College by 16?

Question

I am 14 and I am homeschooled. I will be going into 10th grade (I am 1 year ahead). My dad thinks that my older sister and I (she is 15 and also going into 10th) can get 10th grade done by this December then get 11th and 12th grade done by next summer. AHH. Lol thats like 8 straight hours of school every day! Anywyas I am fine with it, but I have a few questions.

Will the state pay for any of our college?

When should I start applying for scholorships?

I really want to go to a university, can I live in a dorm room with a room mate when I am 16?

What extra things can I do to help me get scholorships? Like volunteering, playing sports etc.?

What can I do to help me pay for college?

Answer 1

Wow that's great! Congratulations. It depends on the state law. You'd have to look into that, you're dad should know, if not look into attending homeschool seminars they will help you with college aspect of it all.

Yes you can go to college at 16. You can even start now by taking college courses, to go toward your college transcripts, and get you that much further ahead, if you're that ambitious. =) Which it sounds like you are!! Way to go!

When I was going to Arizona State University I knew a lot of younger students, almost as young as 11 years old going to college. Of course, the 11 year old was a genius and yes he was sitting with me in my 300 student Psychology 101 class. It was weird at first, but the kid was sometimes smarter than the professor. Crazy huh!

He couldn't live on campus, but if you're under the age of 18 you may have difficulty living on campus with a roommate, unless approved by a parent or guardian. =)

As for the state paying for college, it's possible. You can also start applying for scholarships now, tell them your story...you're homeschooled and be sure to let them know how young you are. That's an easy ploy to get money for college, anyone would want to sponsor a young ambitious student like yourself. I know I would. Try scholarships, grants, etc. You can also apply for school loans. Try for the free money first, the kind  you won't have to pay back. =)

Hope this helps! Keep up the good work! =)

Answer 2

Well, you need to have some sort of documentation that you have completed your schooling.  This will require an ACT, SAT, or GED score that will tell you whether or not you're prepared for college.  The assistance provided is based on need.  You can find out how much you would qualify for by filling out a FAFSA, which can easily be found through internet searches.  You cannot legally live on your own at 16.  You would need to stay home until you hit 17 (if you're female).  I'd also recommend being VERY CAREFUL in the college community, as you'll be an underage girl and there will be a lot of legal guys you could get into some serious trouble.  You need to start looking into scholarships and scholarship requirements.  You can find out about that by calling the Financial Aid office at the college you're interested in attending.

Answer 3

I'm not sure if the state itself will pay for your college. Your best bet is to apply for as many scholarships as you can. As for the 8 hours of schooling, you may as well get used to it because since you are so far ahead, it will be that much easier to adjust to a work schedule. I'm sure you can get a dorm room along with a roommate but I'm not sure if you'd want that. The people in college will be much older and more mature. They will also envy you for being ridiculously smart. It might be fun but be prepared for ridicule and mockery.

Answer 4

3 grades in one year? You are ambitious!!

No, the state (I'm assuming you mean 'state' as in 'U.S. state') will not pay for your college.

You should start looking at scholarships NOW and find out about recommendations. Some scholarships are available to apply for at any point in high school.

You'd have to probably talk to the dorm supervisor at the universities you are looking at; I'm sure each college/university dorm will have their own policy.

Research scholarships and you'll see which ones appeal to you most and what their requirements are. If you are planning on doing three grades in one year, you won't have time to volunteer, play sports, etc. If you really want scholarships, you're going to have to take your time with your school and have the time to do the extra stuff to earn those scholarships.

To help pay for college, you'll have to rely on scholarships, get a job (which you won't be able to do if you're doing 3 years of school in one year) and you'll probably have to take out student loans if that doesn't cover it.

As for those naysaying going to college at 16, you know yourself best and whether it's something good for you or not. Plenty of homeschoolers do it and they have no problem. I would have been fine in college at 16. I know a homeschooled 16yo girl who would be fine, too. If it's what you want, then go for it, but don't overdo it!

Answer 5

I think it depends on the college. And as for applying, when you feel you're ready to start. :D

Good luck.

Answer 6

First off you are not too young for college. There have been lots of other kids your age starting college too.

Scholorships are usually based on good grades.

Grants and loans can be given and paid back once you graduate and get a job. You just have to apply for them.

I am not sure about the dorm thing and who they would put you in with. That you would have to call the colleges and ask about.

