Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Combination high school/college programs

DD 15 has expressed interest in finishing her last 2 years of high school in a residential program on a college campus. Designed for high school juniors and seniors to finish up high school while starting college, I guess it is a dual enrollment thing.

Just wondering if anyone else has gone this route and what they thought of it - either adults who did or who have kids who did it.

Trying to look at this reasonably and not mommily.

Thanks!

I know of several of these programs-- I have a good friend whose child was enrolled in one in TX.

It wasn't entirely smooth sailing-- but they don't really regret the decision, either.

The one that I've heard the best things about over the years is the residential program at UW, which is also one of the oldest such programs. They tend to do intake for the program at younger ages, though-- and do a couple of years in transition to prepare for residency at the UW campus. I think that is probably the key thing, with very young college matriculants.

This has always been something of a thing for HG/+ kids-- they simply bypass a high school diploma and earn an AA or two instead. My high school BFF did that, and went on to a CPA by the time I finished my undergrad degree. She regrets NOTHING about that experience, by the way. Community colleges are in some ways easier environs for very young students because they tend to be commuter settings (which I know isn't what you're thinking about), but also because many or even most of the students on such campuses are "non-traditional" students.

Being 13-16 and on a college campus is, by default, being "non-traditional" as a student. My own DD has been occasionally sad because when you're on a traditional campus, this fact is VERY much at the forefront of social experiences a lot of the time. She might have fit in better on a campus with more commuters, but those are rare now among four year colleges and universities, most of whom have gone to required freshman residency policies.

My husband did this and found it to a positive experience. He was socially/emotionally mature as well, which I think is essential. The other important thing is to look at the program itself as some are better than others, and investigate how it will likely effect their educational path after two years is complete.

One of the eligibility for TAMS is being a Texas resident and since you are from AL, may not be a good fit.

http://tams.unt.edu/admissions/eligibility

How about Davidson Academy? Again, the drawback is at least a parent needs to live in Reno.

http://www.davidsonacademy.unr.edu/

The UW has more than one track for early college entrance, one of which is aimed at entry after 10th grade. Doesn't include a high school diploma, though. That program does appear to accept some out-of-state applicants--at corresponding out-of-state tuition, though, for the first two years of college.

Several states have widespread early college programs, with several years history, for this target group. Here's one version: http://www.jff.org/initiatives/early-college-designs/schools

Our experience in my workplace has been that the students who are motivated, and make use of supports (family, advising, freshman seminars) generally have good outcomes. Those who try to go it alone tend to struggle more.

My personal experience was positive, but I was a commuter.

Those programs are not designed for gifted children:

Good point, Bostonian.

But there is still the possibility of using their existence to serve advanced students. In fact, secondary schools in our area use dual enrollment for both populations.

I add, here, that I've known three people in my lifetime whose families MOVED in order to pursue this type of program-- and one of those was UW's program. Out of state tuition is pretty prohibitive in WA, and it always has been. This was a high school classmate of mine, btw.

Another was back east somewhere-- but I can't recall the precise details now. She apparently moved and became a dependent of her grandparents during high school in order to make it feasible.

So do check residency requirements if it's possible to be flexible and split a household, move a child to be with extended family, or move a family to another location to pursue educational opportunity.

Bard College at Simon's Rock and Boston University Academy, in Massachusetts.

Hm. I've also known one or two families who moved for early college, and they also moved for UW.

My DD14 and I sat through an information session for the University of Iowa's early entrance program: http://www2.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/naase/

You do not need to be an Iowa resident. This program admits students as freshmen before they graduate HS and will try to work with the student's HS about meeting their graduation requirements so the student can still get his/her HS diploma.

Best of luck,
-S.F.