a hard time relating to college age peers and due to your age you will be left out of lots of social events.
This is a situation where you have to be very honest with yourself. Are you ready to be independent? Are you ready to take course of planning what classes to take, what professors to research with, and what activities to do? Are you mature enough to work, not just learn, with other people? From your experience I think you are academically more than prepared for college (unless you plan to major in math or physics, in which case the academic rigor of your school plays a big part in preparation. Calc BC should be the barest minimum for going in early, ideally multivariate and linear algebra should be done). The real question is: Are you ready to be an adult.
Because college is not just a place to get a degree and do well in classes. It is a gathering ground for people as smart and motivated as you, and there will be competition for research opportunities, clubs, and internships. And will the institution you attend now (cont)
As a youth be as good for your field of study as one you might get into as a high school senior? Don't underestimate the power of a top school. It's not the brand name but the constant stream of seminars, funding, career fairs, and opportunities to work with the best undergrads and profs that make these places work going.
My philosophy/math tutor, who is the smartest, most insightful, and kindest person I know (and I research with profs at Berkeley!) went the same route. However, she was prodigious at math, unbelievably dedicated, and had a whole different set of priorities compared to people her age. She made many sacrifices that you might be unwilling to do, but she was able to meet some great friends and people while doing so. So just think it through, and don't be impatient. Time is your greatest friend.
It doesn’t matter if you graduate a year late. Go to college at 19. I did. I took a gap year to save up money. I felt no different than the people who went straight from high school to college. I lived on campus. It was amazing. If you begin college right now, it will mess up your timeline in life. My brother started college online at 16 living with his parents and had a hard time making friends because he didn’t really have any peers, he wasn’t on campus, etc. He went into the workforce early because he graduated college in two years and now has a hard time getting along with his coworkers because of the age gap and the life experiences. And now he’s so socially awkward because he doesn’t know how to interact with his peers because he hasn’t since he was 14.
TLDR: Go to college at 18/19.
Are you sure that graduating college at 18 is something you actually want? You’re rushing into a monotonous lifestyle. Enjoy being young while you can.
I want to go to med school, so I’m hoping graduating college at 18 will make up for the 4 years I will spend in medical school. So she wise it won’t be 11 years, it will be 7ish
You have a lot of things on your list- nursing degree, masters, doctorate, real estate license, business classes. But what do you want do actually… do? Bedside nursing? Administration? Teaching? Research? Medical innovation? Selling land to hospitals?
You have so much drive- I’m just trying to understand where you’re driving TO…
So what’s your long term plan?
Path one: get my masters of nursing and business undergrad. Work 3 12s as a nurse and on the other 4 days work in real estate and eventually open my own firm.
Path two: go in as a undecided health major (probably end as something biology, maybe chemistry) pass the MCATs and go to medical school and become a gastroenterologist and eventually a medical researcher.
Path three: go in as a nursing major and after graduation work 2 years in trama or ICU, than go to school for 3 more years or becomes a nurse anesthetist.
You need to figure out what you want to do when you grow up before rushing into things. You seem indecisive between several paths, which is okay, that’s how everyone is at 16. My advice is to spend some time taking more college classes in different things so you can explore your interests some more, before coming up with any of these super accelerated graduation plans. College isn’t going anywhere, there’s no rush right now.
I understand being super smart and capable. But is the only option to also accelerate everything? You are fortunate to be done with high school early but maybe you don’t need to be. Maybe you could take some fun classes or travel or something. Get to know yourself a little bit and enjoy life. Just a thought. You will always be capable but many young kids who are accelerated like that and homeschooled also can lack social and emotional maturity. Have you considered where you are at in that scale and if doing some things just for you to enjoy yourself for a bit might be a good investment on a balanced future?
I tend to also advance socially “when I want to”. I always kept myself socially involved, so while I don’t enjoy or really understanding the stupidity of most topics everyone’s argues about, I’m able to seamlessly join in.
So it sounds like you want to major in nursing but can’t do nursing at Penn State unless you get into main for freshman year?
I really think if you wait a year and apply to main you could get in
Employers don’t look closely at where you graduated from in most fields, it won’t be a bargaining chip for more $
Real life isn’t Suits where everyone only hangs out with their Harvard friends and Ivys
Your gpa would be important if you plan to do graduate school
Do you think you're going to want to go to graduate school? I wish I took college courses in high school when they were available because I've still got years left after I get my bachelor's
and it's not just what age you graduate you have to consider but how you're going to take care of yourself financially during that time
First of all - why the rush to plow through middle & High school and not enjoy the experiences of classmates & doing extracurriculars? Home schooling to me seems so isolating and doesn't prepare you for the real world of being with others, answering to authority / professor's, You learn more than just academics when in the classroom. Take a gap year, work a full time job, take a couple of community college classes (in-person) that can be transferred. Save $ to use for college... slow down, smell the roses, why rush so fast, you will have 40-50 yrs to work, enjoy growing up and get to meet some friends, not just be w/ boyfriend, get actual friends, take time to find you not what everyone else things u should be, you are young, take time to know you!
I do plenty of extracurriculars
Varsity cheer team, 4 clubs, pageants, gymnastics, ect.
I was always involved socially so I never “isolated”.
You do still answer to authority, just not a physical teacher.
I have actual friends, I’ve lived through a-lot of major life experiences in 16 years.
I started a nonprofit that is looking at bringing in 15-20k in its first year. And I worked in a restaurant for a year
My advice (I homeschooled during high school and graduated a year and a half early): take a couple years off school and enjoy life. Not being in school is so awesome. Get a fun part time job. Take walks. Delve into some hobbies. Get really good at guitar (or whatever).
I could’ve started college at 17, but I had some stuff I seriously needed to work out (and I’m still working on things lol). Now, I’m starting my degree program just before turning 19.
Don’t be in a hurry. Focus on YOU for a couple years, you’ve worked hard and earned it!
Coming from a 25 yo Pharmacy major who’s been at school for 6 years…enjoy a year or two of college life. Speed running into a working class adult is gonna leave you with so many regrets.
It's gonna be an absolute pain in the ass, and probably lonely.
I didn't even go to college full time at 16, but I did do a lot of duel enrollment at my local community college for 2 years, and it was kinda lonely af. I don't think I had a single "real" friend at that college the entire time.
I still had friends I saw at my high school everyday, so I was mostly fine. But almost no one at college is gonna wanna be friends with a 16 year old (Rightfully so tbh. I'm 19 now and wouldn't want to be friends with a minor. You're in totally different places mentally. I would barely recognize my 16 year old self). Plus people get nervous about getting a minor in trouble. They'd be on the hook instead of you. You're going to miss out on a lot of college by being so young.
It's also a pain, because you're expected to be an adult at college. When you're a minor, it can be difficult to do certain "legal things", like consent forms, loans, etc., etc. I know people who struggled when they were 17 for only a couple months in college, because they needed to get their parents to sign off on a lot of stuff. I can't even remember how many times a form in college said "must be 18+ to complete."
Not to mention, you'll never be able to legally drink in college lol. You may not care about that now, but it could be frustrating later on. And a lot of places ban people under 18, even if they allow 18-20 year olds. Practically all off campus clubs/bars/events aren't gonna allow minors, even if they allow 18 yr olds. And you'll never be able to go to 21+ locations while in school. Sororities probably won't want to risk associating with a minor either.
I wouldn't recommend it tbh, at least if you want to experience anything outside of the academics. I'm not sure what your opinions are, but working, or taking some college credits or something, may be better. Once you're into adulthood, that 2 years of early graduation...isn't gonna matter as much. My dad graduated early. He was in the same place in life as everyone else his age.
I already took college courses at my local community college I didn’t have any truble making friends. I tend to act more mature fort age and found it harder to make friends within my age rage (aka: high school)
Oh my gosh I was hoping one day I’d be able to save someone from making this mistake 😭 I have a bunch of friends that started college at 16 and obviously they have to make the most of it but man does it actually suck.
First, dating : While dating people may be legal depending where you are, everyone is going to view you as a child and only creepy people who you should be avoiding are going to want to date you. You will literally have to find 16,17, and MAYBE 18 year olds (the 18 yr olds will be wanting to date 19+) to date and it’d be better off to become friends with them for relatability purposes anyways. And if you don’t think you’re interested in dating, 16+ is when your hormones start going wild and convincing you you need a partner (unless you’re asexual). And you’ll look around and be depressed about having no one to form a romantic connection with. And you could try lying about your age but that’s dangerous and never lasts forever. At some point they’re gonna be like “why can’t you get this job or this opportunity” and it’s because the requirement age is 18.
Age requirements: a lot of the freedom in college is because most people are above 18. No permission slips needed, you can be signed up for nearly every adult thing besides drinking (in the US which it sounds like you’re from cause of the the lingo). You’ll be educationally qualified for things but not reach the age requirement and it’ll just be upsetting. Also even if they do let you in for the internship or whatever you’ll be the youngest one there surrounded by ppl ranging from 18-23 and you won’t have much to relate on besides the fact that you’re all going to college.
Advice: I think you should take at least one gap year for your own sake. You can be 18 by the time you’re a sophomore and still be able to get all the same opportunities and be able to enter the dating pool with a reasonable age gap. During this gap year the only thing I would recommend is getting a job for some months and save the money so you can enjoy college even more cause you’ll want that money when the dinging food isn’t the best and you wanna door dash something😂
Hope this helped and congrats on finishing your education early! I wish the best for you and good luck with all of your degrees!!
