November 8, 2008
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Graduating in the 10th Grade
Education officials believe that 10 graders may be able to graduate from high school.
They would then be freed up to move on to college early. These students would be given a test to make sure they were prepared. Here is the link: Link
I went to a high school that was considered one of the top in the state at the time. But I also felt like I was outgrowing it. Some kids in my high school started taking college classes when they were in high school.
Do you think 10th graders should be given the opportunity to graduate early?
Comments (214)
I definitely think it’s a good idea
Well, I’m in 11th grade and I’m about to earn my associate’s degree in applied science. And BESIDES that, I’ve taken 6 AP classes so far and will be taking several more next year.
And I’m considered a slacker at my school.
Dude- I’m new to the site and I managed to nab a first comment spot!? hahaha. Awesome.
Anyways, to elaborate- I think as long as the kids were mature enough to handle college life, it isn’t a bad thing to do. I started in college classes when I was in 10th grade, thanks to a program between my school and the local college. It was free and it was fantastic. I had a year’s worth of college credits by the time I graduated high school. My only concern would be kids getting involved with older college kids- just that whole combination could become bad…
So yes.
Yes.
NO! I’m a senior at a very competitive school (usually averages around 20 national merit finalists a year), and when underclassmen graduate early it moves them into our class and messes up our class ranks! Not to mention, a 10th grader is usually 16 year old. A student who is not even an adult would barely be able to handle all of the responsibility that a college environment is said to bring.
If the students want a head start in college, they can take AP classes and get credits from the tests. I’ve known plenty of people who have done this and ended up starting out college as a sophomore.
sure , why not!
I definitely think the opportunity to leave early should be given these kids.
For me, the beginning of my SOPHORE year of high school I found I was suddenly hit with the desire to just DROP OUT OF HIGHSCHOOL ALTOGETHER.
I stuck with it till I graduated. . .
But boy, how I yearned all those 3 freaking years to get out of it. I felt my time was, more or less, being utterly wasted. That I was being Held Back.
Having read the article. I agree that this has the potential to give us a competive advantage against the other countries. . .USA doesn’t do very well in its education of youth.
I was in honors classes and I graduated a year early. I don’t see why not, as long as they’re prepared.
My husband left high school at fifteen and went to college. The HS wouldn’t allow him to graduate early because at that time it just wasn’t done… so he was a drop out even though he was on a full ride scholarship to a university.
My daughter was amazingly mature for her age, but she was not ready to go away to college. Most high schools allow for students to have dual enrollment in high school and a local college – in our area, a very good community college. I think it’s important for most teenagers to have the experiences high school offers: football games, band, sports, dances, clubs, community service opportunities. These things and others are just as important in preparing them for college as academics. There will always be those kids who are exceptions, but for the most part I can’t imagine throwing a 15-year-old into the college culture. There is a lot of maturing that happens between 15 and 17 or 18. Even then, I’ve known a lot of kids who completely wasted their first year of college partying all night, sleeping all day and never attending classes.
If they’re ready for it and have already done all of the requirements then sure, why not?
I was going to say yes, but then I realized that 10th grade is only about 16 years old, and a 16 year old should NOT be in college.
For most students GOSH NO. I was an honor student, very bright, and I was STILL barely ready for college after the 12th grade. Most 10th graders are NOT ready for college! Some are and those who are should go when they’re ready.
Oh yeah.
If it means I can be in class with them when I go back to college next September?
YES OH GOD YES PLEASE!!!
ha i just posted this like, yesterday.
i think they should have the opportunity, yes.
If they’re smart enough….why not!
Only if they’ve completed all the major subjects. English, Math, Science, History. You could easily swap out studyhalls and other things and get those in. But sure, if the students are bright enough let them. However, I wouldn’t force them to either. College isn’t easy and being even younger and thrown into that envirnoment, might not always work out. Some kids shouldn’t be put under that much pressure. However, if they’re up to the task, why not.
i know two people that did it. both were accepted to premier universities. neither has graduated or obtained gainful employment more than 12 years later. that said i lean towards no. unless they are moving into trade programs. the people i know who did that are doing fab!
no. educationally they may be ready, but mentally they are not.
No, they’re not mature enough for college yet.
I graduated high school and started college a year early. It was a disaster! I was intellectually ready but emotionally unprepared for college. I think they should be allowed to take college level classes, but no to early graduation.
Yes…HS for 4 years was a waste of my life…I was ready for college by the 10th grade
I went to college when I was fifteen.
I don’t know, I just think 15 or 16 is way too early for the average kid to be going to college.. people mature a lot in those extra couple of years. Being smart or ambitious doesn’t necessarily mean they are mature enough and ready for college.
My friend has her masters at 22 because she graduated early and took classes during the summer, she has worked at the UN translating and gone to world conferences. She was ready at 15 to move on,many are not..
I think yes but maturity would have to play a large roll.
YESSSS!
no one wants a bunch of kiddies in college…
@PacifismPlease - Apparently, by your spelling, it’s not a good idea.
No, there’s studies done that kids who get to go to college early don’t do as well compared to people who go through the four years of high school. It’s eight years (high school and college) vs. six years, who’s at a greater advantage? Just give them more difficult classes, because honestly, the American kids aren’t so bright and this is just dumbing them more.
i dont think i was mentally/emotionally ready for college at that age. so maybe yes for a jc, but no for moving away to attend a 4 year.
also my sister just started college with enough credits to have sophomore status. meaning she doesn’t need much general education credit and should be working on her major. she has no clue what she wants to do with her life, and really, who does at 18 let alone 16 (cough.. or 22 ^.^ ).
