Does going to University at a young age (I'm 13) sound like a good idea?

A few years ago, my parents bought me a PC, and I got bitten by the learning bug. I started by using a "hooky" version of Frontpage to design my own website, then learnt HTML from experimenting with the 'HTML' tab on Frontpage, then realising HTML doesn't do interactive, taught myself Perl, then finding out PHP did stuff with pictures too, switched to PHP.





Then one day, I got a magazine with a version of Visual Basic on the cover (it was called learning edition then, it's express edition now) and I started to write standalone programs - then I got a version of Delphi the same way, and switched to that, then a version of C++ builder.





In an online programming tutorial, I came across a word in an unfamiliar context, differentiate, and ended up teaching myself calculus. I also figured out in a school lesson that a non-right angled triangle could be split into two right angled triangles and worked out the cosine rule myself.

Does going to University at a young age (I'm 13) sound like a good idea?
Socially, it's going to be very tough if you move into a university environment so early, but I completely understand how necessary it is to stay intellectually challenged. Does your school offer dual enrollment courses where you can earn high school and uni credit? I'm 16 and have been taking classes at the uni down the street for a few yrs now. It's awesome to take the classes there while still being in the loop at my school. I also go on summer programs every year %26amp; earn credit.





Otherwise, is there a school just for gifted kids in your town? You should definitely apply if there is one. You'll be happier socially %26amp; academically in that type of environment. My K-8 was just for kids with an IQ of 145 or higher (which would be profoundly gifted +) %26amp; some of the kids there were web proteges as well. You'd probably rock the test. It was awesome going there because the teachers knew how to keep you challenged, no one felt like a freak for being so smart because we were all that smart!, %26amp; we had all the social benefits of all the other schools. I think you'd be really happy in that type of environment. You wouldn't be bored or feel frustrated, and you'd have a whole host of people to encourage and nurture your talents.





If there isn't one, consider a top ranked boarding school. There are many that will be able to keep you challenged. I think a lot of the top schools are actually more rigorous than many universities. My school actually has a lower rate of acceptance than Harvard! The tuition at many of the schools is extremely high (mine is around $30K just for day school), but little geniuses like you tend to get scholarships. Schools are honored to have students of your ability, and will most likely offer you a substantial scholarship or even a free ride.





Check out Peterson's Guide for Secondary Schools for ideas.





I would also look into taking classes outside of school so you don't fall into ennui. I take guitar and violin lessons, dance %26amp; sing. Maybe you could enroll in web programming classes??





Best of luck to you, future Bill Gates! : )
Reply:you cant...... you need a high school diploma
Reply:OH MY GOD! You're a genius! The decision of going to college so young is definitely a hard one. Think of it like this....you can finish college early and take a couple years off and travel! but you sound ready for college! also consider if you're able to afford it!
Reply:The only problem with going to university at such a young age is that you have nothing in common, maturity or socially, with the other students. They are dealing with relationships, with becoming adults, and trying to sort out their childhood from the rest of their life. You -- basically haven't had an adolescence. Some people would say that was a good thing,(!) but generally, you have to go through some sort of adolescent phase in order to mature, in order to integrate your learning with your emotional maturity.





Being academically talented is a tremendous gift, and if you are indeed that gifted, you belong in university. However, your parents are going to have to work extra hard to make sure that you have an opportunity to grow emotionally in a healthy way. I'm sure they are proud of your gifts, but life is more than gathering academic honors.
Reply:You should do it.





if your that ******* smart you need to go to college.





seriously





plus if your a guy, all the girls will think your "cute"
Reply:You have a lot to consider there and I think you need to think long and hard about it yourself. Maybe you won't like learning stuff you already know for the next 5 years but there is more to life than knowledge and intelligence. I've known some really intelligent people in my life so far just like you who could have probably done what you're thinking of doing. They may have been intelligent but they lacked in a lot of other fundamental skills like working with others and also communicating with others. They spent so much time building up their knowlegde that they didn't know how to interact with the world around them.





So just be careful that you don't do the same.
Reply:it sounds like you should do whatever is best for your family and yourself, i know it seems like you would be out of place and you would, but just think you'd be the only kid around who would be out of college before your old enough to drink. i think you should take the experience and not worry about your parents. being a parent i know that they are probabially more than happy to make any sacrafice they need to because we love our kids and we want what's best for them. i hope that helps and congrats hon.
Reply:I don't think that at 13 years old you can go to University. You have to stay in regular school until you are at least 16 years old. You need to have a high school diploma before you can go to University too! =S
Reply:well... some ppl have no idea at all do they? Yeah you can go to uni at 13 if your smart enough,and it sounds like you are. The problem with that is you will pretty much be a loner for a while (most of uni) but dealing with the older student will help you when it come to getting a job and stuff coz you will always be young for whatever job you do and some idiots will be cruel about it. But then again do you want to be bored sh!tless at school, when you already understand the lessons, it could make you disinterested in the work and waste your talent. Its a lot to think about, and talk to your parents about it too, and even some of your close friends. But i think that in the long run it would be beneficial to you to further expand your education as much as posible...
Reply:if i was u i wouldn't. trust me ur regret it and plus why are you in a hurry to grow up. have some fun, watch spongebob, relax enough being a kid. until then take some advance classes try to do the best you can and still have some fun.