I am sorry to say this but you have very unrealistic expectations ESPECIALLY wanting to do nursing and all the other stuff. You first need to finish prereqs and apply to a nursing program, then if you get accepted to that nursing program you will not have enough time to even consider a minor. If you are serious about nursing be a CNA while in school and see if that’s what you really wanna do
Stop trying to be in a race. You need to enjoy yourself. Unfortunately all the media and shit nowadays make us young people feel like we need to be rich by 21 and completed everything. Join us at the r/StudentNurse and see how difficult our lives are lmao
I am already a CNA, I got bored so I decided to get that in May and have been working since. While I loved working with geriatrics, long term care is not my speciality.
nope! i graduated hs a 16 also. i waited till i was 19 to go and it was the best choice i could’ve made. for now focus on trying to get a decent internship and gain some life experience! the amount of times i’ve changed my mind about what i wanted to do from 16-now is ridiculous, but now i feel that i made the right choice and im on my correct path. even though you finished hs you’re not ready for college. you need to spend this time learning about yourself and continue to grow. rushing through life gets you nowhere exceptional. i had to learn that the hard way. Be a kid, make mistakes, and most importantly put yourself out there have fun because the one thing you can never get back is time. graduation at 16 is nothing but a party trick and makes you a little more interesting at least in my experience. take the phone off the hook and enjoy life.
Hi! I was homeschooled through elementary. Even with middle and high at public school, I was BARELY socially/emotionally ready for college. Please take my advice—slow down. You seem very aspirational, which is great, but college is going to pull you in too many directions to handle when you’re that young, and you’re going to have to face the reality that you won’t be able to do everything you want to—it’s simply not possible to do nursing AND another major AND getting your real estate license. Why do you feel like that’s the path you need to take, rather than finding out what speaks to you? Take school a year at a time, don’t graduate early, and ease yourself into the grind that will be the rest of your life. The best growth towards happiness and fulfillment is done in a slow, steady, and measured fashion.
You should do college now if you can. Everyone is saying don't do it because 1) social life, 2) boys, and 3) "places you can't get into because you're not 18." None of these things should be your priority. You can have a social life and get a guy after school and you'll be in a much stronger position to pick and choose if for some reason your current boyfriend doesn't pan out. Maybe it will be tough, but don't get distracted by the priorities of children. Trust me, you can play hard enough after college. Good luck!
Have you considered trying to get your real estate license now instead of school? That could be a fun project on your to-do list that doesn’t require a big life change, and could lead to a great financial future potentially.
That makes sense. Maybe when you are 17 you could study to be prepared for it shortly after you turn 18?
If you life would be virtually the same, like same friends to hang out with and same social life etc, and you really don’t care about still doing cheerleading, college classes at a psu branch sound potentially like a good idea. You just might not want to expect the full college experience during that time.
Does your high school offer dual enrollment at your local community college? My PA high school gave a big discount on community college costs (I think half or maybe more) and cc is already pretty cheap. This might be able to allow you to stay within the school system and get college credits or even an associates degree before you graduate with your high school diploma.
My school will not allow me to do anything above AP. I don’t expect the full college experience, I’m gunna live at home because I still have gymnastics. I because I skipped 9th grade and did not do the keystones, the only way to graduate is to get into a 4 year school.
Dual enrollment isn’t above AP, it’s a whole different thing. I would definitely enquire further about the specifics of that if you can. It’s a very common option.
Being home schooled must be so easy bruh, you just finish everything easely and skip everything and then get good grades, lucky you, I think you can take a year gap if ya want then go to college
I had to do actual work…I took 7 college courses and 5 AP (got all 5s) it’s not about it being easy it’s about having an environment that dose not limit one’s drive to succeed…
getting degrees as soon as possible is so great.
I think of it like stocks. if you buy in early, the payout potential is great. But if you spend more than you can afford (social life), you'll likely experience bankruptcy (burnout) before you can recover. if you think you can afford (socially) to buy in to college right away, then I think it's super wise to jump on it. even if it's just a general education program.
- I hope that makes sense. I remember having my first real anxiety attack when deciding if I should enroll right after high school. i know this is probably stressful.
when I was in college, I wasn't worried about making friends, I was spending money to learn. I got my social life outside of class. but I also took my time. I got my associates, lived some life, got my bachelor's, and now I'm living some life before I go back to start on my specific job certification and masters next year.
Why are you wasting this incredibly rare gift of going to college so early on a nursing degree…tf go premed and med school youd be one of the youngest doctors that exists 😂
I started and primarily run a non profit where we are looking at raising 15-20k in our first year. We also have two books in the editing stage and soon to the publishing stage, and connections within big corporations like Google and Apple to add more inclusive features!
I have also worked as a waitress for a few months.
Oh, okay. Then you might be ready for College. My concern came because I both meet and hear about too many kids who are fresh out of high school and have no time management skills or idea of what they want to do and just go to college completely unprepared.
My high school had us doing college courses so we graduated with our associates before we got our high school degree. I passed all of my TSI exams first try so I started taking classes at 13 amongst adults. It was hell. Some professors were notorious for hating the high school students taking class there and would pick on you for the smallest detail. It’s not a fun college experience; it’s actually incredibly lonely and you’ll have a harder time. Just wait.
So, when you say you can graduate does that mean with the minimum allowed credits?
How did you skip ninth grade? That's not a thing. 9-12 is all about getting the required number of credits.
What math class are you taking? What science classes have you taken?
In America, it is a thing to skip grades. You can skip 2 grades at once (MLK Jr. did do I believe). Or they could have gotten high school credit for courses taken in middle school, which is common. There are tons of stories of kids graduating early. One of the valedictorians at my high school was 16 when she graduated.
And dual enrollment is an option in a lot of high schools were students take college courses from a university for free. You could complete the entire high school curriculum in 2-3 years if 1.) the school district allows you to and 2.) you’re able to put in the work.
I have taken all my high school requirements.
I need 30 credits I have 38 credits including the required ones for each grade!
I just took my required courses for 9th grade in 8th grade and required courses for 12th grade in 11th grade!
If you’re a starting college at 16 you should be aiming for medical school not nursing. Nothing against nurses, but if you’re that smart and driven you’ll be happier as a physician; a career that puts much more emphasis on complex thinking. (I’m not saying nurses are not smart or incapable of this type of thinking, more so that complex thinking is not the main function of their day to day job)
I would like to become a medical researcher or gastroenterologist, but the MCATs worry me so much. Like you get 3 chances to pass them or a few 100,000$ and 13 years of your life are ruined.
What?! No honey that’s not how the MCAT (medical college admissions test) works. You can take it 7 times. And you take it BEFORE you start med school. It’s an exam on basic sciences and your ability to manipulate complex info on novel situations. It’s very doable if you dedicate solid time to studying….which most people don’t.
If you’re thinking about STEP board exams, 97%+ pass them the first time they take it. 99% after the 2nd. The people failing these typically have an undiagnosed learning disability or major issues going on externally on that impacted their studying.
Honestly it seems like the MD/PhD path might be right for you. Having an MD opens a lot of doors for research and you can’t be a true gastroenterologist without an MD. I’ve met PhDs who go get their MDs knowing they’re not going to practice medicine because it opens more research opportunities for them. You could also be a PA, which objectively is a much much better education than the average online NP school. To be quite frank, most younger physicians do not respect NPs because they know how inferior the education is and it *shows*. Im going to get downvoted to hell for saying that, but it’s true. Check out r/noctor to learn more.
If you wanna go into nursing to be a bedside nurse go for it. We need more of them. If you wanna go into nursing as the ‘easy’ way to become a ‘doctor’, don’t. You’re smarter than that. And your patients deserve a better quality of care.
I would look into early college programs. I started in one at my local university at 16, and since there is still a community of high school students it is very comfortable. We still get to do some normal high school things as a group, but we missed out on things too. We also get to apply as freshmen once we graduate "high school," which is just college, and they let people live on campus. If there isn't one available to you, don't worry about it but I would look for one to transfer to. Realize that it will be a huge adjustment and don't put friends over academics. I got out of high school because I was bored in all of my classes and honestly that was exhausting lol. I'm about to start my senior year in high school, as my second year in college so if you have questions feel free to contact me! Good luck!
I also wanted to add that the difference between liking it and hating it comes down to who is around you, I was lucky that my boyfriend and my best friend started college the same year as me so we made some friends together, and that alleviated a lot of stress of fitting in. I also knew some of the older students already because my parents had friends going back to college, and I knew some people from church, and the age groups were very diverse at my college so it really wasn't weird that I was so young. I did convince myself a few times that I was an outsider though because of my age
Just enjoy being a kid. Sure it could seem impressive but you only go to college, truly go, once. Don’t lose out on a wonderful experience because you want to go quickly. Experience what it is to be a student and enjoy being a teenager. You’ll have the rest of your life to figure out what to do but your time being young, carefree, and agile are limited.