No. I do, however, like the idea of taking a page out of some other countries’ books and creating schools for post-high school plans: a liberal arts high school for kiddos who want to go to college, a technical school for those who want to pursue that etc.
they have the same system here in singapore. you can skip like a whole level or 2 and go straight to college. i guess if you’re mentally prepared, you can…
I’m graduating in 11th grade, next year. If I were to graduate this early, in 10th grade, I would NOT be ready.
hm. i don’t know why this is something new to be discussed? it’s certainly a new way to graduate high school, but i know plenty of sophomores that graduated early, mostly because they took community college classes and finished all their requirements. and most of the honors/AP juniors and seniors took CC classes anyway. it’s not uncommon.
and while i was at UC santa barbara, there were a couple of ten year olds taking classes with us.
meh.
no. you should finish high school with a set number of credits. attended high school and after school i attended college. you can attend school and college at the same time. many people serve in the guard and are in high school.
however, things maybe different now. that was a long time ago.
38th
it’s one thing for them to be academically ready, but it’s important to make sure they are also emotionally ready and mature enough for college. the two (intellect and emotional maturity) don’t always go hand-in-hand.
If they’re able to handle the college work load after the 10th grade then by all means they shouldn’t be denied the opportunity to graduate from high school so early in their lives. I’m more concerned about if they’re emotionally and socially ready to handle college life. I don’t know if they’ll be able to handle it.
I’m a graduating senior in high school and I sometimes even wonder if I’m ready for college life.
No; generally speaking (and there are always exceptions to generalities) 10th graders are not mature enough for college life. They may well be academicallly ready, but they are not socially ready. Most 10th graders I teach still have their mothers wake them up to get to school and don’t have driver’s licencses!
i hope not, id envy them lol
No! The age difference is the main thing. Creepy……..
Go to college fully? No.
Take AP classes and maybe a bit of concurrent enrollment? Yes.
Most sophomores are not mature enough to go to college. For instance, where I went to school, HS was grades 10, 11, and 12, and 9th grade was still in the junior high. The best thing for them is to enjoy their last years of being in high school. You can still go to college and be in HS, you just have to get the right classes and have enough credits.
Yes
I think so, if they are ready. In some European countries, you finish in 9th or 10th grade, and then go on to a different type of school, and then later go to college if you so choose. I think it’s a great idea. The only issue with it is you have to decide a bit earlier what you want to do with your life, but there is still room to change your mind if you think you got it wrong.
I started college when I was 16. I was and am more ready for it than most of the 20 year olds. So I would say it depends on the person.
Sure. I was able to take college courses during high school and eliminating the whole high school part would have definitely helped my college courses.
There’s more to being ready for college than just grades. Can the average 16 year old handle it? I see tons of 18 and 19 year olds who can’t.
I started university at 15.
If they’re mentally ready for college, then it sounds like a good idea.
NO FAIR.
I would say no in most cases.
I also took college classes in high school but they offered them at my school.
Ideally the high school faculty should provide some kind of individual study, but taking some college classes would probably be easier. I think the parents should try to keep him around kids his own age part of the time.
No. I’m in tenth grade right now, and im 15 years old. there is no way in hell that i would be able to handle all the responsibilities of college. and also, why would someone want to graduate that early? what about all the fun of senior year, and getting to graduate with all of your friends?
i think its a downright stupid idea for a tenth grader to graduate and go to college. what the hell is the point of 11th and 12th grade then, if you can just graduate in tenth?
Yes. Most people waste away their junior and senior years so it’s nice to have the oppurtunity. However, I would never take advantage of it.
I dropped out of high school and went to college when I was 16. It was a small liberal arts college, so I didn’t feel a whole lot of pressure to party too hard. Actually, I didn’t even get into partying until my Junior year of college, when I was the “normal” college age of 18.
I ended up taking a year off in the middle, so I graduated only one year earlier than “normal.”
I don’t feel like I missed any crucial life experiences. I had a great time. I could have done it at 14.
High school should be abolished. Teenagers can take better care of themselves than we give them credit for. If we allow them to be mature, they can be.
Sounds like a good idea to me. :]
A young friend of mine graduated from high school at fourteen and entered university immediately. At age fifteen he graduated from university with a degree in engineering science.
He had the advantage that his family moved next to the college campus so that he could live at home while earning his degree.
My high school offered something similar to the seniors allowing them to leave school after lunch like the work program students to take a college class. I wish I would have done more in high school. I would have loved an opportunity like that.
I think that they should graduate in 10th grade, party for two years, then go to college. They’ll certainly be ready then.
I would have to say no. They may be ready academically for college, but mentally, physically, and emotionally the majority of them are not ready.
No, definately not.
The aim of four years of high school isn’t just preparedness for high school– it is also four years worth of classes and growth.
I wonder how many of the graduating 10th graders have tkane and passed advancecd physics for calculus. How many of thse 10th graders have taken government, economics, and american history. In high school graduates, we want someone capable and with a well-rounded education.
While I believe that the best and brightest of us deserve to make this jump, there’s no good reason to make this the norm.
Seems fair, some people in my school are definitely smart enough. There’s a junior in my AP Calculus class who took Pre-Calc his sophomore year, a class most people don’t take until their senior year, if at all.
What I wonder is if they’d be mature enough for the jump from high school to college. They’re only getting 2 years of high school before moving away (possibly) to college. If they are, they totally deserve it.
They should at least try it, I think.
Yeah sure but why ruin your childhood? 16-18 is the last chance you get to fool around before being held accountable. And I don’t wanna start seeing 16 year olds at college getting shitfaced. That’ll ruin the whole random hook up at parties since now they’re almost all 18 when they get to college.
