This may be a tough one since posters here are from so many different parts of the United States and of the world. Many of us do not have the ability to relocate due to our work, extended family, and the need to balance the conflicting needs of more than one child.
I'd love to see more options for gifted kids but I don't think we'll ever find one that is the "best of both worlds" for all kids because they have such different needs. It also seems to me that some of these distinctions between high school and college may be more symbolic than anything. If a student has taken all of the undergraduate math and physics available at Columbia wouldn't that more than fifty courses? That is quite a chunk of college.
These sorts of high school/early college programs can be great for some people. For students who don't have or don't want this option, we should remember there are many ways to interact with same age peers without a high school affiliation that includes activities such as sports, scouts, church, volunteering, orchestra, homeschool groups, chess clubs, etc.