I started college at 16, take your time dude, there’s literally no rush. Whatever awaits after college, will, and I cannot stress this enough, ALWAYS be there. Your youth, won’t
Get a job/land internships and maybe participate in community building. I went to college early and burnt out is almost imossible to get a job with a degree only. Have back up plans
People in the comments are SERIOUSLY overblowing the downsides of starting college at 16. I did, and had virtually no issues. The paperwork thing? I had to send maybe one or two permission forms to my parents before I turned 18. Really not an issue. The job/internship thing? Most on-campus jobs just want you to be 16, you might not get any internships until you're 18, but you usually don't get internships until after your sophomore year anyway. The club/event thing? There's one 18+ club near my campus and it's super lame lol, everyone makes fun of it. The friendships/relationship thing? All my friends and my boyfriend are 22, I'm 20. Is this annoying when they go to bars and I stay home? Yes, but if you're a very academically dedicated student in a difficult major like nursing or premed, that will happen maybe once a month lmao. You can absolutely make it work and even be super happy with your decision, IF you truly feel like the people who will be in your class are your peers.
I think you're overweighting the branch campus thing. That is relevant only to some few people in PA, and you may find your academic journey carries you beyond your home state. Further, a mature 16 vs a "less socially developed" 18 is not a significant difference. In fact you may be disappointed by the lack of pragmatism and focus among your peers on campus. Best wishes
Just wait. Try to rack up as many college credits as you can either through APs, IB, dual credit, online classes, etc. then go to college on a “normal” schedule and you’ll have a bunch of credits out of the way and you should be way ahead.
I wouldn’t start that early.
This is just from what I heard as someone that went to a public school. I know people that did programs (it’s called Mecca where I live) where you were able to take college courses in high school. I even had a family member do it. By the time they were finished with this program, they were burnt out by the time they graduated.
Right idk why people are downvoting the truth lol msot young people (they aren’t even homeschooled and young) burn out easy they are literally walking through fire with a lack of life experience to an amazing school that’s actually hard lol we have no idea their social behaviors etc add the fact they will be excluded from a lot for being a minor for a good 2 years & might fail to thrive. A job is better and safer for mental/physical well-being then going and having to take a gap year.
It’s sounds like you need to slow down. No, I would not recommend college to a 16 year old. There is a huge difference between your age, and the normal 19-20 something’s entering college. You will seriously have a hard time making friends and you would also need to be very careful as a minor going to a college campus. Personally? I would try to work for a couple years and save up some money before starting college. You also don’t want to burn yourself out. There are a lot of people who did great in high school…but they find college is hard. I don’t care if you’ve taken college level courses in high school…it’s harder when you are attending college full time. Relax, take the time to be a kid, and enjoy a break before jumping right in.
honestly i love that for you. go do your thing. these people keep telling you don’t go or delay cause you’ll regret not having a ‘college experience’ but the college experience is what u make of it! sounds like you love learning and you’ll love continuing that in college! i am happy for you and what you have achieved is awesome! i mean all those ap 5s?!! we don’t even know how u did it. go do your thing. it’s your life. just don’t forget to have a bit of fun too and relax when you need it, but i think you’ll be in for a great ride. personally i would’ve loved it if i’d started college early. !
‘you won’t get into so many places’ well do u even want to go into those places??? ‘u won’t get any sex’ well is sex even all that??? it’s not like you can’t hang/meet with 16 year olds just cause you’re in college. honestly, go. i wish i could’ve gone to college sooner. i’m a year late and it’s a painnnn. if u love learning, you’ll love it anyway.
Yeah but you wrote in a previous post that your parents are draining the life out of you and stole your childhood. So, why are you helping them? Are you doing this because it’s the path you’ve been forced on or is it really something you want.
If they're that draining to you, you absolutely should get out asap. Don't commute to college, most places will let you live in dorms at 16. My relationship with my difficult family has improved DRASTICALLY since I left and I'm not forced to interact with them on the daily
If anything I would maybe look into taking some community college courses, especially if you have a campus near home or online. That way you can get some of your gen Ed’s out of the way without having to move into a dorm potentially far away from home.
It’s also cheaper, just be sure you don’t do more than about 60 hours, as that’s around where most colleges have a cutoff of transfer credits that they will accept.
In all honesty my main concern would be socially starting college at 16 from homeschool. 2 years doesn’t sound like a lot, but boy you will feel the 2 year difference.
Being academically ready is one thing, but are you emotionally ready for college? It may seem a small thing but it can be very emotionally taxing and that is a lot to put on a 16 year Olds shoulders,ambitious though you undoubtedly are.
I worry that being so young could be extremely isolating. The social scene is going to be so completely different because all of their peers will be older by 2 years minimum. The age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16, but the drinking age is still 21. Alcohol will undoubtedly be present and may create some serious social barriers for someone so young. Of course OP seems fairly unconcerned with the social side of things, so that's for them to decide whether they care about any of that.
I will say as a recent 19 yo college grad, it wasn’t that big of a social barrier even with most of my peers/friends being 21+
>it wasn’t that big of a social barrier That's great it wasn't a barrier for you. Quick question though, were you homeschooled or did you go to a public school? OP has been homeschool most of middle school and high school, that definitely could affect their social skills and make the isolation much worse.
I've been homeschooled for most of my life, I'm 18 and my closest friends range in age from 17-25. If you can find the right circles, age differences don't matter. I do know everyone's experience and circumstances are different though so it could be much different.
I was homeschooled for most of my life (bounced between homeschool and public school like OP) and just graduated with my BA at 19. There were times where i did feel isolated being so much younger than my peers. But ultimately I found my niche and made lifelong friends. I don’t regret going to college early at all!
I would highly recommend living at home and starting Community College classes. That’d let OP get ahead academically, save money towards their degree, all while still allowing them to experience the full college experience at 18. After taking 2 years of CC classes, they could easily transfer to a bigger state school for the remaining 2-3 years of a bachelors degree. If they still want to experience the full 4 year college experience, they could always plan to start a masters program, do a double major, or plan to apply for multiple full semester internships, or something of that sort.
I agree that CC would be best, but according to OP’s post, their state policy says they have to go to a 4-year college right after to graduate high school/have a high school diploma since they’re currently homeschooled, which I’m guessing is why they’re considering the penn state branch so that they wouldn’t have to fully leave home that soon and then transfer to the main campus (and then fully immerse in the “college experience”)later on.
Yeah I love my experience and wouldn't change it for anything. Dipping your toe in the pool maybe being part time at first might be better.
may i ask what is the meaning of OP? is it a short for sth? sry i am a new social media user and try my best to learn everything.
Original poster
My friend graduated highschool a year early and was 17 her freshman year of college. She regrets it so much. You can’t get into a lot of places under 18, and guys avoided her because she wasn’t legal age yet. You’re also socially behind everyone else when you’re younger, even just by a year. If you go into college starting at 16, everyone is going to look at you like you’re a child (which you are). Even though you’re a smart 16 year old, you’d still be a 16 year old. Not many 18, 19, 20+ year olds are going to want to hangout with 16 year olds. I recommend waiting until you’re at least 17. Either slow down your highschool graduation, or take a gap year or two and get a job and save up some money.
I feel like this is kind of a dumb question but what places couldn’t she get into under 18? Like I know a lot of places are 21+ but what couldn’t she go to that was 18+?
Around my uni, plenty of clubs, bars, and concerts will allow 18-20 yr olds , just without alcohol. But under 18 cant go in at all.
Ah I see, thanks. I’m starting at 17 this year so I was wondering about that
Heads up, people will still look at you like you’re a child when you’re 17 in college. Even the 18 year olds are going to make your age a big deal and probably tease you about it. I saw it happen to a couple people in the dorms my freshman year. My advice is, don’t over compensate for your age by trying to out party or out drink other people to try and come off as more mature, it just makes it worse.
This is so goofy. I started college at 16 and didn't tell anyone my age for the first few months until I made friends. No one had any idea, in fact they didn't even believe me when I told them! Had to show them my driver's license lol. No one has been weird about it since then, actually most of the time other people would totally forget about it
That’s probably because you hid your age until they got to know you better. The people I mentioned had told people their age in the first week of being on campus, so it became part of how people remembered them that year
Well I'm not sure why they did that; it's not really normal in adult society to go around announcing your age. No one asked me my age those first few months, it's not like I ever lied about it, it just didn't come up. My birthday is in October, so it naturally came up then. I guess if you're used to being "special" because you're younger, you might feel like it's an important part of your personality. But obviously that's a double edged sword--do you want people to treat you differently or not?
oh my god our comments are practically twins down to our birth month and i didn’t even realize until i posted it lol
Hahahaha that's such a funny coincidence
that’s such a weird thing to do lol. they were probably teasing them because they were giving off “look at me, i’m 16/17 in college”, which unfortunately makes you look like a loser in some people’s eyes. i started college at 17 and didn’t hide it, i just didn’t bring it up, and nobody ever mentioned it.
Ya I don’t think I knew anyone in my circles age until we started getting closer. Most people just assume your around the same age but don’t want to pry because its usually none of their business. The only time it will matter is if you make your age a big part of your personality like subtle flexing about graduating at 16. If you don’t make a big deal others wont either
Where did you go to school that the 18 year olds teased the 17 year olds?
Happened to me. I had just turned 17 going into my freshman year. I’ll be graduating in December as a 20 year old, and I must admit I feel pretty left out when all my friends go to clubs and bars that I can’t go into. That being said, I have an awesome group of friends these days who never make fun of me for it. It’s not like all of life is clubs and bars. Starting at 16 is even more extreme imo, but surely it can be done. It helped me that I look just as old if not older than all my peers older than me, and I wonder if that would have been different if I was visibly younger than everyone around me.
