Should I go to college when I'm 16?
Question:
It would be 2 years of college paid by the state I live in if I went to college instead of going to high school my junior and senior year. I know I will be in college my senior year, I've made up my mind about that. But what about my junior year? I could do part-time at college and part-time in actual high school as well as some online courses. But I don't know.
I know I have to make up my mind for myself, but I'm seeking advice from others. Please give me reasons and if you went through this please tell me of your experience(s).
Thank you...
Answer:
I know how you feel. I'm a junior in high school just out of San Diego, California. I go to one of the best public high schools in the state. It offers all kinds of AP classes, etc.
I considered going to college early, but I decided to wait it out and just take lots of AP classes because they're much cheaper than college credits.
It sounds like you do not have this same advantage where you live, so I would advise you to:
A) go to college early if the main reason that you don't want to stay at home is because you feel that your peers are too immature
B) If you're fine with your peers, stay at home, work hard in school, get a job, do online classes, work on a special project.
Believe it or not you will do a lot of maturing from 15 to 18, so if you can wait I would. Save your youth! (I know it sounds disgusting and cliche, but as someone in your position I would just tell you to value it eventhough you're bored with it!)
I wouldn't do it now...senior year *maybe*
I did the same thing you are thinking of...only to a VERY prestigious high school (among the top high schools in the nation)...and it was SO worth it...
but if we're talking COLLEGE...don't...b/c you'll miss out on SO many scholarships if you do it now...
community colleges aren't going to be much challenging either...
I would suggest taking AP classes (if you HS offers them at your HS) online...and as many of them as you like...
and/or move to another school...and don't be afraid to leave your friends...if they are truly your friends, you WILL stay in touch...:D
but DON'T give up your future b/c you couldn't wait to get out of your current, slightly "unsatisfactory" environment...
your patience will all be worth it in the end...
...also...maybe you should check out some boarding high schools...and/or private high schools in your home state...they are usually ALWAYS harder.
Good luck in your decision making...and remember...patience is key! :D
I'd do it if I were you..
my brother's sister-inlaw did it.. she really didnt want to but now she says its the best thing she ever did.
Ok, I'll give you some background on me. I went to college when I was 16--right after my sophomore year of high school ended, I started in the summer with an intro level biology course. Loved it. I took 12 hours each semester through my junior year of high school at a university--this was NOT community college. I wasn't allowed to take more than 12 hours because I still had 3 classes each semester at high school, unfortunately. In my senior year, I totally abandoned high school and went full time to college--I took 18 hours each semester, plus I went summers. By the time I graduated from high school, I was half way done with college.
A week and a half ago, at age 20, I just graduated with my Bachelor's of Science. I can't help but be biased in answering this question. If you truly feel you are ready (or even if you just aren't sure), take a class at this college. Take a class to get your feet wet this summer, and see if you like it. If you like it, go full time to college---trust me--getting 2 years of college paid is BY FAR the best thing you can do. Even if you just take your general university requirements, I can't even express how far ahead in the game this puts you.
But like anything, this does have it's downsides:
1) Age. This DOES work to your advantage sometimes though. When I was applying for graduate school, they were very impressed that I was 20 and doing so well in college AND starting my PhD at 20. On the flip side, medical schools are NOT so crazy about this. I did apply to one, and got in, but they gave me all kinds of crap at the interview about my age. You'll find that sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not. I would say it works in your favor 80% of the time.
2) So, you miss out on high school. To me: WHO CARES? I am still friends with some of my high school friends, at least the ones who matter. I did the prom thing twice as a sophomore and didn't care to repeat it as a junior and senior.
Listen, this is the bottom line:
-The postives, for me, far outweighed the negatives. How often in your life are you going to get something like this for FREE?! Unless your family makes about $18,000 a year, you will be stuck getting student loans from the goverment.
-College is so much more fun. It's more interesting. It's more rewarding. It's much more FLEXIBLE than high school. You spend much less time in the classroom in college.
-If you really aren't sure, do what I just suggested: take a class this summer. Pick something you think will enjoy, and see if you actually do enjoy it. If you do, then you know college right now is the thing for you. When I started Post-Secondary, I was the only crazy one to take 70 credit hours while still in high school, but after I left, word got around that doing the PSEO program was really the best thing you could do.
As far as AP classes go, the majority of my friends had those NOT count towards their majors. Thus, they had to retake the AP classes when they got to college. Proving success in college will be a huge thing in your favor when you DO apply to college as a senior in high school (regardless of if you finish at the college you started).
Prestige of your college matters VERY LITTLE, if you want to know the truth, when you applying to graduate/medical/law school. It's more important HOW you do there. If this is a state school you are considering for post-secondary, that is fine, don't worry about it. I graduated from state school and I beat out the Harvard/Duke/Cornell kids for graduate school. It's what YOU make of college, not the other way around.
Anyways, there's my opinion--take it for what you will. But to this day, I think going to college at 16 is the best decision I ever made. Make sure it is the right one for your before you commit yourself. Good luck!
*Edit: Alucard: I totally agree. I even have some friends (yes, in college) who still think high school was the best time of their lives. *shudders* It didn't bother me at the time (maybe because I left so fast), but in retrospect, I really couldn't stand high school.
I would strongly suggest that you went to your community college. I would see virtually no reason why you wouldn't adapt to the environment, and you'll be able to be at home and with your old friends. You can then transfer to a better University and be done by the time you're 20.
I skipped almost my entire 12th grade because I was 18 already. I went to a community college, and I never felt better in my entire life. The degree of freedom at a community college is so much greater. You don't have to worry with stupid bells and having to ask some nobody for permission to discharge your bladder.
Trust me, you WILL be better off in the long run if you go to college. Prom and all those stupid things are meaningless to us college graduates. Those are the things that people who never accomplished anything more in life look back at as their "golden years," but we the college graduates look back at college as the best of the best.
well you do have a complicated problem! it really depends on what you feel is your maturity level, do you think you can fit in with 18 or 19 year olds when you are only 16? education is a very important thing, and if you feel like you aren't getting the best education where you are right now or if you want a bigger challenge, then take this oppotunity and go to college. there are other parts to this too, would you have to move out and stay in a dorm? are you ready for that? when i was 16 i don't think i was but everyone is different. i know i had the oppotunity to graduate early but i didn't because i didn't want to miss out on my social development in junior and senior year, and i didn't want to miss out on things like prom and grad night. all in all, do it if you feel you need better or that you are not being challenged, but consider how many factors come into play with it and see if you are comfortable with them.
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