I wish you luck on everything. Awesome that you would be able to graduate and get a headstart on your career someday.

Answer 7

I think that you are going to find college very difficult as a 16 year old.

Answer 8

when ur in 12th start for scholarships. um, i dont no if a college with accept u as a 16 year old.

Answer 9

You should go to public school.

Answer 10

im sure that if you were going to college EARLY any university would accept you.

Answer 11

I think you can do it. My roommate this past summer was 16 and she didn't seem like it at all. At times she seemed older than I am. I think it takes a special type of 16 year old to handle it. I know I would've been lost at that age.

Answer 12

wowowowow you are nuts if you want to do that but good luck. I go to a public high school and i already have 3 or 4 college credits from my soph year...

the state may or may not pay for some you will have to look into it.

as far as scholarships im sure there are plenty for homeschooled students.

volunteer hours make you look very very good to colleges, also you should see about joining a club at your local school. I know a kid with perfect sat scores and grades taht didnt get into college because he had to extra c**p to show them.

Answer 13

First off, colleges will not deny you simply because of age. All colleges I've ever seen have a fine print note that says they do not discriminate on age, race, religion, etc.

I will also be going to college at 16. I'm not sure about all colleges, but the one I'm looking at said their policy is that as far as they are concerned, you are an adult. They won't be asking your parents for permission for you to do things. Everything will be your decision.

Whether the state will pay for your college depends on what state you live in, where the college you go to is, and whether you meet other scholarship requirements (community service hours, GPA, etc.)

Start applying for scholarships now! http://fastweb.com has tons of scholarships. Just look for ones that say high school student, rather than high school senior. If you make an account on http://collegeboard.com (where you sign up for the SAT - which I recommend you take for college application purposes), you can use their scholarship search.

It may depend on the university, but you should be able to stay in a dorm room. That's a question for the admissions counselor at the universities/colleges you are interested in!

A lot of scholarships require a certain number of community service hours. So, volunteer! If you go to a church (or have no objection to helping them out), ask if you can help out there. A lot of hospitals have volunteers also. They usually do things like push people in the wheelchairs when they leave, point people in the right direction for the wing they're looking for, etc. Another thing to do is work on your essay writing. A lot of scholarships require essays. The better you are, the more likely you are to get the scholarship!

Definitely find all the scholarships you can. If possible, find a place that will hire someone your age, and save a bit of the money you earn from that. Most people have to get student loans, but the smaller they have to be, the better!

Good luck!!

Answer 14

well what country are u in?

Answer 15

Yes, you can get into college at that age, but be prepared for a shock!  You need to take you ACT, or SAT, depending on what your chosen school needs.  12th grade is when to apply for scholarships.  Even though you don't go to public school, call your closest High School counselor to see if they will help guide you with this process.  In January of 12th grade, after you parents have done their taxes, go on-line to fill out the FAFSA (google it)  This is where you can get a pell grant to pay for school (if your parents don't make too much money).  I hope some of this helps.

Answer 16

No, the State will not pay for college but  you can apply for a grant but keep in mind that will depend on the total income earned  in the household.

I think you should start applying for scholarships when you are in 11th Grade.

Depending on the University, you can live in a dorm room at 16 although some may require a Parent's Consent.

Volunteering in your community, tutoring, internships, helping organizations such as Soup Kitchens or Meals on Wheels.

To help pay for college, you can always try to apply for a job on campus.

I am so happy to hear how much you have accomplished at the age of 14. Well Done!!! Best Wishes for Success in everything you do!!!

Answer 17

First of all, take a deep breath and relax.  It's not as stressful as you're making it.

You sound a lot like me.  I was homeschooled, I was a year ahead, and I did two years work in one.  

1.  If you can handle that big of a workload, go ahead and finish.  Another option, community colleges allow you to attend school when you're 16 even if you haven't graduated from high school.  I took a few classes my 12th grade year so that after my first semester in college away from home, I was 16 and a college sophmore.

Because I started so early, I was not 100% sure of what I wanted to get my degree in.  I started with Biochemistry and changed to Business halfway through my junior year.  Because I was so young when I started college, I ended up going for 5 yrs and still graduated early with degrees in both Biochecmistry and business.

2.  You have the same opportunity to receive government grant money as do people that attend public school.

3.  Start applying for scholarships NOW.  Visit www.Fastweb.com.  There are scholarships out there that are offered to just high school freshman and sophmores.