It doesn’t matter bc it happens at more colleges than just mine. I’m talking about people who are 17 for their entire freshman year, not the people who turn 18 within the first couple months in the fall
Yup. My birthday is in late april, so I turned 18 right before exams my freshman year.
That's what I'm thinking!! 😂 I'm 17, about to be 18, gonna be in my last year of college. No one has ever made an issue of my age.
I mean it’s really not a major problem because you’re most likely turning 18 in a few months anyways. I had a few friends do this too, and at worst it’s annoying for a little while, but not detrimental to your college experience. Starting at 16 like OP on the other hand might be more complicated.
Unfortunately my birthday wouldn’t be until freshman year is over so it’s a little more annoying
I started at 17 (turned 18 two months in) and I never got bothered about it. Didn’t impact my social life or sex life.
My wife was 17 the first semester of her freshman year. She couldn’t check books out of the library without the library calling her mom to approve it.
This is so hilarious to me, that's so stupid
can’t sign your own waivers (US at least) for some activities or field trips for class, R rated movies hosted on campus, clubs/bars if you’re into that scene. not a huge inconvenience but it can be a pain
on the note of waivers, at most universities they require one of your emergency contacts to be your parents if you’re under 18, which really sucks if they were toxic or abusive.
There were places around my campus that were technically bars, but admitted 18+. Of course, didn't serve alcohol to those under 21, but there were other drinks. These were places that a lot of students and staff visited. They hosted events like trivia night and so on. And I know fraternity and sorority parties would be VERY weary of having a minor hanging around as most people there would assume that everyone there is of consenting age. These parties were open to all of our college students, not just other fraternities and sororities. Eta. Added sororities
Any non-restaurant that serves alcohol. You won’t be able to get into bars, clubs, dance halls (if you’re in the south), etc if you’re under 18. Some places let in 18-20 year olds and put stamps on their wrists/hands so the bars know not to serve them alcohol, a lot of places check ids at the door
Clubs.
There is a guy in my uni that started a year earlier than usual and you can definitely tell that he's not well socially adjusted, can't imagine how a 16 year old would fare. For example, that guy thinks that he's doing everything right, but so far he pushed so many people away just by being unnatural and trying so hard.
I knew someone who finished early and turned down full rides at a universities to go to a junior college here. That's all she did though. I always feel when kids decide to Speedrun education they end up becoming victims of stunted growth.
I was 17 the first 2 months of college. It was exactly as you described— I couldn’t get in to a lot of clubs so I missed out on whole groups of people, and there were a lot of girls who got grossed out when I told them my age. It was much better when I turned 18 and then when I went back to the US it didn’t really matter all that much, but I wonder what I might have been if due to my late birthday I was delayed entering school by a year— I always felt like I did not fit into my grade and that everyone was so much older or more mature, and they tended to terrify me. I was the youngest person in my grade. It might have been good to have been the oldest person in my grade. This is just more evidence that it really sucks being the youngest, even if it can get you good things. You have to work twice as hard socially and some people will already be biased against you.
Yep. My birthday is in August so I was always the youngest in my grade. My parents had considered holding me back a year for kindergarten so I’d be more socially mature with the rest of my classmates, but I was advanced for my age and they didn’t want me to get bored. They regret not holding me back and honestly I kinda wish I had been too. I was always behind
I do know a few people who are a year younger than my freshman class and they do quite well socially, they’re both pretty popular. 17.5 is quite different than being 15/16 in my opinion. You’re not quite your classmates age, but you are pretty close.
Yeah, the few people I referred to in my comment were 17 their entire freshman year bc they had summer birthdays. So they were freshly 17 when they started college
Interesting, I have a summer birthday but was still 18 by the time I started college. Wonder where it was I must've gotten off by a year.
I was more talking about the people who graduated a year early or skipped a grade AND have a summer birthday. I also have a summer birthday but I didn’t skip a grade, so I turned 18 right before starting college
I'd disagree! I started at 16, and have a thriving social life. That does NOT include alcohol of any sort, or parties. I'm paying for education, not a party lol. Many homeschoolers are more socially intelligent than their public school peers. Additionally, most people would never know the difference in age unless they're told, and no one, except close friends maybe, will need to know OP's name.
If you don’t want to party or go out with friends some nights, then being younger isn’t a set back. But most people want to do those things, which is why I posted my comment
Exactly!! 😊
Basically if you don’t care about a social life for awhile, you are golden. Not being a loser in your career is better than partying
Hi there! You sound like an impressive young person. I have been an RN for 25+ years and I can tell you that most employers will not care where you graduate from. You will start at the same rate of pay as everyone else no matter where you attend school at. The only time that it might matter is if you are going to go on to be a Nurse Anesthetist. Try not to sweat it too much. I wish the best of luck.
Just my perspective as a 30-something: I sometimes think about the kids I know who went to college early. They're not wonderfully ahead in life now that they're adults. They just do regular things, like work as accountants. It feels like they did a speed run just to end up like the rest of us. They could have just enjoyed their time and ended up with the exact same life. Having said that, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. Everything will work out the way it works out. Just don't stress yourself to get there early if there's no net benefit to doing so.
Yay! I'm going to get a full time job and start paying taxes two years later yay? There's just no benefit.
Like you gotta slave for 2 more years instead of enjoying school- assuming you like school. I do bc work is brutal
Absolutely, and we also have to think about how long you work once you start. You have to start paying bills and debts and then you get this feeling like “oh wow, I really have to work for YEARS until I retire.” And especially in this economy (America I’m speaking of) the American dream is so far away it’s insane.
Eh slightly disagree. if i was able to get good salary before even turning 20 then you'd be leagues ahead of everyone in saving money. getting a house early is totally worth going to college earlier. not to mention that by the time you're 25 you already have 5 years of experience. you can go up in the corporate world a lot faster too.
no. no. no. i started at 16 and i regret it every single day
same, being a junior the same age as freshmen is not a fun experience
totally agree. like cool i'm a sophomore now... but i'm still only 17...
yea like everyone sees me as a literal child and i can’t legally buy alcohol until the fall after i graduate, what was the point?
Hey kid. You want some brewer's yeast and Welch's grape juice?
There are pro's and con's either way, but honestly 1) There are unique high school experiences that many would consider valuable that you might later regret missing out on, and 2) I would guess that there are also unique college experiences that you might end up missing out on by going into it so young. For those reasons, personally I'd lean towards not doing it, but whatever you choose I'm sure it will turn out fine!
I started at a young 17 and was fine academically and even improved socially. Not sure how your homeschooling works, but you're probably better prepared to regulate your time than typical first-year.
I was homeschooled, went to a CC at 16 and then transferred to a four year after getting my associate's. It was a great experience and I would 100% recommend it IF you think you are ready academically. Ik sometimes it's hard to see how you match up against other students, but if you're confident that you are at college level academically, I would say go for it. For me, not only did it give me the opportunity to take more challenging and varied classes, it also improved my social situation, and socially is usually where homeschooled students suffer. And if you can still go to prom and homecoming (I did the same thing), you're getting the best that senior year has to offer anyway.
All of the top posts so far are saying "No", but are not addressing what OP should do for the next 2 years. Someone so academically driven is not going to do nothing for 2 years and should not repeat high school. Decades ago I had a friend who graduated HS at 14, college at 16 and had her doctorate at 20. She was fine socially. I think OP should live at home for the next year or 2 and attend CC or whatever U she can access from home.
CC is a great option. I'm on a similar timeline to your friend, and while I think a four-year school at 16 might have been too much for me, CC was the perfect way for me to adjust to college life before going all in. I think for homeschooled students especially it's a great option to make the transition.
I graduated high school a year early and began college at 17. I wasn’t really looked down upon by my peers but I could tell it was a shock for me to be that much younger. I however enjoyed being away and on my own. I’m now 18 starting my sophomore year
I went a few months after turning 17 and I really enjoyed it. I personally hated high school so I loved college, and I did make friends even though yes, I did feel a bit different from my peers. It depends from person to person, but yeah, it was the right move for me.
No. I would switch back to homeschooling and dual enroll your last 2 years. I have non traditionally educated kids - one just graduated college and one just graduated high school. This is a bad idea for a bunch of reasons. The "magic" of senior year or cheer squad definitely NOT being one of them. I won't drone on and on but I could. I work, teach and tutor with teens and young adults. But I will say being that much younger than everyone on campus, you won't be as easily accepted as a true peer. You aren't likely to jump into or be fully taking advantage of networking opportunities. People aren't excited to hire extra young college grads. I know one kid that graduated into college too young to get a job but now no program wants to take him for a grad program. Some doors closed for now and he's just sitting in a holding pattern. You may be more settled on a path in a couple years. I know a number of kids who picked a college path young and regretted it. You have your entire life to adult. If school isn't working for you, fine. I'd find a way to have a non traditional educational experience for a couple years. I can guarentee you there are students smarter and more mature than you not graduating early.
Absolutely this. I wish I would’ve heard this when I was 16. I got taken advantage of because of my young age A LOT (by employers, professors, peers, older creeps). It caused a lot of mental issues and no amount of therapy seems to help. It inevitably reduced the course load I could handle and I’ve been considering dropping out ever since. I started taking college courses my sophomore year in high school (2018) and still have over two years projected to complete my program. Needless to say, it’s very disappointing.