Having the opportunity would be great… HOWEVER. Testing is a really crappy way to make sure students are ready. Unless the tests are actually creative and not fill-in-the-bubble, multiple choice, SAT style, nothing they actually know will be tested.
If they have enough credits by then, then of course. My high school doesn’t allow anyone to graduate early, even if they have more than enough credits. They make you space out the required classes through your four years there. Senior year basically drags on.
Yes, most definitely. I know several people in my class who just took their GED so they could go to college early. Essentially, they dropped out after 10th grade and got their GED and eventually even got into the honors program at the college I went to. It’s a great idea!
@bekkathebaka - Seems fair, some people in my school are definitely smart enough. There’s a junior in my AP Calculus class who took Pre-Calc his sophomore year, a class most people don’t take until their senior year, if at all.
I bet that guy took math class over summer school. I did that and started taking Calculus my sophomore year– this fact itself didn’t make me ready for college.
Being advanced in one subject isn’t anything special. I bet that guy is just on schedule with his History, English, and Science classes.
I don’t think so, there are some exceptions where the kid is smart and mature enough but those are pretty damn rare. If they let 10th graders graduate and go straight to college instead of an 11th grade, we’ll probably end up with some more Sarah Palins [ex.- She didn't know that Africa is a continent, she thought Africa was one united country ...It's really a shame that she almost became the second most powerful person in this country, McCain voters were seriously disillusioned].
~1~
Yes. Hell, if I had been allowed that option, I wouldn’t have considered dropping out all together.
Absolutely. In California, we take the CAHSEE [California High School Exit Exam] in 10th grade, and you have to pass this to graduate high school. If you don’t pass it the first time, you have the chance to retake it several times. I passed it the first time with an almost perfect score. This is my exit pass from high school, and I have proved that I learned everything necessary to pass high school, so why am I stuck here for the next two years after 10th grade?
My high school also doesn’t offer the option of taking a class at the community college if our school offers it, while other schools in my valley do. Something like Calculus that is only offered one period a day is something I can’t take due to scheduling conflicts, and that period not being open on my schedule. I think all students should have the option of going to college early if they have deemed themselves worthy.
If they can pass the test, sure why not! That test should also include testing their social abilities and maturity level… some 10th graders are not mature enough for college.
If they are academically prepared and capable of handling college why not?
sure…i think that would give the opportunity for kids who arent bored in school to be challenged more. when kids get bored, they turn to other things…some of those things are bad. i think it’s an awesome idea.
I think so.
I think school shouldn’t last longer than is necessary. It’s ridiculous to hold kids back two years just because high school HAS TO BE four years. But if they aren’t ready to be out on their own, then they shouldn’t.. but most people who work toward graduating early aren’t immature. It’s something they definitely should have to put forth the initiative and work for, not just that high school should be cut by two years.
@PacifismPlease - Oh, thank god I’m not alone
@huginn - Don’t assume things, it isn’t becoming. =] He’s actually a great student, he’s in advanced science and world history classes, and in Latin. He’s definitely ready for college.
No! Science shows that as teenagers, we are less likely to think about our choices and make good decisions. It’s something to do with our frontal cortex reorganizing itself… but we start to finish this up by the time we’re 18 or so. As a 17-year-old, I don’t even feel mature enough to go to college yet, and I’m at the top of my class. This would just put more pressure on kids, force them to grow up early, and leave room for a lot of mistakes. A sixteen year old is not ready to go to college and lead an independent life. They would end up drinking too much, being take advantage of by older classmates, and generally making bad choices.
@bekkathebaka - Don’t assume things, it isn’t becoming. =]
Oh, he took senior-year courses as a sophomore? Great for him!
sure, why not. after all, the general high school usually offers A.P. courses by eleventh grade anyway. and considering the A.P. classes parallel college course material, a student in an A.P. class is basically taking a college course anyhow.
@huginn - I know, it’s really fantastic. It makes me jealous.
as long as they are ready academically yes
i started taking college courses when i was in the 10th grade
I think it’s a good idea. My 17 year old is highly intelligent, she will graduate this year with pretty much a full smemster of college under her belt. She would have had more had we beenable to afford more….though it would be hard to imagine a 16 year old going off to college:(
I think it’s a good idea for some. Some 15 year olds are SOOOO immature. At high schools around where I live they are allowed to go to a community college and end up graduating with an associate’s degree by the time everyone else has graduated from high school. Then there are programs in the high schools as well where you can attend Eastern Michigan and earn up to 60 credits while attending high school still. My high school I graduated from had a dual enrollment program where you can take classes at the university while still being in high school, getting all those high school experiences, etc.
I definitely think it’s a good idea for some, like people who are really mature, but it can have a negative affect on some people if they were to attend college early.
I am currently in all “advanced” class in 10th grade. If what I am in is “advanced and rigorous courses designed to prepare me for college,” then I either want “advanced advanced” classes or to just be put in college already. It is not right for me to have an A in all of these classes and still consider myself a slacker and one of the prime examples of the dredges of society.
@plasticdreamss - It’s because we think there’s no point to those grades that we want to graduate in tenth grade.
Social experiences in high school prepare students for college, as well. I’ve seen plenty of underclassmen who don’t know how to handle a party (AKA underclassmen who end up passed out with a lampshade on their heads), and it’s pretty clear that if they end up like that at college (where sexual assault is rampant), they will wake up with no memory of what even happened- pregnant? How did that happen?!
I wenty to college at 15 and did OK………. so……… yeah if they meet the requirement why not?
If the students are capable enough to move up early, and WANT to do it. Why stop them?
