Both of my oldest kids started at 16. DS turned 17 a few days after arriving, and DD turned 17 three months after arriving.

Both went to colleges across the country. They have late August and late November birthdays, and both skipped a grade in kinder/1st. There were no issues related to their age. Because both had always been the youngest for the majority of their school career, I think that's what made them comfortable continuing that in college.

My DD will finish at 17 and my plan is community college to get her ready. Even advanced students can be challenged at community colleges with the right courseload and a part time job.

Maybe a year or two of community college? Let her try a bunch of different subjects that she normally wouldn't try and get a feel for areas that are of greatest interest. Best case scenario is that she transfers a ton of General Education credits, finishes college in 2 years, and starts a masters program early.

I'm another poster who was 16 when I started college, with a birthday at the end of December. I wasn't very mature, but would probably have done okay in out-of-state college. Ended up going to college close to home, though.

I was 16 when I started and not very mature. I initially went close to home and transferred after a year. It was good to be able to go home a lot. I was kind of homesick for a few months.

I skipped a grade in elementary school and then the school system wanted to skip me again in middle school but my mother refused. I instead took a lot of classes with the year above me, which meant I ran out of math by senior year. I did excel academically - the very top, and it was easy -- even with the kids 2 years ahead of me. I would have been fine in college if I had skipped a second year -- I was mature, etc. But I still think it was a good idea not to start that young. So I would encourage a gap year, especially because you say your daughter is not at the very top academically, but I wouldn't insist on it.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe your D can do a postgrad year at a boarding school? $$ but might be worth as a transition to college.

This seems like a better idea than sending a sixteen year old across the country for college.

I think it totally depends on the kid. And, in this case, the adage “girl’s mature faster than boys” definitely applies. Don’t discourage her ambitions at this point and see how the next two years play out. I started a very competitive university a full year younger than my classmates and it never mattered.

Anonymous wrote:Because of foreign travel and schooling from tutors when away, DD skipped two grades in elementary and is on track to graduate high school at just 16 (May birthday). She seems equal in maturity now (9th grade) to her peers/friends. She’s bright but not a genius - she works hard in school and martial arts. She’s very involved in activities, too and is a responsible babysitter. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

She’s been talking a lot about going to California for college.

Just thinking ahead here and hoping someone has experience in this.


Thanks.

Those kids are never mature enough - mentally and physically.

I would think of a year exchange abroad like with Rotary or the American Field Service.

I have 2 friends in this situation with their kids and both made them do community college 1st.

Your local HS might have a program where your child is enrolled in HS but goes to CC classes. But sports/arts/plays are done st HS.

I was 17 and turned 18. I was academically ready, but immature in very important ways. I was relieved that my oldest had a spring birthday and was 18. My youngest will start at 16, but at MC.

Maybe your D can do a postgrad year at a boarding school? $$ but might be worth as a transition to college.

Our son will be 17, turning 18 in April his freshman year of college. He’s very smart but not as mature and intrinsically motivated as we’d like him to be. DH and I think a gap year would benefit him immensely but he isn’t on board. He doesn’t want to fall behind his peers. I’d give almost anything to go back and demand differentiation instead of promoting to the next grade when he was ahead of his classmates. We didn’t really see the issues we’re noticing now until high school, when it was too late to do anything within the school system.

We went to college with a guy who started college at 15 or so. Mature isn’t exactly the best word to describe him, but he was very emotionally intelligent and socially aware. He excelled as much because of his social skills as his intelligence.

Sometimes skipping ahead works, sometimes it doesn’t. Good luck.

Because of foreign travel and schooling from tutors when away, DD skipped two grades in elementary and is on track to graduate high school at just 16 (May birthday). She seems equal in maturity now (9th grade) to her peers/friends. She’s bright but not a genius - she works hard in school and martial arts. She’s very involved in activities, too and is a responsible babysitter. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

She’s been talking a lot about going to California for college.

Just thinking ahead here and hoping someone has experience in this.


Thanks.