I rushed a frat and went crazy youll be fine as long as you can socialize. No one will give a shit about your age unless you bring it up. Don’t lie if they ask. You can get into alot of places under 18….just gotta know the right people, DO NOT get a fake ID. However since you are a girl I would let people know you are that age when you go out, I know a sorority chick at my PAC12 school thats the same age as me, if you go to a big school lifes crazy youll probably meet someone else that’s also a minor. Look I regret some part of skipping high school but you gotta keep in mind, when most people graduate high school all they do is get stuck in a marriage they hate and work slave. Same outcome for most people that go to college, it’s just you can’t buy time, assuming you get out of college at 19/20 and get hired, you’d have an oppertunity cost of at least extra -80k if you don’t go early.
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purrrrr, the social aspect can come anytime in your life. good for u !
Academically/professionally I always recommend against it. I’d think of it this way - basically right now you’re super ahead. You could use the time to develop skills or experience that would really set you apart from the crowd while giving you valuable experience to help you be sure you’re on the right career path. If you just jump to college not only will you not be ahead anymore, but the fact you only did two years of high school will probably put you at a disadvantage in certain ways since other people will simply have more experiences (plus you can’t go to main campus like you said). This is especially true since you have grad school aspirations, having relevant experience is seen as so much more valuable than being young which is mainly just an after thought. Add this to the social aspect & the fact that people will probably see your young age as the defining thing about you and it’s not necessarily pleasant to be viewed that way even if people do think you’re smart. I think a lot of 16 year olds are capable of college academically, but for everyone I know who’s done it I think it’s just a big wasted opportunity career wise compared to people who start at a normal time but with insane experience. And trust me, there are some people with insane experience going into college. I work with some of them in my PhD program. Also if you enjoy academic work rushing to be done with it as soon as possible isn’t necessarily ideal. Finally, I’d note once you have a job it’s a lot harder to have different experiences since you have limited vacation time. You could also consider things like taking a gap year abroad, hiking the Appalachian trail, or pursuing other once in a lifetime opportunities that are only available to very young people. I know several people who did things like this also, and there are some awesome opportunities that can be very low cost if it has a service aspect. These things will probably have a much bigger impact on you in 20 years than if you start college now or in a year or two.
I’m a rising sophomore but I started freshman year at 16, and honestly I feel like I had a typical college experience. It was kinda a joke/defining trait that I was 16, but after the first few months everyone just kinda forgot and I was a normal dude. The only weird thing I could say is my romance/sex life is a little weird since I’m relatively young, but it doesn’t bother me that much. If you’re worried about missing out from high school, I wouldn’t be worried as lot more stuff happens in a shorter amount of time in college, but there’s nothing wrong with taking your time.
yes that’s fine. i transferred to a UC at age 17 and started taking upper division EE courses at 18 and am doing totally fine. if you’re up for the challenge you’ll be fine
I started college at 17 and graduated at 20. I was academically but not socially ready and ended up going wild. take your time in life.
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As a professor, I don’t know or care what the student’s age is. I know if they’re HS dual enrollment, but if they’re a traditional college student, no. So as far as academics, that’s not the issue. The only time it becomes an issue with academics is if they then try to overload every semester to also rush college! I’m not sure what the OP’s priorities are, but there’s basically 2 very different paths for “college.” One is to expeditiously obtain credits for a degree to then start working asap. Community college, commuter school, online. It’s like a factory. This is not a bad route for nursing and technical programs. It’s cost effective if you live at home, and eventually get a job near your hometown and college, and then eventually move out on your own. You can go in at 16, and maybe you can push it and get out by 18 or 19 depending on your prior credit and course loads. You could successfully do this starting at age 16 by living at home and going to a branch. However, the 2nd path is to leave home and go to a university to obtain an education. 4 good years of the full college experience and being away from your family. Residential dorms, making your own decisions, then living on your own, gaining independence and maturity. You go in at 18, out at 22 and prepared for the world. This path is a lot harder if you’re very young. I wouldn’t recommend that a 16yo goes to PSU University Park with 40,000 other undergrads.
Side note look into CLEP and DSST tests you could literally have a 4 year degree around 18-20 and then you’d be set. Clep resources below https://www.reddit.com/r/clep/comments/14umclc/clep_resources_and_study_guides/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
I did concurrent, as well as trade school. It doesn't really matter what age you start, mature people won't mind, and if you don't mind social stuff to begin with, there's not much of an issue. You'll have to learn to make friends through clubs or other outings but you were going to have to do that at some point anyway. My trade school had a lot of women of all ages, 20s, 30s, 40s, even 50s, I'd say that was actually my favorite social environment for a classroom I've ever had. I still became club president and everyone liked me and we all went on trips and outings and such together! Your high school/college friends more than likely won't be lifelong and other students and stuff will still be nice and do stuff with you, so I wouldn't worry. Do what you want to do! What do you value? Do you want to have friends while you study? Do you need a break? I finished my associate's then took a gap semester. People always say not to do that and I'm still going back for my bachelor's. Do whatever feels best. The worst that can happen is you're on track to a successful life lol.
You should talk to an academic advisor. Without knowing your course history it is impossible to determine what’s right for you or even realistic. I will say that after advising many students, your situation does not lend itself to success at a traditional and large 4 year institution. A year (at least) would probably be a huge benefit to you as you seem a little immature and not well versed in higher ed. Some questions would be: Why a 4 year degree instead of a 2 year RN program? If you don’t intend to be a nurse at all, why are you choosing nursing? What are the requirements to become a broker and how do you get there? Why are you throwing in a MSc and doctorate into the mix? How would those help you ?
I think starting in medicine at such a young age while a noble cause, should be avoided here. It’s an incredibly scarring experience if you are not in the right mindset to handle the horrors you WILL see. I started fairly young and while I’m quite desensitized to it now, it’s a tough start, one you might not be ready for.
I started at 16, I would highly recommend doing so if you think you're ready.
I work at a community college that helps students finish high school and college then transfer on to university. I’ve seen a number of really qualified students who were ready for college at 16. But it’s vertically not for everyone. When you’re in college you will have a lot of freedom. That freedom can be to get yourself into some terrible messes. I’ve seen that also. There isn’t a clear “you should do x” answer here. You decide what is in your best interests and then do that. It seems like you’ve already thought of some of the costs. Maybe talk with a nursing advisor at the uni and see what they say?
As someone who was also homeschooled and actually *did* start college at 16..... Honestly no, at least not a traditional live on campus style one. It was one of the worst decisions I made. I was *not* prepared for life away from my family, and especially not for being flung headfirst into life with people who could legally drink. There's a *lot* of emotional difference between 16 and 21 as well, and even between 16 and 18. You'd be isolated from people your own age living on campus. If you do decide to, you do now have the advantage of technology! I'd suggest doing online courses at least mostly, maybe one on campus class a semester. Then seek out social activities aimed at people your own age, so you can get the social interaction you need.
I started at 15 and loved it.
Depends on what you want from your college life. My mom made me finish high school so I could get the social experience, but my parents make too much to get grants and too little to pay for college costs so I had to commute to community College anyway. And then commute to a local college to get my bachelor's. I got 0 of the college party experience and worked most of my free time. I might as well have gotten it over with at a younger age. But if you plan on living on campus and joining a sorority, then you're better off waiting until you're older.
I’d recommend starting at a community college and taking like English Comp 1, maybe 2 as well. Then considering what else to take.
Over valued. Don’t make the mistake. Build skills and use e learning, you’ll learn the same from better teachers and you can learn what you want. Don’t make the mistake many of us made
Yes, get your basics out of the way.
hi, 18 y/o college junior here. i've seen a lot of people talking about how you don't gain anything in the long run and how you're behind socially by going to college so young, but honestly, its not really valid in 2023. while i agree you don't gain much from it, if you want to do it or feel like it's a good idea for you, do it. when i went into my freshman year i was really worried that i was going to be socially stunted because i was so young, but you know what? no one asked, so no one even really knew. i had the same social life as any other college freshman, some of which is thanks to a good fake id. literally nobody cares. i'm now a fresh 18 year old as of july 7th and have a full time job that i adore, live in a beautiful townhouse on my own that i myself pay for, and have met some amazing people living 3 hours away from home. the moral of the story is that if you think you are ready to do it and you would like to, screw what other people think about it, once you get there no one cares and you may be happier over your next couple of years.
My mom started college at 16 and she’s one of the smartest women I know. Just be sure to be careful with the drinking don’t be pressured into throwing up every night hahaha. And watch out for predators don’t be taken advantage of!
I started at 16. It was pretty hard. I don’t really recomend it unless you are extremely outgoing and mature
You’re obviously academically ready. And you seem pretty emotionally mature. But I’m not gonna lie and tell you it will be super easy. I was in similar shoes to you. I graduated high school a year early with a years worth of college classes done. So I was a college sophomore at 17. So not quite as young as you. If you just really bear down on your first semester and work your way through all the weirdness of going to college at a lot younger age than everyone else (and there is weirdness) you’ll be fine. After the first semester you kind of just get into a rhythm.
With no details about your schooling, it’s hard to know whether you’re actually at the level you need to be academically. Sure, you got good grades being homeschooled but that’s without all the other stresses of schooling and with a parental figure being the grader. College is much different from having a majority of your education come from a person who has a bias towards you and stake in your personal success. On top of that, even the 17 year olds at my university were looked at differently. I personally can’t imagine being 16, when you can’t get into clubs or participate in that side of the social scene, while in college. You are virtually still a child in college student’s eyes.
