Going to college early is all based on the individual, but here are the pros and cons from my own personal experience. I entered a big university at the age of 16 and graduated at the age of 19.

Pros:

Some people, like me, cannot get anything out of high school. I was constantly being put in classes with information I have learned back in grade school and the schools I tried my Freshman year were not open to advancing me.

Also, I really wanted to take history classes every semester, so once they said I could only take one semester my Sophmore year I was done with school and ready to drop out. College for the most part offers you your own choice of what to take. I was able to study history all I wanted, as long as the classes did not fill up.

If you are motivated, you can be done with your bachelor's and go onto your master's all while still eligible for health insurance under your parents, which if available to you like it was to me until age 21 means you do not have to worry about finding your own or getting a job that offers health insurance. You should of course still get a job even if your parents are willing to pay for everything. It is a valuable experience that college life offers more flexability in getting, as you do not have to compete with all the high school students (and college students) that want afternoon and evening jobs.

College allows you to structure your own schedule with flexibility not offered in most high schools. You can take morning only classes and be done by noon everyday leaving afternoon for homework and nights for enjoying your favorite television shows or going out. You can sleep in and take afternoon and evening classes and stay up until 2am writing that paper due the next day. You can have a full time job and just take night classes.

Cons:

Socializing can be a problem, but the only thing I have run into is being unaccepted by the people living in the dorms. I have several roommates that did not like me just because I was younger than them (and closer to graduating than them). However, once in the classroom age did not make a difference and I made several friends through class. Also, if you do not leave your hometown, you can keep in touch with your friends still in high school.

If you are not self motivated and able to plan your time well, you may have trouble. If you are young, I recommend easing into college by starting at a community college or just taking a few courses. Why not take it a little slow, as you have a head start? You can even start slow, as I did with only 17 credits after my first two semesters, and if you find yourself able to take on more you can still graduate in four years, especially if you take advantage of summer and winter intersession courses.

While entering college early is not right for everyone, it is something that some can do and suceed in. My parents proposal that I try college is the only thing that kept me from dropping out of school entirely.

Learn more about this author, Kjersti Wasiak.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about College studies for younger students: Success and failure stories?
We want to hear your view. Write now!