That and with the education, he will probably still not be able to get a job due to his age. There have been follow-ups on the “Doogie Howser” kids (ones that attended universities and beyond) and some go on to normal lives, some just end up with degrees but nothing else to show for it.

This whole discussion is really tough for me to read.

I’m an introvert too, but I believe it’s extra important for people who are not as naturally socially adept to be exposed to, and interact with our peers. (We need our alone time too, of course!)

And that socializationion matters a lot when you grow up. It doesn’t matter how smart you are if you don’t know how to talk to others in the office. Are you really going to have a happy and productive life if you don’t have friends because you never learned how to hang with people who aren’t brilliant.

Also, what is the benefit. How is this going to make his life better? Is he going to be able to work with people? It’s too bad he can’t attend a regular school for half the day, take PE and music class and social studies with his peers so he can learn to work with others who aren’t as gifted as he is..

On a related, sad, note: I wanted to see what other prodigies went on to do. Seems like the youngest guy to enroll at Harvard (age 11) went on to have a troubled life (although other young attendees were more successful).

There are plenty of different options for people like him to engage in, rather than going straight into University (College).

So, I went to a junior high school program for the highly gifted. We were located on the campus of a regular ol’ school, and we were mixed in with the other students for gym and some electives.

I just dismissed a few trolls, one of whom put forth the “He’ll be bored!” argument and the other of whom told me that there was a reason I am a middle school teacher, not a college professor. My response to the first troll would have been that there is more to life than academics and that current educational pedagogy…

I wonder if there is a college for prodigies where it’s all pre-adult humans taking university together.

Home schooled kid was already way behind the 8 ball in terms of socialization. So college is probably as close as he’s come to being around young people, much less kids. I do think going through puberty while in college will be most unpleasant for him.

He was homeschooled. I doubt his parents have ever had much interest in him developing socially with his peers. Sounds sad and lonely.

I don’t compare to this kid but I was passed ahead a few times so I started uni at 15. I didn’t socialize with other students beyond what was necessary. My friends were still kids closer to my own age. I didn’t discuss academics with them not just because I couldn’t but because I didn’t feel the need. Being good at…

Smart move by your mom.

I think there have been at least a handful of studies documenting these kind of students and how poorly adjusted and out of touch with their peer group they tend to be, and the extent to which their social and emotional development is stunted. I’m sure every parent would love to say their 12 year old is an Ivy…

“We were concerned about him socializing with other kids,” his mother said. “At the playground he was freaked out by other kids running around screaming. But when we took him to Math Circle and math camp, he was very social. He needed someone with similar interests.”

And then what does he do when he graduates? Will he even be old enough for a work permit to work at the carwash (like I did at 16, and still managed to get accepted to a top 10 school)? I don’t understand this trajectory at all.

Sports? Crushes? Comic books? Movies? Not everything is academics.

I agree, I get that academically he’s miles ahead of his peers but school is also about socialization which I’m guessing this kid missed out big on. My mom teachers first grade and one year she had a genius like him (he was in the process of patenting a car design at SIX) but his parents wanted him to move through the…

I have taught middle school for 15 years. Stories like this make me angry. I don't give a shit if he's academically ready for college. He isn't ready for college in far more ways that actually matter.