Advice wanted - What does a 16yo comm. college grad do?

[Cindy in C-ville]

Our 2nd dd is highly motivated and will finish at our local community college when she is 16. She has received a scholarship and participates in the "Honors Program." She will FINISH when she's 16. She's bright and motivated, but she will still be 16. Academically, she will be ready to enter as junior somewhere, but emotionally she's not at a junior level. Have others BTDT? What course have you taken? What would you suggest? TIA!

[Piano&ViolinMom]

Our 2nd dd is highly motivated and will finish at our local community college when she is 16. She has received a scholarship and participates in the "Honors Program." She will FINISH when she's 16. She's bright and motivated, but she will still be 16. Academically, she will be ready to enter as junior somewhere, but emotionally she's not at a junior level. Have others BTDT? What course have you taken? What would you suggest? TIA!

Hi Cindy, Perhaps I would have qualified as BTDT if my son and I wanted. He just turned 15 recently, and has all credits for AA but one required course. He is intentionally delaying to take that required course, not to seek a degree anytime soon, he is a just sophomore high schooler.

By the way, congratulations to your dd, for getting scholarship. What kind of scholarship is it?

[Sara R]

I don't have any kids on this level, but recently I read the website of our local vocational school and was surprised at how many interesting programs they offered, including computer networking and dental assisting. Around here these courses are a lot of money for adults, but free or nearly free for high school students (or high school age students). Are there any vocational programs that sound interesting to her? I think it would be handy to be trained in a trade as well as a profession. Those skills could help her get a better job so she could pay her own way through college.

[Cindy in C-ville]

Hi Cindy, Perhaps I would have qualified as BTDT if my son and I wanted. He just turned 15 recently, and has all credits for AA but one required course. He is intentionally delaying to take that required course, not to seek a degree anytime soon, he is a just sophomore high schooler.

By the way, congratulations to your dd, for getting scholarship. What kind of scholarship is it?

So, what is your son doing with his time? Thanks for the congrats! It's a scholarship offered through our comm. college - not full, but helpful nonetheless!

I'd love to see dd slow things down, spend some time working on her music (she plays viola), but she is pushing herself to finish quickly.

[Cindy in C-ville]

I don't have any kids on this level, but recently I read the website of our local vocational school and was surprised at how many interesting programs they offered, including computer networking and dental assisting. Around here these courses are a lot of money for adults, but free or nearly free for high school students (or high school age students). Are there any vocational programs that sound interesting to her? I think it would be handy to be trained in a trade as well as a profession. Those skills could help her get a better job so she could pay her own way through college.

That's an interesting idea!

[K-FL]

Can she continue to take classes towards a 2nd (or 3rd) degree? Our cc has AA's along w/AAS & AS so if you had one, you could easily start working on another as some of the classes you take for a computer AS can't be used for the AA, etc.

[Nan in Mass]

Could she do one of the high school year abroad programs? That would keep her in a family situation another year, and yet still further her education. What about an intership someplace? Or could she continue to take CC classes for another year, even though she isn't working towards an associate's degree? I think I would ask her what she wants to learn next and then try to find a way to do that.

[Piano&ViolinMom]

So, what is your son doing with his time?
Getting AA/AS has not been his goal in taking college courses. Rather, he has been taking courses as part of his high school life. He would continue take courses if he is interested. But he sees that the course offerings are limited in CC, specially in math/ science field.

[Garga]

Can she take junior level courses online, so she doesn't have to interact with older classmates? (For example Mississippi state has an 'online college'.)

Can she take additional CC courses that would transfer to a degree later down the road?

Can she teach herself college level at home? (to keep her skills sharp)

Can she get a job (internship) in the field she's interested in and finish school later? Then she'll have experience AND education when she's official ready to job-hunt.

[Jane in NC]

Jenny in Florida has a daughter who attends or attended Mary Baldwin College before the traditional age. As I recall that college has a special program for younger girls who are academically accelerated. Perhaps you could find something similar in your part of the country?

[Cindy in C-ville]

Jenny in Florida has a daughter who attends or attended Mary Baldwin College before the traditional age. As I recall that college has a special program for younger girls who are academically accelerated. Perhaps you could find something similar in your part of the country?

Just talked with a Mary Baldwin rep and that may be a great option. The comm. college dd is attending has a transfer program in place with Mary Baldwin and we live on 45 minutes away. Perhaps this is the perfect fit! We'll see!

[Jane in NC]

Just talked with a Mary Baldwin rep and that may be a great option. The comm. college dd is attending has a transfer program in place with Mary Baldwin and we live on 45 minutes away. Perhaps this is the perfect fit! We'll see!

That C-ville! I don't know why, but I was not connecting that you are in Virginia, Cindy. Glad this may be a solution.

Jane

[Chris in VA]

Cindy, have you thought about missions work for her, or work overseas with missionaries who need nanny help?

[kmacnchs]

Not there with my dc but was as a student - there are MANY state colleges here that (depending on the major) you can do most if not all classes online.

[Cindy in C-ville]

Chris, I've done some exploring of "gap year" programs for both her and my older daughter. I'd love to see the kids get experience in service, see a bit of the world, gain biblical knowledge from other sources than the homefront, etc. Do you have any programs in mind? So many of the programs come out of the U.K. Thoughts?

[Chris in VA]

I don't know if Campus Crusade for Christ has anything--they have college summer trips that are excellent. You might try writing directly to some folks in places your dd and you agree would be interesting. There's an orphanage (Christian) in Uganda called The Chain Foundation (run by them) that is familiar to us--Bishop Livingston Nkoyoyo is the retired Archbishop of Uganda and raises money for them (lives there and travels with his dd to the States). They have a wonderful school and living area for kids that have either lost their parents or whose parents have had to give them up. Perhaps a place like that would provide an internship or something--they may not be able to pay, but perhaps she could raise support and go live there for 3 months or something (thinking out loud here). They have a website, and you can contact the Bishop directly. (Pm me if you want a reference--based on your posts, I'd be happy to give you one! lol)