Skipping Year 13 to go straight to University

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MikeAqua

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#2604794 16-Nov-2020 15:27

Batman:
Aspergers / Einstein - go to uni

Kids with Asperger's always seem to me to be a couple of years behind in their social development.

I would be less inclined to send a person affected by Asperger's to university early. If anything I would get them to work a gap year first. Especially if they are affected by ODD as well.

Mike

BlinkyBill

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#2604800 16-Nov-2020 15:34

Batman: Yes agree.

Normal people - do year 13
Aspergers / Einstein - go to uni

what a ridiculous statement.

Handle9

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#2604897 16-Nov-2020 17:20

MikeAqua:

CrashAndBurn:

one of his mates mentioned that he will be skipping Yr 13 to take up law as he will have the required credits.

Good way to set a kid up to fail. High achiever, un-accustomed to failing at any academic pursuit is dropped into a difficult, competitive course. Competing against kids with an extra year of schooling, maturity (especially boys) etc. I

The competition side of things at uni is generally fine - Grammar is a highly competitive environment, far more so than University IME. It's fully streamed and the top two classes are comparable to any university course in terms of ability.

Maturity and being self motivated were far bigger issues for me and a number of my peers than competitiveness.

Handle9

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#2604899 16-Nov-2020 17:22

Geektastic:

I certainly would never have skipped the last year of school - for two reasons: firstly, my father would never in a million years have permitted me to do so and secondly you do not take your A Levels in the UK until the summer you leave (unless you actually are a genius and can pass them with only 12 months of the 24 month syllabus) so you would not normally have the grades awarded until you are 18 anyway.

The school pushes the top kids ahead a year from year 10 (the old fourth form). It's been doing if for many years (I left there in 1994 and it wasn't new then).

MarkM536

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#2604922 16-Nov-2020 18:40

From myself being in Year 12 right now,

I'm looking towards engineering at Auckland university. I've been advised by the group of teachers that manage pathways and students meeting requirements that I require NCEA level 3 credits, which is Year 13.

At least for Auckland University; there is a 'rank score' system. For every 'x' number of credits at NCEA level 3 you gain on your rank score. The rank score needs to be around 260 points for entry.

I can't deny or confirm anything on this. All I can confirm on is your son would need to qualify. Check with your school and university on their grades in relation to gaining entrance.

Geektastic

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#2605010 16-Nov-2020 22:22

MikeAqua:

Batman:
Aspergers / Einstein - go to uni

Kids with Asperger's always seem to me to be a couple of years behind in their social development.

I would be less inclined to send a person affected by Asperger's to university early. If anything I would get them to work a gap year first. Especially if they are affected by ODD as well.

I agree. I am 'on the spectrum' as they say these days and I went after a gap year and still spent 3 years avoiding every party and event and talking to as few people as I could get away with!

I spent my first Rag Week alone in Wales sleeping in a bivvi under my Land Rover at night and 4WDing a couple of Roman roads in the snow during the days...! I could not bear the thought of being dragged into the ridiculous things that happen in Rag Week.

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sen8or

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#2605272 17-Nov-2020 10:50

Academically the year has been a bit of a wash for my son who just finished year 13, but he has grown tremendously as a young man during this time. Admittedly, he isn't a party animal / drinker and nor are his friends, but he has found his feet this year in the relative safe environment of school and home.

He did the star course through UC and really enjoyed the uni style of learning, far more so than some of the things he has had to do for the last 2 years or so at school, which by and large were simply filling in his days, but if he had started uni at the start of this year (ignoring COVID impacts), I doubt he'd be better off.

Downside of year 13 can be the pigeon holing if courses into whats valid and not valid for intended pathways into Uni. He was pleased star course was an option as otherwise he would have really struggled to pick enough subjects that were both of interest to him and relevant to his intended study (immersive game design).

esawers

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#2605293 17-Nov-2020 11:18

I left school at the end of 6th form, I was at an all girls private school and the only IT option was typing.

I ended up at Polytech trying to gain entrance to the Bachelor in IT, the head of department was supportive but advised because of my age I should start with the Certificate. So I ended up joining the Bachelor Degree at the same time my friends started their Tertiary education anyway, the only benefit to me was being able to do the subject I was interested in (which I imagine would be less of a problem these days).

Socially, I made new friends, but I left my old friends behind. They had that whole extra year together, had the formal and leavers events together, they went flatting together. My husband still has a tight circle of friends from his school days, but apart from seeing what they are up to on Facebook, I don't see any of mine.

Geektastic

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#2605342 17-Nov-2020 11:42

esawers:
I left school at the end of 6th form, I was at an all girls private school and the only IT option was typing.

I ended up at Polytech trying to gain entrance to the Bachelor in IT, the head of department was supportive but advised because of my age I should start with the Certificate. So I ended up joining the Bachelor Degree at the same time my friends started their Tertiary education anyway, the only benefit to me was being able to do the subject I was interested in (which I imagine would be less of a problem these days).

