Should Students be Allowed Enter College Early?
Everyone has seen and admired videos online of kids that graduate high school at extremely young ages, but have you ever thought on how that might be affecting the child in question? Early entrance programs are services that allow students to, through some form of testing, skip grades which allows them to enter college earlier than the average age. These programs have been praised for allowing students who are ready to take the next step forward to do so, and gain a head start in life. Although heading to college early may seem like a crowning achievement that all students should strive for, this "achievement" has many effects that most people don't think about when they make their decision. Early college programs have been proven to cause many mental health issues due to the stress, missed experiences, and social disconnect of skipping grades before college.
The stress that is brought on by joining an early entrance program is something students often think about but never truly understand. When a student skips a grade they sometimes miss vital knowledge that is necessary later in their academic career even if they passed the test to skip past that grade. This may result in difficulty learning other subjects that build off of said knowledge and when faced with the fast paced classes in college, can lead to debilitating stress and other mental issues. When talking about these early entrance programs The National Library of Medicine said, “There is a moderate-to-high percentage of students in this population who have developed depression, anxiety, and stress” (Singh et al). These mental health issues (specifically depression) are the some of the leading causes of self-harm or suicide. Because of the fast pace of these college classes without the necessary knowledge that may have been provided in the skipped grades, these early admissions into college could severely injure the participants both mentally and physically.
When a student chooses to join these early entrance programs, they run the risk of losing/missing out on other experiences like sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities. According to the The Illinois Board of Higher Education Faculty Advisory Council, “ If a student is taking several early college classes in addition to their normal high school load, then they may not have the time to devote to other activities” (Illinois Board of Higher Education Faculty Advisory Council). Extracurricular activities are extremely important to many students as these experiences allow students to socialize, bond, and create connections that not only help students with their mental health but also can be exceedingly important later on in life. Adolescents/teenagers who are socially active and add to their communities, “have improved moods, lower stress, and fewer health problems” (Forder). As mentioned in the previous paragraph stress can lead to exceptionally unfortunate outcomes so the lowered stress that extracurricular activities offer can be an immense help that students in an early entrance program may miss out on.
Although early entrance programs do have many advantages and can help students in the long term, the consequences may outweigh the advantages for a large portion of the participants. The repercussions caused by these projects like self-harm, mental health deterioration, and social disconnect are so detrimental to the students involved that maybe these programs shouldn't be legal at all. There are many different programs that you can join to get into college early but just remember that although all you may see are the positives on how it will help boost you in life, there are many different cons that they sweep under the rug. You should always proper research your choices before you make a decision, especially if it is a choice that can alter the course of your life.
Work Cited:
Forder, Meghan Lynch. “What Teens Gain When They Contribute to Their Social Groups.” Great Good Magazine. 22 Jul. 2019. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_teens_gain_when_they_contribute_to_their_social_groups
Illinois Board of Higher Education Faculty Advisory Council. “Early College: What to Consider?” 17 Feb. 2023. https://www.ibhe.org/board/2023/June/approved/FAC_Early_College_Considerations_Paper_2023_3.8.23.pdf
Salamon, Maureen. “Blasting through mental health misperceptions”. Harvard Health Publishing. Dec 1. 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/blasting-through-mental-health-misperceptions
Singh SP, et al. “Perceived Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Outcomes Among Students of Early Entrance College Programs.” Cureus, vol. 13, no. 12, Dec 2021, doi: 10.7759/cureus.20360. PMID: 35028236; PMCID: PMC8751760. Accessed Sep 24. 2024.
This was a really great post! I have always known that people have gotten into college early and I have always thought those kids as super smart. I never thought of all the cons with leaving for college at such a young age. You did a really great job at explaining the effects going to college at a young age could have on children.
ReplyDeleteI really feel for this post because I've actually thought about taking an early entrance program myself in an attempt to "catch up" to my peers who have skipped grades/gone to college early. While my mother's friends pressured their kids to skip several grades and "get ahead" of everyone else, she always discouraged me from doing so because of the social and mental effects. I'm glad she did, and I hope certain cultures, including my own, can understand that earlier doesn't necessarily equal smarter or better in the long run.
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally agree, Layla! For me, I've always been enticed to click on those YouTube videos that talk about how to get into college at 16 or 17. I also want to mention that I think this is a really well-written post, Evan. You consistently elaborate on your points thoroughly, and I like how you used a source from Illinois (that hits close to home for all of us haha).
DeleteThis is a very informative post that describes both the pros and cons of early entrance programs. I really appreciate how you provide sources about increased experienced mental health factors in those that choose early entrance programs. I also agree with the idea you highlighted that although there are a number of accomplishments and pluses to early entrance programs, you should still assess your options carefully.
ReplyDeleteThis makes a lot of sense. Imagine how forced this life might feel. i can't amagin a version of myself that's alive and has absaloutly no time for hobbies.
ReplyDeleteYou make a lot of valid points! School shouldn't just be something that's rushed through to make it to higher levels of education as quickly as possible, but should be treated as a time to make connections and discover new interests and hobbies. I can't imagine what it would be like to attend a school where I'm years younger than all of my peers without properly learning the life skills everyone else has had the time to.
ReplyDeleteYou did a really great job getting your points across in a way that was easy to understand! you support all of your claims with good evidence. I agree with you that entering college early can have a detrimental effect on someone's mental health.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on writing this post. I also believe that entering college early can have a significant effect on people's mental health. You make a lot of good points, and this is something that is frequently not talked about. You're right, entering college early and skipping a grade in general can ruin someone's mental health and puts people at risk of depression and other conditions. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThis post was really good!! I feel like a lot of people don't even think about the potential repercussions of going to college early, or how school in general can be incredibly damaging to young people's mental health. Sometimes, academic success can and should be sacrificed, if the pursuit of that success is detrimental to the individual's happiness, as is often the case for students who skip grades or go to college early.
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