4. When accepted to a university, if there is availability, you can live on campus irregardless of your age.  Most universities require you live on campus your first year.

5/6. There are scholarships for just about anything under the sun.  All extracurricular involvement helps.  Again visit www.FastWeb.com.  You'll get a feel for what's out there and how much is available.  Also, the internet is a huge resource right at your fingertips.  Google "college scholarships" and there will be more than enough for you to work on.  If you have the patience and the drive you can have your entire college career paid for.  Schedule to take the SAT & the ACT.  You may want to take these a few times as, statistically, scores improve with each testing.

One piece of advice I can give that my mom gave me, and I'm so greatful for, is don't be so determined to be independent and out of the house that you would rather go in debt and pay it all off later than take a semester off.  My mom only allowed me to use $5000/yr of government financial aid to pay for school, and I used no other personal or parent loans.  I attended a private college that cost $25,000/ yr and I only had to take off one semester to go to community college due to finances.  The rest was paid for through athletic and academic scholarships.  I graduated a year ago and only have a total of $15,000 in government loans to repay.

GOOD LUCK!  I wish you the best!

Answer 18

Go ahead! I joined college at 15, very successfully.

Answer 19

Why the big rush to get ahead?  You lose out on a lot of life experiences.

The only state I've ever heard of that will pay for college is Georgia.  Get above a 3.0 (not sure how your home schooling is being monitored) and you can get a free ride into college in Georgia.

You should start applying for scholarships as early as possible.  FAFSA is the regular financial aid application for colleges.  If you're eligible for grants (free money), you'll get them.  For individual scholarships, it depends on the people giving the money.  Some are private charities/organizations where you have to apply to them and get picked.  Some schools offer scholarships to desirable students based on academics, athletic ability, or some other quality they have.

Sports isn't going to happen if you haven't done them up until this point.  Frankly, by going so fast through high school, that's going to hurt you in terms of scholarships.

Yes, you can get a roommate when you're 16.  I've seen it happen to a 16 yr old at Berkeley.  However, it's from her example (and my sister's to a lesser degree) that I think skipping too many grades isn't the greatest idea.

In college, and later in life, people start talking about a lot of experiences they had in high school.  You can feel really left out.  In college, friends can start going to parties or bars/clubs a lot earlier.  Again, you'll feel left out.

Finally, once you get into higher education, you hit a wall.  You may be smart in high school, but you may get blown away in college by people who've had more years to build up a base before starting college classes.

Answer 20

COLLEGES WILL ACCEPT YOU NO MATTER YOUR AGE, just depends on how you did in school. thats all, I graduate College (Associates in Business Admin. And information systems) before i was 18, and I Started when I was 16. You can get grants Just as easy as my Grandma can get grants. AGE DOESNT MATTER TO EDUCATION...... on the other hand, you cannot live in a dorm room/on campus at the age of 16

Answer 21

I honestly think it's a bad idea to do college that young. You'll have to check with the state to see if they will pay for your college, but in any case I feel like 16 is just too young.

You have a lot to learn about yourself still -- even at 18 or later, chances are you'll go through some major changes at college.

I went to college at 17 and now that I'm done (I'm 22 now) I realize I was just too young when I first went. I had a rough start and, even though things went smoothly after I grew up a little, I sometimes wish I could have been more mature and known myself better before I left my family for college life.

Answer 22

I don't suggest it. Going to college is awkward enough and while I applaud your parents for homeschooling you, getting you into college at 16 isn't going to be what you emotionally need. What's wrong with taking it slow and getting involved in teh community first?

1) No, the state won't pay for your college.

2) Start applying the summer before your last year.

3) You'll have to live on campus with a roommate.

4) Volunteer, get good grades, participate in sports

5) Loans

This is your childhood--don't hurry through it.

Answer 23

Seriously, there is no need to rush.  I'm not sure about staying in a dorm at 16, but you can do dual enrollment.  I think this is the only way because you are under age (18).  I think if you score really high on your SAT's and ACT's you can get a scholarship.  Also, check the hslda.org website and find your state and see what they offer.

Answer 24

Why he is trying to rush your life. Just take it slow and easy cause when you get to college and if you have never been in public school its going to change your life forever.

So tell your dad at 18 you will go to college like everyone else.

Answer 25

suggest to your dad that you all slow down and let you guys mature and broaden your experiences before going to college. (I am a retired professor.)