Taking college classes and going off to college are two totally different ball games. I know some people who started taking college classes at ages as young as 12. And I’ve also known some who went off to college at age 16. Each person is different, but I think sending a 16 year old off to college throws them into a lot of situations that they probably aren’t mature enough to handle.
~RvL
No! Just because you can pass a test doesn’t mean you’re ready for something! I’ve heard quite a few people who have taken the GED and passed with flying colors say that despite their success with that, they found out they really weren’t ready for college once they got there. Besides, 10th graders aren’t mentally prepared to handle college. Heck, a lot of collge-aged students aren’t mentally prepared to handle college!
Good I don’t feel so bad I dropped out in 10th grade.
I graduated at 11th grade.
Absolutely. I took IB courses for college credit from 10th grade on (and if I didn’t pick such a stingy university I’d likely have gotten something like 30 to 40 hours for it), and I know people who graduated and went on to college two years early. These days everyone likes getting stuff done earlier anyway, so… why not?
But that said, teenagers are less prepared emotionally to handle being thrown out there into the world. We want to grow up more quickly, but we need to make sure there’s ample means for us to get by after that.
I guess what it all boils down to is a larger work force, which, depending on how Mr. Obama handles things, may or may not be a good thing.
That’s exactly how it is here in the Philippines. 6 years of elementary education. And then 4 years of secondary. And then college.
Yes, as long as they earn their credits and pass all the tests needed (like the high school exit test). Then why not? They earned it.
Xo
Well, on the one hand, certain students who excel might feel frustrated being forced to do a lower level, so early graduation is a good idea.
But going to college is not simply moving to another academic level. It is a big life step, and one that many 18 year old kids have trouble with, let alone 16 year olds. So, I think perhaps there should be some kind of programme for bright kids, but they shouldn’t go to college. Of course, some 16 year old kids are more prepared than some 18 year olds, so it really differs from person to person. But college for a 16 year old is in general a bad idea.
In Washington you can take your collage entrance exams in 10th grade. if you pass them you can stop going to high school and enter a local collage. Were the state will pay for it all until for the next two years. You can receive an AA degree and and high school diploma on the same day.
That is what I did, it was great. I can’t imagine how bored I would have been taking high school courses those last two years. The teachers and students in collage are vastly better. almost everyone wants to be there and wants to learn as much as they can.
well if that was the case
then I could’ve gone to college at 15
because I was taking college courses then
I dont get the need to rush growing up.For some it might be good for them,but the majority of teens have enough things in their life to deal with with out adding the stresses of college life on them sooner than neccesary.Enjoy this time,this freedom now because life is going to come at them hard enough, quickly enough.
Sure why not. If they have what it takes to enter college at that age, let it be
Maybe academically, but emotionally/mentally is something most of them won’t be matured in.
Yes! We’ve done this with my son. He’s in 10th grade but does college classes, and one high school class. (He’s homeschooled.)
NO. Most high schools have the options of AP classes and dual college enrollment. Most 16 year olds are not ready for college, as much as they think they are. Plus, once they finish college in four years they will be only 20! A twenty year old in a prestigious job is great but a little scary in my opinion. I think many are smart enough but the question is about maturity. There is a large difference between the maturity of a 16 year old and 18 year old.
Yes.
you should’t go to college untill you have drank beer and party on the river for four years and this is a prerequisite. otherwise “when” you go to college you will drink beer and party on the river
I was strongly considering dropping out of H.S. at 10th grade, getting my GED, and going to college. It would have easily saved me a couple years.
But I’m glad I didn’t, because those two years allowed me to mature and get past the high school environment before college.
-David
my friend was SUPER smart – she graduated in gr10 and went into University
@ArabellaS - actually, i started going to college when i was 16 and it was probably the best academic decision i’ve ever made.
It depends on the academic prowess and social maturity of the individual. Perhaps the students should take exit exams in 10th grade. Those that do well enough can get an early diploma. Otherwise, they can try again next year.
i am 19 and i can graduate with a B.A. in global studies by this coming spring. i love how judgmental people are because of my age; i know i will excel in any field, regardless of what people think, and when others underestimate me… it only adds to my determination.
yes. most people start taking 4-5 AP classes by 11th grade anyway
Maybe. Some people are ready, while others are not.
At my school, kids could only take Advanced Placement classes in 11th and 12th grade. This is a reason to not graduate early because people could take these and get college credit later.
Kids could also do the PSEO program where they could go to a university and take college classes, but the high school paid for it, as long as the person got an A, B, or C.
Sure. I’ve taken 13 AP classes, and high school is basically wasting my life.
Well sure, those select tenth graders would feel pretty alright about themselves… but it would make the “not so privileged” students feel like absolute shit. If that had happened to my school in tenth grade, I probably wouldn’t have friends anymore because they would all have left for college… And those friendships took years to build.
Absolutely. I did.
I don’t see why they shouldn’t be given the option. But I think it should be a decision made on a student by student basis, since it’s an issue both of intelligence and maturity.
Its ok but they’ll miss the fun of being in high school!
No. Or if they did it, it shouldn’t be easy to do. Part of highschool is growing up and maturing. I’ve known people who have started highschool or college at an earlier age, and behavior wise it always shows.
whether they graduate early or not, it doesn’t matter to me. what matter is the quality of education provided. Teachers/professors who knows how to do their job and think outside the box and who knows how to capture the students’ interests.
yeah sure
They were at my school and I think they should.
Sure, if they are qualified and wish to, why not? I was in the top 5% of my class and I started taking college courses after my 10th grade year. I definitely could have graduated early, if there was an opportunity to do so.
