Early College - Pros and Cons

Idaho plan would pay kids to graduate early

[...]Idaho lawmakers have proposed giving scholarships to high school students who enroll in college early. Eight other states are participating in a program that would allow high school sophomores to pass a series of tests and graduate early.

[...]Idaho’s plan goes further than other programs around the country because it would allow students to graduate from high school up to three years early, and then receive taxpayer money to enroll at a state university or community college. Students would receive approximately $1,600 in scholarship money for each year they graduate early. read the entire article at the Spokesman Review

There is no doubt that many young people are held back by our government controlled educational system and would benefit from being allowed to enter college early.  By a fluke in the old laws, and my birthday falling thirteen minutes to midnight on New Year's Eve, I entered school almost a full year younger than my classmates.  That had me entering college at seventeen.  It worked well for me since I found high school quite boring.

As the article points out the influx of younger people to college campuses would not necessarily be in best welfare of the younger students.  Many college campuses have degenerated into bastions of drinking and fornication, instead of of places for young folks to just occupy their spare time with youthful pranks. On the other hand, that could also describe many high schools.  Due to much of the molly-coddling and silly things like the "self-esteem movement" the maturity level of the average high-schooler today is also much lower than when I was a young person. 

I do agree with ID Rep. Brendon Durst when he says we spend an inordinate amount of time and energy focused on the bottom third of the students.  This is one of the main problems with most government-run schools which certainly deserve a grade no higher than a good solid "D."

What do you think about this plan?