Socially, I made new friends, but I left my old friends behind. They had that whole extra year together, had the formal and leavers events together, they went flatting together. My husband still has a tight circle of friends from his school days, but apart from seeing what they are up to on Facebook, I don't see any of mine.

Of course the importance of that depends on the person. It seems more likely that your peers from university would be the more useful group in your career on the assumption that they would probably be working in the same sort of businesses etc.

MikeAqua

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#2605360 17-Nov-2020 12:19

Handle9:

The competition side of things at uni is generally fine - Grammar is a highly competitive environment, far more so than University IME. It's fully streamed and the top two classes are comparable to any university course in terms of ability.

Maturity and being self motivated were far bigger issues for me and a number of my peers than competitiveness.

It may have changed but when I was at uni law was a very competitive course. Competitive as in: If your marks aren't in the top x%, you don't get into second year. You are competing with other high achievers. I watched a couple of high achievers from my school (which had standards comparable to Grammar's) crash and burn doing law at uni.

Maturity, self-motivation and discipline are key in an environment like that.

University academics I talk to bemoan the dumbing down of university courses to make it easier for students, so a law degree may be piece of cake now for all I know.

Mike

mudguard

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#2605482 17-Nov-2020 14:18

I can only add my experience. I went to Otago and Auckland for two different periods of study. I also had two years between 7th form and starting, mainly as I was having a gap year overseas, and there was a loophole at the time in regards to student allowance (which has since closed) so took the second year off to qualify and I worked full time to save.

Living in Auckland and going to university felt very much like a job, I was older than I was at Otago. But at Otago, everyone flatted, I lived within walking distance of class at every flat. In fact I would go home between lectures, even if there was only an hour gap, everyone lived close, was cold (all the flats seem to have heatpumps, now, what bliss), had no money. But loved it. Auckland, in contrast, felt like a job, there was no going home between lectures, flatting within walking distance for $100 per week I suspect is impossible and there wasn't the same sense of community. Perhaps it was just that I was older when I did the Auckland stint, but I would certainly consider where he would go.

That said, I'm not sure I'd send a 16/17 year old away to study!

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Handle9

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#2605592 17-Nov-2020 16:12

MikeAqua:
Handle9:

The competition side of things at uni is generally fine - Grammar is a highly competitive environment, far more so than University IME. It's fully streamed and the top two classes are comparable to any university course in terms of ability.

Maturity and being self motivated were far bigger issues for me and a number of my peers than competitiveness.

It may have changed but when I was at uni law was a very competitive course. Competitive as in: If your marks aren't in the top x%, you don't get into second year. You are competing with other high achievers. I watched a couple of high achievers from my school (which had standards comparable to Grammar's) crash and burn doing law at uni.

Maturity, self-motivation and discipline are key in an environment like that.

University academics I talk to bemoan the dumbing down of university courses to make it easier for students, so a law degree may be piece of cake now for all I know.

At Grammar it's fairly similar to what you describe at law school. Every term you are ranked based on exam results and if you aren't performing you get restreamed into a different class. You get used to that sort of competition from 13 years old.

Most of the kids in those classes either do law or go to med school.

I agree about the maturity side of things. It's far more of an issue than the competition side of things.

Yoban

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#2605604 17-Nov-2020 16:44

My son just had his last exam today in the Cambridge program at AGS and would be supporting others suggesting to complete year 13. Although the workload drops right off compared to previous years, plenty of opportunity for other topics and a shot at prefect etc. You also have the Ball and leaver dinner to look forward too.

As for entrance to Uni from year 12 - check the requirements as he may need A2 points in physics for the likes of Engineering which cannot be achieved from year 12 only (CIE Entrance Calculator)

MikeAqua

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#2606825 19-Nov-2020 11:34

Handle9:

At Grammar it's fairly similar to what you describe at law school. Every term you are ranked based on exam results and if you aren't performing you get restreamed into a different class.

That's it less intense than - you didn't make it. Repeat year 1 or choose different course/career.

It's also worth considering that sort of competitive pressure can be additive. Rather than getting used to pressure, kids can be cummulatively undone by it.

A Gap year can be really good thing. One of the step-lings did this recently. He washed dishes in a restaurant for a year, had a blast working in hospitality and also learned the harsh realities of being in a vulnerable sector during covid. He of course had a parental safety net, but had been responsible for his own living costs, housing and transport. He's learned valuable life skills that will serve him well at uni, next year.

I'll advise my bio-lings to complete all years of high skill and then a gap year.

Mike

antonknee

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#2606902 19-Nov-2020 13:21

At the time I thought leaving in year 12 was fantastic. However I have actually regretted that decision almost ever since.

I missed out on so many social things, like the ball, and even just being with my friends and in relationships and stuff for that year. It's definitely a gap in our relationship - I'm still friends with them, but they have so many year 13 memories that I can't relate to or share with them.

I really don't think the extra year headstart has had any material positive changes to my life or career. But you can't play the what if game.

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