Although, I must say, I don’t think I would have graduated early if I was given the opportunity. I know I could have, but I wouldn’t trade the wonderful times I had in my Junior and Senior year for anything. College is great, but so is high school. It’s something that only happens once in a lifetime, why shorten it up? Plus, in high school you not only are educated in an academic sense, but you also learn a lot about people, life skills, etc. You might miss out on a lot of that if you go to college right away. Being smart enought to go to college at a young age does not necessarily make you mature enough to go to college.
I’m on the fence on this one. I was a student that probably could have graduated early, had I not wanted to take “unnecessary” courses like band, choir, and the like. I would have gone insane without those classes (and the friends I made through them), though.
While I can completely relate to feeling as if I’d “outgrown” high school, I’m not sure it’s such a great idea to nearly push kids to graduate early. Yes, I was bored with some of my classes by senior year. Yes, I wanted to get VERY far away from some of my classmates by senior year. I was SO ready to go to college that by the time I actually needed to move, I wasn’t even that emotional over it.
However, had you packed me up & sent me to college (particularly *my* school – I went to a huge, “party” university in the Big 10), I probably would have wasted the opportunity. I wouldn’t have been emotionally ready to handle everything that comes along with moving away & starting undergrad. I very likely would have partied myself out of school, despite being underage. Or, I may have gone the other extreme: spending every single weekend at home because I couldn’t go out, not making many friends in undergrad, and just being miserable.
It’s a fine line between being academically ready and emotionally ready to make the move from high school to college. I don’t think we should be pushing this on kids, but merely offering the opportunity.
Sure. I think anyone who is qualified should be able to graduate at any age they wish…even if they’re 6. If you’re smart enough, well rounded and know the information, why not?
They’ve done some thing (a schedule change) that allows the year below us to move up and ahead. Freshmen are in my classes. But the same schedule change has forced everyone in my grade to not be able to finish a few of our classes, making people take classes in the summer. So the year below us: graduating early, my year: graduating late.
I can’t answer this because I am too biased. I hate the opportunities that were given to the freshmen.
Yeah, if they are ready for it. I know I took college classes when I was in 11th grade but I know I wasn’t ready for it.
I am still not ready for it.
Well… There are people who just leave high school and get their GEDs when they’re in 10th grade, so yeah, I think that they should be allowed to if they want and can handle it.
@MyJudas - Damn that’s pretty harsh.
I think high-schoolers really do stress out too much, and overwork themselves. I feel it’s more like… they need more mental preparation before going to college. It has nothing to do with intellect. Once you get to college it’s not as stressful as HS. In HS you’re constantly trying to prove yourself to get accepted into college.
College…. you’ll find is about living in your apartment, growing up, accepting yourself, making life friends, etc., and also classes. It’s not just about passing classes and getting a degree. It’s so much more than that.
So no, I don’t think it’s a good idea.
I think they should. Generally only people willing to work hard enough to graduate early will. Even if they aren’t ready to move on to college, they’ll find out soon enough, and pay the consequences.
I graduated Dec 07 and I was supposed to May 09. So I was supposed to be in 11th grade when I graduated. (with my high school diploma too not a damn GED)
But I know that’d it’d be hard for like 10th graders to go to college still being minors and having their parents having to be with them for like signing stuff.
only if they were prepared to take those advanced classes. I dont think they are mature at 15/16 10th grade to go out into the world.
Oh goodness no. Nonono. We have youngsters right out of middle school running around on our campus due to some new program which lets them take classes on campus instead of at highschools, which count towards the credits they’ll need in college.
It sounds great, and SOME students should be allowed into programs like that, but there are far too many of them scampering around with all the drama and immaturity that usually swamps the halls of highschool. By the time you’re in college, you’re supposed to have learned to deal with all that. You’re a more serious student, you’re not there because you HAVE to be, but because you, personally, want to further your education, and it really matter to you.
Letting these youngsters into college early changes the enviroment and frustrates college-age students like myself. There has been slightly more (minor) violence on campus (fights in the hallway over who-said-what type of garbage) – among the young ones. The younger ones are, in general, less serious in class and pose a distraction to serious students with their little antics of giggling immaturly at things that come up in class, txting under the table (we can ALL tell when you are doing it, and it ticks us off that you’re not paying attention and you’re going to complain and ask for notes when you don’t know what’s what with an assignment because, whoops, you were too busy txting your little bff about that hottie you saw at the mall yesterday), whispering, and gossiping when put in groups to work on projects.
Getting into college early should be restricted to students who have proven that they can handle college level work, and posses the maturity to behave properly in a college setting.
Sounds good to me – wish I’d had that option.
Hey if they actually are smart enough to. If it’s kinda silly for them to take two more years because they already are to that level anyways, sure. Just don’t send the dumbasses there. ha ha. That would be stupid!
Nahhh….
I know some kids who have taken college courses while still being schooled (public and home-schooled). They have graduated with not only their diploma, but a 2-yr degree from the college. Works for them. They are not out early, but they are farther ahead in the game.
Sure, if they can prove that they have the knowledge to.
Absolutely! General education is just high school all over again and faster. I was taking college classes when I was 15.
I don’t see why not.
I’m sure sending a 15 or 16 yr old to college is really a bright idea!
@ArabellaS - Some colleges don’t take AP credit at all, and most have caps or limits on the number of credits you can receive. And most schools are even more limited in the number of APs you can take – my high school offered FOUR. Total.
Well. Some people graduate one year early by their selves by taking advanced classes and summer school. I’m in the tenth grade, and already taking college credit classes. Why not.