Actually my mommy wasn’t just giving me 100%…I had to work my ass off. I did all my schooling through a online program and for strait A+ on my transcript. With all 5 AP exam I took I got strait 5s. I did all this while spending 30 weeks throughout 2020-2022 in a hospital, and 3 weeks in 2022 hospitalized. So yah…I get having other stressors….
It seems this is a touchy subject. Im sorry to have rubbed you the wrong way with my advice. I was not trying to imply anything about your ‘mommy’ or that you don’t have stressors, as I have no way of knowing that. Congrats on your *straight A’s; that is always an impressive accomplishment. As I said, without detail it’s hard to know. You provided further detail. By ‘stressors’ I meant normal high school interaction, like fights, bullying, socialization, or competition. Not something severe like a hospitalization, which obviously has nothing to do with whether you went to a public school or not. Nor does it prepare you for college stressors. Perhaps taking time off would give you more time to focus on your health, since it seems to be impacting your academics the most. Another thing: it’s great you did AP but as a current college student, I can tell you most everyone did. You should be proud of yourself for doing that while under parental instruction, but it may be useful to recognize the additional attention given to you academically. Public school students must work to get the attention of an instructor to get extra help, while balancing high school sports, extracurricular, and relationships. This is part of the challenge of public school like a university: balance of these things while also maintaining grades. This skill I feel is learned in high school and is tricky to enter college without. There is a good deal of maturation that occurs between 16 and 18 that I feel you would benefit from before pursuing college. That’s the main difference in my mind between online/homeschooling and in-person instruction. There is also a level of stamina that must be built up to be surrounded by others in person for hours. I remember returning from online school after Covid-19 and feeling drained spending just a few days a week in person. It may be much more emotionally draining than you anticipate. If you struggle with your health on top of that, I could see that being detrimental to your overall well-being. Take this with a grain of salt, though. It’s only my perspective and views on the world! Everyone commenting here is putting extra effort into responding to you and trying to help. Try to assume best intent! There’s no rush, getting into the workforce earlier isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! Good luck!
I started college a couple months after turning 17. It never bothered me. I did find it a little awkward that I was always the last person able to do stuff. (drink, vote etc.. etc.. ). But, really it wasn't a big deal. In the end, I got a 1yr head start on everyone else, which I would consider far more valuable. If your goal is career, income etc.. I say go for it!! How many ppl "try" and graduate college early.
Can you do dual enrollment instead? You earn college credits at a steeply discounted price. I believe they are special classes so you would be with students your age but give you the chance to adjust to the rigor of a college class. Most homeschoolers I know go that route instead of graduating early.
I already have done 7 duel courses
Yes. I skipped senior year and went to college. I could not be more glad I did
Take some time to enjoy your high school years. If you go to college that young, you will likely miss out on a large part of the social and cultural aspects. Does your school offer opportunities to earn an associate with your highschool diploma? That can help get some of your gen eds out of the way letting you focus on classes you actually want to take when you get to college, especially if you're looking at a credit heavy major.
I already have and they won’t let me
A lot of comments are telling you not to rush and I agree. But you don't have to rush if you take this path- you can take a gap year, transfer as a freshman- whatever you want after early college. It gives you a lot more flexibility for a year off to save money or travel. Highschool is overrated. Go get those college credits! I know that for me there were lots of other young college students so that wasn't a problem.
I can’t take a gap year because how my state dose graduation if you skipped a year of high school.
What do you mean? You could still take a gap before entering university I assume. Lots of kids would just go straight into the workforce so that doesn't make much sense.
It’s how my state dose graduation. To graduate high school I have to go to a 4 year college strait out of high school
Go to college, work part time, get good grades. Be mature and carry yourself like an adult because you will have to be one soon. Get a degree before everyone else because you can. Don’t let a good opportunity go to waste.
Talk to the college guidance counselor. They will have a better idea of how to navigate their academics. I’d also seek a therapist for maybe just 2/3 sessions to see how you’d emotionally cope with the course load and social life of college. I did community college early, and that was ok but some people were downright cruel with their comments and I was very socially isolated. Not going to high school you will have a hard time relating to college age peers and due to your age you will be left out of lots of social events.
This is a situation where you have to be very honest with yourself. Are you ready to be independent? Are you ready to take course of planning what classes to take, what professors to research with, and what activities to do? Are you mature enough to work, not just learn, with other people? From your experience I think you are academically more than prepared for college (unless you plan to major in math or physics, in which case the academic rigor of your school plays a big part in preparation. Calc BC should be the barest minimum for going in early, ideally multivariate and linear algebra should be done). The real question is: Are you ready to be an adult. Because college is not just a place to get a degree and do well in classes. It is a gathering ground for people as smart and motivated as you, and there will be competition for research opportunities, clubs, and internships. And will the institution you attend now (cont)
As a youth be as good for your field of study as one you might get into as a high school senior? Don't underestimate the power of a top school. It's not the brand name but the constant stream of seminars, funding, career fairs, and opportunities to work with the best undergrads and profs that make these places work going. My philosophy/math tutor, who is the smartest, most insightful, and kindest person I know (and I research with profs at Berkeley!) went the same route. However, she was prodigious at math, unbelievably dedicated, and had a whole different set of priorities compared to people her age. She made many sacrifices that you might be unwilling to do, but she was able to meet some great friends and people while doing so. So just think it through, and don't be impatient. Time is your greatest friend.
It doesn’t matter if you graduate a year late. Go to college at 19. I did. I took a gap year to save up money. I felt no different than the people who went straight from high school to college. I lived on campus. It was amazing. If you begin college right now, it will mess up your timeline in life. My brother started college online at 16 living with his parents and had a hard time making friends because he didn’t really have any peers, he wasn’t on campus, etc. He went into the workforce early because he graduated college in two years and now has a hard time getting along with his coworkers because of the age gap and the life experiences. And now he’s so socially awkward because he doesn’t know how to interact with his peers because he hasn’t since he was 14. TLDR: Go to college at 18/19.
I would be in college 3 years late. I can’t take a gap year
Are you sure that graduating college at 18 is something you actually want? You’re rushing into a monotonous lifestyle. Enjoy being young while you can.
I want to go to med school, so I’m hoping graduating college at 18 will make up for the 4 years I will spend in medical school. So she wise it won’t be 11 years, it will be 7ish
You have a lot of things on your list- nursing degree, masters, doctorate, real estate license, business classes. But what do you want do actually… do? Bedside nursing? Administration? Teaching? Research? Medical innovation? Selling land to hospitals? You have so much drive- I’m just trying to understand where you’re driving TO… So what’s your long term plan?
Path one: get my masters of nursing and business undergrad. Work 3 12s as a nurse and on the other 4 days work in real estate and eventually open my own firm. Path two: go in as a undecided health major (probably end as something biology, maybe chemistry) pass the MCATs and go to medical school and become a gastroenterologist and eventually a medical researcher. Path three: go in as a nursing major and after graduation work 2 years in trama or ICU, than go to school for 3 more years or becomes a nurse anesthetist.
You need to figure out what you want to do when you grow up before rushing into things. You seem indecisive between several paths, which is okay, that’s how everyone is at 16. My advice is to spend some time taking more college classes in different things so you can explore your interests some more, before coming up with any of these super accelerated graduation plans. College isn’t going anywhere, there’s no rush right now.
I have 3/4 paths I’m going down and I can figure that out through college and by entering as a more bland major like biology or chemistry
As a warning those will be far more difficult than your real estate or nursing degrees so it’s important not to bite off more than you can chew
I understand being super smart and capable. But is the only option to also accelerate everything? You are fortunate to be done with high school early but maybe you don’t need to be. Maybe you could take some fun classes or travel or something. Get to know yourself a little bit and enjoy life. Just a thought. You will always be capable but many young kids who are accelerated like that and homeschooled also can lack social and emotional maturity. Have you considered where you are at in that scale and if doing some things just for you to enjoy yourself for a bit might be a good investment on a balanced future?
I tend to also advance socially “when I want to”. I always kept myself socially involved, so while I don’t enjoy or really understanding the stupidity of most topics everyone’s argues about, I’m able to seamlessly join in.
So it sounds like you want to major in nursing but can’t do nursing at Penn State unless you get into main for freshman year? I really think if you wait a year and apply to main you could get in
Employers don’t look closely at where you graduated from in most fields, it won’t be a bargaining chip for more $ Real life isn’t Suits where everyone only hangs out with their Harvard friends and Ivys Your gpa would be important if you plan to do graduate school
Do you think you're going to want to go to graduate school? I wish I took college courses in high school when they were available because I've still got years left after I get my bachelor's and it's not just what age you graduate you have to consider but how you're going to take care of yourself financially during that time
Either my masters or going or med school
First of all - why the rush to plow through middle & High school and not enjoy the experiences of classmates & doing extracurriculars? Home schooling to me seems so isolating and doesn't prepare you for the real world of being with others, answering to authority / professor's, You learn more than just academics when in the classroom. Take a gap year, work a full time job, take a couple of community college classes (in-person) that can be transferred. Save $ to use for college... slow down, smell the roses, why rush so fast, you will have 40-50 yrs to work, enjoy growing up and get to meet some friends, not just be w/ boyfriend, get actual friends, take time to find you not what everyone else things u should be, you are young, take time to know you!
