If you're offered an oppurtunity to start college at only 14, is it wise to take it?

Question

Assuming that you must stay on campus... like a regular student.
Thanks.

Answer 1

I was offered that opportunity. My mom told me no. She said that the age difference would be too great and I wouldn't have any friends. Well, what she didn't realize is I already didn't have any friends. So, I'd say it depends on the maturity level, IQ and the ability to take care of ones own needs. If you're going to be surrounded by adults who can help keep you safe on campus and you have someone to talk to each day to make sure all is OK (like your adviser) and you know you can do well in college courses, I'd say all that should stand in your way is your parents.

Some parents don't want kids to go to college early for a variety of reasons. These are the ones I've heard:

too young, won't be able to take care of all your own needs, won't "fit in", won't be safe (there are psychos everywhere, but parents feel more at ease if their teen-aged daughter shares the same house and goes to a school where they are more "protected" than in a college environment), you might fall in with the wrong crowd and end up having sex to early, drinking too early, or learning the wrong lessons about how responsible you should be for yourself (every college student I knew was self-centered and felt the world should bow to their needs, even if their needs interfered with the needs -- such as a good night's sleep -- of others. Also, you can't drive yet. How will you be able to get necessities? Without leaving campus? Most people would think you'd be targeted by people who will take advantage of your naivete.

You can't help it that you're only 14 and haven't really had enough life experience to more or less live on your own. If your parents could be reassured on these points, especially by the college and not you or someone here in Yahoo, you may stand a chance of being allowed to do it. You'll be missing out on a lot that most parents think is important. Stuff I didn't care about, like learning how to get along with others your age, prom, "dating", etc. There are a lot of experiences in high school that parents think are important for their child's development. So you may lose out just for that reason alone.

Ultimately, it is up to your parents. If the college can make sure you are OK and you figure out a way to reassure your parents, then they might give in. But I never had a classmate in college who didn't go to high school at least until Junior year.

So the odds are against you.

Good luck.
Oh, and some colleges allow kids in high school to take one course a semester. You may be able to do that for a while. If your parents see it's good for you, they may let you go before you graduate high school.

Answer 2

No. Intellectually, it may be okay, but not developmentally. You need to socialize with people your own age. A 14 year old doesn't have anything in common with a college aged student. You only get one childhood and once it's gone, it's gone and you can never get those carefree days back. You have the rest of your life to be an adult. I say let the kid be a kid and s/he can go to college at the appropriate age along with his/her peers.

Answer 3

omg, were you asked to go to clolege. Wow i wouldnt reccomend it though you might not feel ready for it it really depends. But the upside is you will get a degree or something and then you will have free time bfore you get a job so yeah.