OF COURSE NOT, BUT I DID HEAR WHERE A GAZILLION COLLEGE STUDENTS, ROUGHLY 18-21, VOTED THIS TIME IN THE ELECTION! PERSONALLY, I THINK THEY EVERYONE SHOULD AT LEAST BE 30 BEFORE THEY VOTE. BY THAT AGE, PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS, ROFL!
AND ALONG THOSE LINES., IT AMAZES ME, DAN, THAT OUR SERVICE MEMBERS CAN FIGHT FOR OUR COUNTRY AT 18 BUT CAN’T BUY CIGARETTES UNTIL 18 OR ALCOHOL UNTIL 21! AND YET WE HAVE TO ASK WHY OUR COUNTRY IS IN THE SHAPE THAT IT IS! HMMMM! AND EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS TO ME IS THAT A 17 YEAR-OLD GIRL CAN GET AN ABORTION WITHOUT THE DOCTOR INFORMING THE PARENTS. HOWEVER MADE UP THESE RULES/LAWS MUST HAVE REALLY HIT THE LSD BACK IN THE 60S, ROFL,
CHERYL
Um. I suppose…but they should make sure they are ready emotionally too. College is way different than highschool.
Given the opportunity to? Absolutely. Certainly not everyone should and there are a lot of 16 year olds who aren’t mature enough to go to college, but the question is regarding graduation.
I know someone who graduated high school and was doing distance college learning by the time he was 15 and a 17 year old currently in college.
I could have graduated from high school at 16 if I worked harder, but I put more time into debate than math and science. But I homeschool and wanted to debate instead of graduation early.
the fact that people are able to finish high school at 16 just proves how little our education system demands of its students. in germany, kids in the top level of high school didn’t graduate until 13th grade. they just recently made an effort to push it down to 12th grade, which means that the kids now have more to learn with less time.
also, if they come to the US for college, they are considered sophomores even if it’s their first year of college.
we should simply demand more from our high schoolers, not let them graduate early.
I would have graduated at 15, then. Yes, those two extra years of high school were largely wasted, but I wasn’t emotionally or socially ready to be on my own, in all honesty. I think 99.7% of 15-16 year olds aren’t.
Absolutely.
I took my first college class when I was 12 years old, and while I was for a million reasons not ready for “college life” that had nothing to do with the content I was learning. I stayed in high school for a year and half, before deciding it was a waste of time and dropping out–which I’ll never live down in some people’s eyes, despite my 4.3 GPA (bs) and the principals bribes to say I graduated so that my school could take credit for my high SAT scores (also bs)–so why not make getting a grip on reality and moving forward a “mature” option for most teenagers?
Yes – if that’s what the student wants
I took a college class in high school. Although I was ready for the material, I was probably not ready for the social aspect of it. However, I dated a man for years who skipped three grades and went on to graduate from college when he was 19. He was definately able to handle it and even had a job and an apartment of his own when he was 17. He’s pretty amazing rare I would think.
I think this is really a point that would need to be looked at on a case by case basis. I was offered the option to test out of high school completely and jump into college when I was 12 years old. My family and I agreed this was not a good idea. I did end up skipping the 8th grade, and I can honestly say that alone was an issue. Mostly because I was at a small school where I could not hide the fact that I had skipped such an unusual year. I went through until 12th grade, but was generally bored. My family supplemented my education, particularly in literature. I had completed most college and graduate reading lists by the end of high school.
There can be major impacts to the social development, or EQ (emotional quotient) when an individual does not have the same experiences as those they are consistently surrounded by. I graduated college before I could legally be in a bar – my last two years were ridiculously boring as all of my friends bar hopped – and I became the bathroom stop on the way.
In general, I would not hesitate from encouraging my own children (not yet born) to take advanced courses, college courses, or other supplemental courses while in highschool. I would hesitate to advance more then a year or two into the full college experience. I would probably encourage them to find courses they are interested in and audit the courses, not worrying about the credits or the costs, but just enabling them to enjoy the process of learning.
Sixteen year-olds are very very rarely ready for the college environment. Sure, academically speaking, but they’re just not mature enough.
it’s a matter of maturity and intellect and how they coincide
i’m jealous
Just do IB.
That’ll allow you to still live out the rest of your teenaged years as a teenager, but still take on some of the responsibility of a college student. It can get you some forty hours of college credit.
Sure, I would’ve LOVED that opportunity. My high school sucked and the day I left (especially the day I began unpacking in my college dorm room) I had never felt more accomplished, free, and happy.
No, if for nothing then because teenagers annoy the hell out of me. On a serious note, I don’t care how bright they are, intelligence does not equal maturity and maturity is something needed to handle the college curriculum.
hahah I think that 10th graders shouldn’t be allowed to graduate and go to college early because I don’t think they would be mentally prepared. Just let them take some community college classes over the summer or during the school year if they really want to. I liked that option of being able to take a few community college classes over the summer because they prepared me for college.
YES! i was so sick of high school by junior year and i felt prepared for college already. i honestly thought i was a bit more mature than my peers so i often found myself annoyed in class.
juniors yes, sophomores, no. i think two years is no where near enough time to get all your angst out. no matter how much knowledge you acquire.
Goodness, no! Err .. I don’t know.
If they can, sure. Let them make all the requirements for graduation and go into a community college or something.
I think if the students are smart enough and are able to cope with the academics of university, why not?
Of course, they must also be able to cope with university life in other aspects.
I graduated in the 11th grade because I had enough credits. If I had stayed another year it would have been a waste of my time. I got a job for a year and then went to college. It was a good experience.
I absolutely think they can do it intelligence wise but don’t think they are mature enough-especially boys.
