Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
Oh, not to mention the fact that this will be around 8K a year rather than 50-60k plus living expenses. eek


Seriously, though, the reason that I mention that is that DD isn't 100% settled on what she wants. Could be math, biophysics, statistics, neuroscience, toxicology, or something else entirely... and at a 60K a year school, she is going to be PAINFULLY conscientious about a desire to push through and graduate in four years. We'd rather that she took five if that's what she needs in order to choose well (if not "rapidly").

Polymath/multipotentiality problem, that. So we were trying to avoid the pressure of a cross-country move and high price-tag "for her" given her innate nature-- that's too much pressure for a 15yo with some socially-prescribed perfectionism, quite frankly.
I can see why going to the local public university if she gets in the honors program would be a good choice at this point. No reason she has to stay all 4 years. I have known several kids who decide they didn't like where they ended up as freshman and have successfully transferred to other schools. Years & years ago my uncle went to university very early, and he spend a year at the state school before moving to Cal Tech.

As to having to 'decide' what you want to do at university. What I have noticed is private schools are often more forgiving that public schools. My local public schools really want to students to settled on a major right away, but a number of private schools don't ALLOW you to declare a major till sophomore year.

I can see why MIT would scout her. It's not unusual for MIT to admit very young college students. And it's a really fun school for the right type of person. (My kids & I got a really fun tour of the place 2 years ago by MIT professor we know.) But I admit it is very expensive, and Cambridge is pricy place to live.