I wrestle with these questions too as we are currently trying to decide between homeschool/school acceleration/early college. I have to tell you that the few people I talk to have VERY STRONG opinions against any choice but going to school and staying at grade level. I actually find this a bit annoying as I hate the attitude of sameness. People aren't the same. People shouldn't all do the same thing. Our society can't survive on sameness. If we all become lawyers, who is going to help us when we are sick. Sameness doesn't work. Ugh, I digress. The whole everyone take the same route thing irritates me.

Having said that, I recently met a 40 something woman who was academically accelerated and started college at 15. In her case, she wanted to be with her peers, but her parents insisted she move ahead and stay challenged. This girl said, she didn't have any friends because college students didn't want to hang out with her and younger kids were busy with their school lives. She ended up not finishing college and dropping out at 18. She did eventually go back and finished a degree at a much later date. She said she wished her parents hadn't done that to her. This was a very sobering story for me. It has been on my mind a lot. I think the key in this situation is that she didn't want to go to college. She wanted to be with friends, but her parents pushed. I think that has to be the difference - a kid pushing versus parents demanding.

But, I do think having a social group is important. As younger and younger kids go to college, maybe there is a social group that wasn't there 25 years ago.

These are all random thoughts, please don't take offense. I've been trying to work this all out in my own head as we try to figure out the best route. It is hard to know what to do because it doesn't feel like there are many experts to talk to in these situations.