My hubby graduated at 16 and though he did well education-wise he said he would not recommend it to anyone. Since he graduated early he felt he missed out on a lot of other high school experiences too.
Pushing kids to make major decisions that early and pushing them out on their own that early isn’t a great idea.
Why not? It works for Germany, where most students leave school after the 9th grade and either enter the work force, an apprenticeship, or go on to a trade school. Only college bound students complete a full 12 years, and that is a more challenging 12 years than American schools offer.
I’m sixteen myself…and I think it should depend on the student.
Hmm. I was a quick learner in highschool, but I also went to a crappy school in our area. I was one of the smartest kids and was quickly bored with the curriculem. That was 12 years ago. Now, kids at my alma matter are allowed to go to college classes during the normal school day and they finish college quicker. My oldest son’s school even pays for the kids to go to the college program. they pay the tuition. My cousin she did the program and her school paid the tuition and she is working on her bachlors degree…a 4 year degre that she will have in the spring of 2010. She graduated spring 2008 from highschool. If the kids have the opportunity and are at a faster pace, allow them the opportunity.
No, I don’t think it’s a good idea for 10th graders to graduate and go to college early. I was not prepared for school when I was a senior and graduated. They may be smart enough, but college can be a scary thing, especially when you’re only 16.
I think it depends on teh person, but for a majority I’d say no. Intellectually they might be ready, but not anywhere else.
I agree it their ready,
let them do it!
& as for 16 year olds being
in college, college has people
of all ages going, older, younger,
if their prepared, it’s fine.
i know some high school sophomores that are more university prepped then 20 year olds that have been in community college for a couple of years.
sure if they’re academically ready and otherwise want to go, let them go.
some sophomores with college ready intellect still need to finish high school to get athletic scholarships. ~shrug
@Urlilbelinh - I second that- people are always complaining about the “13th graders” who live in the all-freshman dorm. College doesn’t need actual high schoolers to cause the rest of us grief.
That’s the age when students in Engliand choose between college and an immediate job and they seem to be doing well, so this seems like an excellent idea. You also can already drop out at 16 in most states and many people choose that route because they’re tired of high school. At least now, they don’t have to drop out and can go to college (which many people who drop out end up doing in some form).
I started feeling run down about last year (junior year in high school) and now I just really want to get onto college. So maybe this initiative will go through and students will be able to move onto college when they still care about learning. If we prepare them enough (like England does) and give periodic tests during their education to ensure that they’re on the right path to graduating at 16/17, then this just might work out.
Yes! I’m in 11th grade and have already taken (and gotten credit) for several AP classes. I wish they’d have offered me that chance!!
The choice should be available for those who want it. I wouldn’t take advantage of it, though; one of the good things about taking advanced classes in high school is that students’ teachers still give them guidance, even though they’re taking college level courses. Unless a student attends a small college, that kind of personal attention is hard to attain at the college level.
They should be allowed to move on if they are ready. At least given an opportunity to take college courses. Unfortunately, many of the 10th grade kids who most feel ready are least mature to handle the transition.
I do not think as a tenth grader a student should be able to ascend to college so quickly.
THAT SOUNDS AMAZING! ARE THEY SURE THE KIDS WOULD HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE TO GO ON IN LIFE.
This is one of the best idea’s I’ve ever heard. High school was a complete waste of my time. I would have taken this test in my freshman year of high school because I was already sick of stupid high school drama and immature brats. I did manage to take college classes in high school, but they only allowed me to take a max of 2 per semester, and my AP classes weren’t cutting it. I still had to slough through 4 years of high school doing NOTHING because my classes weren’t challenging enough and the idiotic no child left behind act. I’m glad for the people that have more academically challenging high schools to go to, but our community’s high schools sucked.
For that matter, I knew (homeschooled) 14 year olds taking community college classes and one 17 year old who got her AA degree already. How I envied them. I wanted to drop out and just go community college a couple years early.
Yes. Some kids advance faster than others, in academics and maturity.
I think that would be a smart thing to do! That way the people who are very smart can graduate and have a chance to pursue there dream job faster! I wish my high school did that, i’m not saying i would pass i’m just saying that it would be good for the high schoolers who can!
no, tenth seems a little too young. possibly 11th.
i don’t know why people are in such a rush to grow up. i think they should stay with 4 years and get the experience and memories.
People keep commenting based upon the maturity level of 16 year olds… But I see lots of 18 year olds that are not ready and I also see a lot of 16 year olds who absolutely are ready. Everyone is different and typically, students who are responsible enough to be allowed to gradute early are more prepared in many ways than slacker high school seniors.
So I say yes. If the student, their parents, and the school think it’s okay, then it seems like a fantastic opportunity..
well i have all the credits i need to graduate except for a semester of PE. our school won’t count playing a sport towards PE credit. i think they should. i work out 3 hours a day 6 days a week and i run on that 7th day. i think i would have been ready for college this year…but probably not as a sophmore.
I currently go to an early college. Most of my classmates left after their sophomore year of high school. It’s a pretty great school. I feel completely emotionally and intellectually capable.
It’s fine.
Maturity is relative. I know thirty year olds who act like they’re twelve. If a student and their parents believe college is the best choice, then it probably is.
Being a sophomore myself, I would have to say no.
I’m taking AP courses this year, and will be taking more in the next 2 years also. This gives me a background of the college experience and I think that is enough. When one goes to college – he/she chooses a major, correct? What would happen to all the high school english or math, or whatever else they are not majoring in?
Also, I’m only 14 years of age. Although I may be somewhat mature compared to my peers, I am definitely not ready to leave my house or my family. I need a lot more “training” to be self-sufficient and to care for myself and possibly other roommates.
