Early College
by rrusczyk, Nov 7, 2008, 4:28 PM
If this gets off the ground, it will be an interesting experiment.
I think there need to be more options for education in general, and that part of the genius of American education is that there are so many options for adults. But there aren't so many for teens and for early training in careers. I don't advocate early college for AoPS-type students, mainly because most "early college" means not going to a top-tier school (that is, going to an average state school at 15 or 16 is not nearly as good as going to MIT at 18, primarily due to the peer group -- of course, two years in community college at 17-18, followed by MIT, could be fine if such a path could be made and there were others there with you). But I do think there need to be more options for those students that the high schools don't serve well, and for those students who want something other than the traditional liberal arts curriculum offered by most high schools.
I think there need to be more options for education in general, and that part of the genius of American education is that there are so many options for adults. But there aren't so many for teens and for early training in careers. I don't advocate early college for AoPS-type students, mainly because most "early college" means not going to a top-tier school (that is, going to an average state school at 15 or 16 is not nearly as good as going to MIT at 18, primarily due to the peer group -- of course, two years in community college at 17-18, followed by MIT, could be fine if such a path could be made and there were others there with you). But I do think there need to be more options for those students that the high schools don't serve well, and for those students who want something other than the traditional liberal arts curriculum offered by most high schools.
February 2012
January 2012