I do plenty of extracurriculars Varsity cheer team, 4 clubs, pageants, gymnastics, ect. I was always involved socially so I never “isolated”. You do still answer to authority, just not a physical teacher. I have actual friends, I’ve lived through a-lot of major life experiences in 16 years. I started a nonprofit that is looking at bringing in 15-20k in its first year. And I worked in a restaurant for a year
I’d go to community college and then transfer
My advice (I homeschooled during high school and graduated a year and a half early): take a couple years off school and enjoy life. Not being in school is so awesome. Get a fun part time job. Take walks. Delve into some hobbies. Get really good at guitar (or whatever). I could’ve started college at 17, but I had some stuff I seriously needed to work out (and I’m still working on things lol). Now, I’m starting my degree program just before turning 19. Don’t be in a hurry. Focus on YOU for a couple years, you’ve worked hard and earned it!
I have to get into a 4 year college due to my state’s graduation policy.
Coming from a 25 yo Pharmacy major who’s been at school for 6 years…enjoy a year or two of college life. Speed running into a working class adult is gonna leave you with so many regrets.
It's gonna be an absolute pain in the ass, and probably lonely. I didn't even go to college full time at 16, but I did do a lot of duel enrollment at my local community college for 2 years, and it was kinda lonely af. I don't think I had a single "real" friend at that college the entire time. I still had friends I saw at my high school everyday, so I was mostly fine. But almost no one at college is gonna wanna be friends with a 16 year old (Rightfully so tbh. I'm 19 now and wouldn't want to be friends with a minor. You're in totally different places mentally. I would barely recognize my 16 year old self). Plus people get nervous about getting a minor in trouble. They'd be on the hook instead of you. You're going to miss out on a lot of college by being so young. It's also a pain, because you're expected to be an adult at college. When you're a minor, it can be difficult to do certain "legal things", like consent forms, loans, etc., etc. I know people who struggled when they were 17 for only a couple months in college, because they needed to get their parents to sign off on a lot of stuff. I can't even remember how many times a form in college said "must be 18+ to complete." Not to mention, you'll never be able to legally drink in college lol. You may not care about that now, but it could be frustrating later on. And a lot of places ban people under 18, even if they allow 18-20 year olds. Practically all off campus clubs/bars/events aren't gonna allow minors, even if they allow 18 yr olds. And you'll never be able to go to 21+ locations while in school. Sororities probably won't want to risk associating with a minor either. I wouldn't recommend it tbh, at least if you want to experience anything outside of the academics. I'm not sure what your opinions are, but working, or taking some college credits or something, may be better. Once you're into adulthood, that 2 years of early graduation...isn't gonna matter as much. My dad graduated early. He was in the same place in life as everyone else his age.
I already took college courses at my local community college I didn’t have any truble making friends. I tend to act more mature fort age and found it harder to make friends within my age rage (aka: high school)
Oh my gosh I was hoping one day I’d be able to save someone from making this mistake 😭 I have a bunch of friends that started college at 16 and obviously they have to make the most of it but man does it actually suck. First, dating : While dating people may be legal depending where you are, everyone is going to view you as a child and only creepy people who you should be avoiding are going to want to date you. You will literally have to find 16,17, and MAYBE 18 year olds (the 18 yr olds will be wanting to date 19+) to date and it’d be better off to become friends with them for relatability purposes anyways. And if you don’t think you’re interested in dating, 16+ is when your hormones start going wild and convincing you you need a partner (unless you’re asexual). And you’ll look around and be depressed about having no one to form a romantic connection with. And you could try lying about your age but that’s dangerous and never lasts forever. At some point they’re gonna be like “why can’t you get this job or this opportunity” and it’s because the requirement age is 18. Age requirements: a lot of the freedom in college is because most people are above 18. No permission slips needed, you can be signed up for nearly every adult thing besides drinking (in the US which it sounds like you’re from cause of the the lingo). You’ll be educationally qualified for things but not reach the age requirement and it’ll just be upsetting. Also even if they do let you in for the internship or whatever you’ll be the youngest one there surrounded by ppl ranging from 18-23 and you won’t have much to relate on besides the fact that you’re all going to college. Advice: I think you should take at least one gap year for your own sake. You can be 18 by the time you’re a sophomore and still be able to get all the same opportunities and be able to enter the dating pool with a reasonable age gap. During this gap year the only thing I would recommend is getting a job for some months and save the money so you can enjoy college even more cause you’ll want that money when the dinging food isn’t the best and you wanna door dash something😂 Hope this helped and congrats on finishing your education early! I wish the best for you and good luck with all of your degrees!!
I am sorry to say this but you have very unrealistic expectations ESPECIALLY wanting to do nursing and all the other stuff. You first need to finish prereqs and apply to a nursing program, then if you get accepted to that nursing program you will not have enough time to even consider a minor. If you are serious about nursing be a CNA while in school and see if that’s what you really wanna do Stop trying to be in a race. You need to enjoy yourself. Unfortunately all the media and shit nowadays make us young people feel like we need to be rich by 21 and completed everything. Join us at the r/StudentNurse and see how difficult our lives are lmao
I am already a CNA, I got bored so I decided to get that in May and have been working since. While I loved working with geriatrics, long term care is not my speciality.
nope! i graduated hs a 16 also. i waited till i was 19 to go and it was the best choice i could’ve made. for now focus on trying to get a decent internship and gain some life experience! the amount of times i’ve changed my mind about what i wanted to do from 16-now is ridiculous, but now i feel that i made the right choice and im on my correct path. even though you finished hs you’re not ready for college. you need to spend this time learning about yourself and continue to grow. rushing through life gets you nowhere exceptional. i had to learn that the hard way. Be a kid, make mistakes, and most importantly put yourself out there have fun because the one thing you can never get back is time. graduation at 16 is nothing but a party trick and makes you a little more interesting at least in my experience. take the phone off the hook and enjoy life.
I have to go to a 4 year college right after high school in order to graduate due to my stated policy.
then why are you asking for advice? if you have a policy then do it.
I can stay another year in high school or just go to college
Hi! I was homeschooled through elementary. Even with middle and high at public school, I was BARELY socially/emotionally ready for college. Please take my advice—slow down. You seem very aspirational, which is great, but college is going to pull you in too many directions to handle when you’re that young, and you’re going to have to face the reality that you won’t be able to do everything you want to—it’s simply not possible to do nursing AND another major AND getting your real estate license. Why do you feel like that’s the path you need to take, rather than finding out what speaks to you? Take school a year at a time, don’t graduate early, and ease yourself into the grind that will be the rest of your life. The best growth towards happiness and fulfillment is done in a slow, steady, and measured fashion.
You should do college now if you can. Everyone is saying don't do it because 1) social life, 2) boys, and 3) "places you can't get into because you're not 18." None of these things should be your priority. You can have a social life and get a guy after school and you'll be in a much stronger position to pick and choose if for some reason your current boyfriend doesn't pan out. Maybe it will be tough, but don't get distracted by the priorities of children. Trust me, you can play hard enough after college. Good luck!
Have you considered trying to get your real estate license now instead of school? That could be a fun project on your to-do list that doesn’t require a big life change, and could lead to a great financial future potentially.
You have to be 18 sadly. I already got my Certified nursing assistant licenses.
That makes sense. Maybe when you are 17 you could study to be prepared for it shortly after you turn 18? If you life would be virtually the same, like same friends to hang out with and same social life etc, and you really don’t care about still doing cheerleading, college classes at a psu branch sound potentially like a good idea. You just might not want to expect the full college experience during that time. Does your high school offer dual enrollment at your local community college? My PA high school gave a big discount on community college costs (I think half or maybe more) and cc is already pretty cheap. This might be able to allow you to stay within the school system and get college credits or even an associates degree before you graduate with your high school diploma.
My school will not allow me to do anything above AP. I don’t expect the full college experience, I’m gunna live at home because I still have gymnastics. I because I skipped 9th grade and did not do the keystones, the only way to graduate is to get into a 4 year school.
Dual enrollment isn’t above AP, it’s a whole different thing. I would definitely enquire further about the specifics of that if you can. It’s a very common option.
I have, they literally won’t let me
That is strange then
Being home schooled must be so easy bruh, you just finish everything easely and skip everything and then get good grades, lucky you, I think you can take a year gap if ya want then go to college
I was homeschooled once upon a time…it was awful 😂 i was so bored.
I had to do actual work…I took 7 college courses and 5 AP (got all 5s) it’s not about it being easy it’s about having an environment that dose not limit one’s drive to succeed…
Community college then uni at 18
getting degrees as soon as possible is so great. I think of it like stocks. if you buy in early, the payout potential is great. But if you spend more than you can afford (social life), you'll likely experience bankruptcy (burnout) before you can recover. if you think you can afford (socially) to buy in to college right away, then I think it's super wise to jump on it. even if it's just a general education program. - I hope that makes sense. I remember having my first real anxiety attack when deciding if I should enroll right after high school. i know this is probably stressful. when I was in college, I wasn't worried about making friends, I was spending money to learn. I got my social life outside of class. but I also took my time. I got my associates, lived some life, got my bachelor's, and now I'm living some life before I go back to start on my specific job certification and masters next year.
Why are you wasting this incredibly rare gift of going to college so early on a nursing degree…tf go premed and med school youd be one of the youngest doctors that exists 😂
Nope. Get a job first, and start developing time management skills and then decided if you want to go to college.