Another conflict that may appear is drinking. A majority of people in college drink, would this also be happening with students as young as 15 and 16?
That just my thoughts, I wonder if they go through with it?
well down here in GA you are 16 in the 11th grade not the tenth and some kids are smarter than 12 graders i think just the ones who are ready to move on to collage should get the chance
No, because going to school is about more than just learning the material. It’s also about developing social skills between you and your peers. I don’t see why they should not be able to take college courses.
@awokenfatality - I agree. Why not make the courses tougher?
We’re living in a fast paced world. Why make it even faster?
THEY MATURE TOO QUICKLY…I GRADUATED JUNIOR YEAR..IT’S BETTER..U’LL MISS OUT MORE ON LIFE..
@awokenfatality - I’m generally quite anal about typo’s made period, including my own, but I don’t need your pointing them out to me?
having re-read my comment I see I missed a couple letters in a couple words
Sophore I think I said?
Lighten up will you?
@awokenfatality - ie, I don’t see why you need to be so mean?
I was in a pleasant mood till I came across your comment.
My teen started taking classes at the local JC at 14. He’ll probably choose to take the CHSPE (a California diploma equivalent available to students in the second semester of 10th grade) this spring. It works for us.
@PacifismPlease - That was mean, I do apologize.
No, because high school starts to get better after 10th grade.
@LucyWrites -
totally agree. there is no way this should become something that’s done regularly. i don’t care how academically advanced you are, there’s a lot you learn between 10th grade and graduation that you don’t learn in class.
and like someone else said, there are already a lot of people who show up to freshman year of college completely unprepared (again, not academically)… why add MORE?
To do this they would need to start young, the kid I mean. When I was in elementary school I remember playing every single day with not a care for academics. Same thing in middle school, I was having a blast. High school- 9/10th grade’s ok, then junior year in IB and BAM. I hadn’t been adequately prepared when I was young so it was hard to pace myself and such. If a kid’s going to graduate when they’re about 16, they need to have gone through much more than kids right now are going through.
Hell yes! Why should any child be kept in the hell that is high school any longer than he has to be? I left high school after tenth grade and never looked back.
a 15/16 year old is not ready for going to college, with the few disgustingly bright and mature kids being the exception. most high schools already allow for graduation a year early, AP classes, and the option of school credit for honors classes at a local college…it’s not really necessary. HS is where you’re supposed to learn the basics so when you get to college you won’t have trouble with the advanced stuff, so really, letting 10th graders skip 2 grades and go straight to college isn’t going to make the US’s education system more competitive. better teaching in middle school and high school will, because then colleges won’t be forced to teach the basics to teenagers/young adults who should already know them.
I went to a school that did exactly that, but what we found was that despite knowing all the material, we were far too immature to keep up with the college environment. High school kids were disrupting college classes and flunking out because they tried to act like adults but didn’t have a work ethic.
It takes a very smart, mellow kid to attend college early, a kid with amazing self control.
When I was in high school, I took classes at my local community college. As a high school student, I wasn’t emotionally ready for college but taking a few college classes let me try it out without being totally submerged. I’m glad I did. It helped me kill off A LOT of prereqs and gen eds.
i think that if they’ve proven they’re ready academically, then they should be allowed. however, the main problem is are they ready emotionally? this could cause problems for some. i felt ready to get the hell out of my hometown when i was in 9th grade but it doesn’t mean that i was emotionally ready. i think if the person feels like they should, then they should, however, people shouldn’t blame their emotional problems on someone else if they find that they’ve made a bad decision.
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i think kids going to college at a young age is a great idea, but i don’t think colleges are prepared for them.
the problem isn’t intellectually, it’s emotionally. Colleges don’t address that.
case and point, 18, 19, 20 year olds …can’t drink. shouldn’t. yet they do like crazy. colleges don’t do crap to enforce it. i know, they do it in highschool, but even more so in college…
until they change the environment, you’re just throwing your kids unprepared.
You already can. If you’re mature enough to make that decision without a readymade option for you, then you’re mature enough to move on. Otherwise, sit out those two extra years. You may not feel it, but they’re there for a reason.
I think they should be able to take college classes in place of high school classes so they can get college credit for them, but I don’t think students should be allowed to graduate early. They can graduate after putting in all K-12 years.
No cause how old are you in the 10th grade? like 14, 15 years old? College is for adults, won’t the parents have to go into the college and help them with everything? Can you be responsible at 15? You can’t do internships…when you graduate you’ll still be young and employers like older adults, not kids that are barely adults, I mean sure, it’s probably cool for the kid (getting out of high school early is like a gift from heaven) but they aren’t mentally or socially ready for college. I mean, how would they have relationships, they are underage.
Yes. Some kids really are ripe enough for college at that time. The rest can just finish high school. And if they think they could graduate early and make it, they should give it a try. But if it doesn’t work, they could just finish high school.
NO!!!! One who is academically ready is often not ready for the rest of college life. I believe those who are gifted academically should be given tougher classes if they so desire (like AP or taking classes at a community college) but graduating 2 years early is unnecessary. Plus, then you miss out on the joys of being an upperclassman.
NOOOOO.
i dont really care i graduated a year early too. its all the same shit.
As regressive as public schools are these days, its a wonder that any would qualify for a worthy college at any age. (Assuming, of course, that there are any “worthy colleges” left!) In times past- and when grade schools were more demanding- it was not unusual for children as young as 12 (!) to go on to institutions of higher learning.
If some can today- fine. Smart kids should not be held back by the mediocrity of the school systems. However, any college that accepts such young students had better have special facilities in place for them. Colleges are not a developmentally benign environment for kids these days.