These are all good options, well thought-out.
I think it is realistic to be looking down the road a few years.
As I was reading your post, I thought a combination of #1 and #4 might be nice, and I highly value that your son has a back-up plan if #4 (Dreamy U) does not come to fruition. I believe in most places college credits taken under high school dual-enrollment still allow a student to apply as a freshman. My thoughts on #2 were: if it is the lowest rated in the State, there may be a combination of reasons... one of which may be an under-motivated student body... possibly not good for a younger-than-typical student who may, by virtue of his young age, be impressionable. Keep in mind that during college years students may begin to build the basis of a life-long career network.
To optimize any of the academic options, you may wish to find occasions for him to associate with people already on the career path he desires. Conferences and mentorships come to mind.
In my observation and experience, burnout is not necessarily related to the length of time in school, but occurs when a student is finding the academic courses to be dictated and amounting to busywork... the effort is not getting them anywhere. Goal-setting and accomplishment... choice in what is studied plus credentialing, certificates of completion, adding to resume/portfolio, etc... seem to be the antidote. These can be short-term goals... Anything which affirms the student is moving forward, making progress. A "holding pattern" may or may not contribute to burn-out, depending upon what types of opportunities and academic challenges are available, how they fit into the student's goals and sense of moving forward.
Is it possible to look in detail at the courses offered by the community college, MOOCs, etc... for example, make a list of text books utilized.
- Compare these with the content at Dreamy U.
- It may be worthwhile to begin a small home library of college textbooks in his area of interest, even though the list of books used may change over time.
I think it is great that your son exhibits a strong interest in history. Studying the rise and fall of various economic and political systems and having a deep appreciation for them may play an important role in preparing him to excel and stand out in his studies and career.
My final thought would be to study the biographies of current/recent individuals who've held the desired position (Yellen, Bernake, Greenspan), as well as any internships. The career paths to ascend to this position, and the qualifications for interns may change over time. You may already be familiar with the online activity offered by the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco:
Chair the Fed. If your son is interested in programming, possibly he could develop a game or app which may help distinguish him early on, as being knowledgeable about economic policy. If your son has an interest in writing (or developing writing skills) possibly he could author a book for kids on money and economics. For either of these projects, first research what's currently available, find the gaps/shortcomings in order to identify possible improvements, and then "build a better mousetrap."
In sharing my thoughts as I read your post, I don't feel I've provided any clear direction; You may have already explored each of these options/ideas long ago! Your son is at an exciting juncture, there are many potential paths, and one need not choose the quickest or most expedient if one would also enjoy a bit of the scenery along the way. There is essentially no wrong path.