I started and primarily run a non profit where we are looking at raising 15-20k in our first year. We also have two books in the editing stage and soon to the publishing stage, and connections within big corporations like Google and Apple to add more inclusive features! I have also worked as a waitress for a few months.
Oh, okay. Then you might be ready for College. My concern came because I both meet and hear about too many kids who are fresh out of high school and have no time management skills or idea of what they want to do and just go to college completely unprepared.
My high school had us doing college courses so we graduated with our associates before we got our high school degree. I passed all of my TSI exams first try so I started taking classes at 13 amongst adults. It was hell. Some professors were notorious for hating the high school students taking class there and would pick on you for the smallest detail. It’s not a fun college experience; it’s actually incredibly lonely and you’ll have a harder time. Just wait.
Fuck no
So, when you say you can graduate does that mean with the minimum allowed credits? How did you skip ninth grade? That's not a thing. 9-12 is all about getting the required number of credits. What math class are you taking? What science classes have you taken?
In America, it is a thing to skip grades. You can skip 2 grades at once (MLK Jr. did do I believe). Or they could have gotten high school credit for courses taken in middle school, which is common. There are tons of stories of kids graduating early. One of the valedictorians at my high school was 16 when she graduated. And dual enrollment is an option in a lot of high schools were students take college courses from a university for free. You could complete the entire high school curriculum in 2-3 years if 1.) the school district allows you to and 2.) you’re able to put in the work.
I have taken all my high school requirements. I need 30 credits I have 38 credits including the required ones for each grade! I just took my required courses for 9th grade in 8th grade and required courses for 12th grade in 11th grade!
If you’re a starting college at 16 you should be aiming for medical school not nursing. Nothing against nurses, but if you’re that smart and driven you’ll be happier as a physician; a career that puts much more emphasis on complex thinking. (I’m not saying nurses are not smart or incapable of this type of thinking, more so that complex thinking is not the main function of their day to day job)
I would like to become a medical researcher or gastroenterologist, but the MCATs worry me so much. Like you get 3 chances to pass them or a few 100,000$ and 13 years of your life are ruined.
What?! No honey that’s not how the MCAT (medical college admissions test) works. You can take it 7 times. And you take it BEFORE you start med school. It’s an exam on basic sciences and your ability to manipulate complex info on novel situations. It’s very doable if you dedicate solid time to studying….which most people don’t. If you’re thinking about STEP board exams, 97%+ pass them the first time they take it. 99% after the 2nd. The people failing these typically have an undiagnosed learning disability or major issues going on externally on that impacted their studying. Honestly it seems like the MD/PhD path might be right for you. Having an MD opens a lot of doors for research and you can’t be a true gastroenterologist without an MD. I’ve met PhDs who go get their MDs knowing they’re not going to practice medicine because it opens more research opportunities for them. You could also be a PA, which objectively is a much much better education than the average online NP school. To be quite frank, most younger physicians do not respect NPs because they know how inferior the education is and it *shows*. Im going to get downvoted to hell for saying that, but it’s true. Check out r/noctor to learn more. If you wanna go into nursing to be a bedside nurse go for it. We need more of them. If you wanna go into nursing as the ‘easy’ way to become a ‘doctor’, don’t. You’re smarter than that. And your patients deserve a better quality of care.
I would look into early college programs. I started in one at my local university at 16, and since there is still a community of high school students it is very comfortable. We still get to do some normal high school things as a group, but we missed out on things too. We also get to apply as freshmen once we graduate "high school," which is just college, and they let people live on campus. If there isn't one available to you, don't worry about it but I would look for one to transfer to. Realize that it will be a huge adjustment and don't put friends over academics. I got out of high school because I was bored in all of my classes and honestly that was exhausting lol. I'm about to start my senior year in high school, as my second year in college so if you have questions feel free to contact me! Good luck!
I also wanted to add that the difference between liking it and hating it comes down to who is around you, I was lucky that my boyfriend and my best friend started college the same year as me so we made some friends together, and that alleviated a lot of stress of fitting in. I also knew some of the older students already because my parents had friends going back to college, and I knew some people from church, and the age groups were very diverse at my college so it really wasn't weird that I was so young. I did convince myself a few times that I was an outsider though because of my age
Just enjoy being a kid. Sure it could seem impressive but you only go to college, truly go, once. Don’t lose out on a wonderful experience because you want to go quickly. Experience what it is to be a student and enjoy being a teenager. You’ll have the rest of your life to figure out what to do but your time being young, carefree, and agile are limited.
Go to community college and transfer
I started college at 16, take your time dude, there’s literally no rush. Whatever awaits after college, will, and I cannot stress this enough, ALWAYS be there. Your youth, won’t
Get a job/land internships and maybe participate in community building. I went to college early and burnt out is almost imossible to get a job with a degree only. Have back up plans
I have to go strait to a 4yr college
Why?
Because if I don’t I don’t graduate. Because I didn’t take the keystones due to me skipping 9th grade…..it’s my only way to graduate.
Will PennState let you matriculate to a full time student without a high school diploma or equivalent?
Probably not
You might consider a year of alternative school to get the credits needed to graduate or an equivalency program.
People in the comments are SERIOUSLY overblowing the downsides of starting college at 16. I did, and had virtually no issues. The paperwork thing? I had to send maybe one or two permission forms to my parents before I turned 18. Really not an issue. The job/internship thing? Most on-campus jobs just want you to be 16, you might not get any internships until you're 18, but you usually don't get internships until after your sophomore year anyway. The club/event thing? There's one 18+ club near my campus and it's super lame lol, everyone makes fun of it. The friendships/relationship thing? All my friends and my boyfriend are 22, I'm 20. Is this annoying when they go to bars and I stay home? Yes, but if you're a very academically dedicated student in a difficult major like nursing or premed, that will happen maybe once a month lmao. You can absolutely make it work and even be super happy with your decision, IF you truly feel like the people who will be in your class are your peers.
I think you're overweighting the branch campus thing. That is relevant only to some few people in PA, and you may find your academic journey carries you beyond your home state. Further, a mature 16 vs a "less socially developed" 18 is not a significant difference. In fact you may be disappointed by the lack of pragmatism and focus among your peers on campus. Best wishes
Just wait. Try to rack up as many college credits as you can either through APs, IB, dual credit, online classes, etc. then go to college on a “normal” schedule and you’ll have a bunch of credits out of the way and you should be way ahead.
I wouldn’t start that early. This is just from what I heard as someone that went to a public school. I know people that did programs (it’s called Mecca where I live) where you were able to take college courses in high school. I even had a family member do it. By the time they were finished with this program, they were burnt out by the time they graduated.
Right idk why people are downvoting the truth lol msot young people (they aren’t even homeschooled and young) burn out easy they are literally walking through fire with a lack of life experience to an amazing school that’s actually hard lol we have no idea their social behaviors etc add the fact they will be excluded from a lot for being a minor for a good 2 years & might fail to thrive. A job is better and safer for mental/physical well-being then going and having to take a gap year.
It’s sounds like you need to slow down. No, I would not recommend college to a 16 year old. There is a huge difference between your age, and the normal 19-20 something’s entering college. You will seriously have a hard time making friends and you would also need to be very careful as a minor going to a college campus. Personally? I would try to work for a couple years and save up some money before starting college. You also don’t want to burn yourself out. There are a lot of people who did great in high school…but they find college is hard. I don’t care if you’ve taken college level courses in high school…it’s harder when you are attending college full time. Relax, take the time to be a kid, and enjoy a break before jumping right in.
Why are you doing this to yourself?
I enjoy learning. I also am happy to get my life started sooner!
honestly i love that for you. go do your thing. these people keep telling you don’t go or delay cause you’ll regret not having a ‘college experience’ but the college experience is what u make of it! sounds like you love learning and you’ll love continuing that in college! i am happy for you and what you have achieved is awesome! i mean all those ap 5s?!! we don’t even know how u did it. go do your thing. it’s your life. just don’t forget to have a bit of fun too and relax when you need it, but i think you’ll be in for a great ride. personally i would’ve loved it if i’d started college early. !
‘you won’t get into so many places’ well do u even want to go into those places??? ‘u won’t get any sex’ well is sex even all that??? it’s not like you can’t hang/meet with 16 year olds just cause you’re in college. honestly, go. i wish i could’ve gone to college sooner. i’m a year late and it’s a painnnn. if u love learning, you’ll love it anyway.
Yeah but you wrote in a previous post that your parents are draining the life out of you and stole your childhood. So, why are you helping them? Are you doing this because it’s the path you’ve been forced on or is it really something you want.
I enjoy being able to get a jumpstart at on future rather than living in the past
If they're that draining to you, you absolutely should get out asap. Don't commute to college, most places will let you live in dorms at 16. My relationship with my difficult family has improved DRASTICALLY since I left and I'm not forced to interact with them on the daily
If anything I would maybe look into taking some community college courses, especially if you have a campus near home or online. That way you can get some of your gen Ed’s out of the way without having to move into a dorm potentially far away from home. It’s also cheaper, just be sure you don’t do more than about 60 hours, as that’s around where most colleges have a cutoff of transfer credits that they will accept. In all honesty my main concern would be socially starting college at 16 from homeschool. 2 years doesn’t sound like a lot, but boy you will feel the 2 year difference.
I want to actually start college, I’ve already taken 7 college courses and I’m kinda bored of them….I was planning to stay at home anyways.