Boy, 11, admitted to college to study quantum physics

NinjaPoodle · #1 08-30-2013, 04:13 PM

http://now.msn.com/tcu-eleven-year-o...e-student-ever

Boy, 11, admitted to college to study quantum physics At TCU

"Call him the Doogie Howser of the physics world. Carson Huey-You has been admitted to Texas Christian University as an incoming freshman — at only 11 years old. Around the time when most kids are playing with jacks and baseball cards, young Huey-You will be taking university-level courses among teenagers and young adults. And it won't just be any class load. The boy, who scored a 1770 on his SAT, speaks Mandarin Chinese and plays the piano, will be studying nothing less than quantum physics. In a nutshell, anything you try to do to be impressive after this will fail."

ASTalumna06 · #2 08-30-2013, 04:29 PM

I read about this kid the other day. Crazy!

DeltaBetaBaby · #3 08-30-2013, 04:46 PM

Ugh, I have so many feelings about this, as a (slightly) young college admit. Let the kid have a life.

Psi U MC Vito · #4 08-30-2013, 05:27 PM

Is he even really ready to go to college that young? I will admit that I know nothing about gifted children, but do they age emotionally at the same rate, or is that advanced as well as the intellect?

KDCat · #5 09-01-2013, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

Is he even really ready to go to college that young? I will admit that I know nothing about gifted children, but do they age emotionally at the same rate, or is that advanced as well as the intellect?

No. They don't mature emotionally at the same rate. Their development is asynchronous.

He's ready for the material, but he is still an 11 year old boy. Since he is living at home, though, he should be fine.

Sen's Revenge · #6 08-30-2013, 05:50 PM

I'm happy for him. I'm sure they have made the decision that's best for their family.

thetalady · #7 08-30-2013, 05:55 PM

He won't be living on campus like other college students. His mom was very clear that he is just going to school and going home every afternoon, just like other kids do... just a more advanced school.

And not Doogie Howser. This is Sheldon Cooper: The Early Years!

AOII Angel · #8 08-30-2013, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetalady

He won't be living on campus like other college students. His mom was very clear that he is just going to school and going home every afternoon, just like other kids do... just a more advanced school.

And not Doogie Howser. This is Sheldon Cooper: The Early Years!

Honestly, he probably wouldn't be treated well if he was in H.S. instead. The option of being placed in a class with children his own age would result in a clearly highly advanced child being left to academically wither because of fears that he should not be taken out of his peer group. Which is more important? Academic stimulation or peer group interaction.

AOII Angel · #9 08-30-2013, 05:53 PM

Emotional age is the same as any other child. They've done studies. It all has to do with myelination of the brain. I think that each case is different for these kids. My husband went to college at 13 and med school at 17. He was self aware enough to realize that kids that are advanced often were social rejects and made an effort to be social. Not much you could do about that when you are underage in college, but he had a great time learning. He said everyone was really accepting of him and kind. In med school, he had a GREAT time, almost a fraternity type experience with his group of friends. He knows his experience is NOT typical of kids like him. The idea of being average, however, would never occur to him.

PersistentDST · #10 08-30-2013, 06:45 PM

I think as long as his parents get him involved with kids his age (sports, church groups, youth group) he should be fine. He should be able to attend college and be challenged (which I don't see happening in high school). As long as they let him be balanced he will be fine. I wish him the best!

clemsongirl · #11 08-30-2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NinjaPoodle

http://now.msn.com/tcu-eleven-year-o...e-student-ever

Boy, 11, admitted to college to study quantum physics At TCU

"Call him the Doogie Howser of the physics world. Carson Huey-You has been admitted to Texas Christian University as an incoming freshman — at only 11 years old. Around the time when most kids are playing with jacks and baseball cards, young Huey-You will be taking university-level courses among teenagers and young adults. And it won't just be any class load. The boy, who scored a 1770 on his SAT, speaks Mandarin Chinese and plays the piano, will be studying nothing less than quantum physics. In a nutshell, anything you try to do to be impressive after this will fail."

Not to diminish his accomplishment, because going to college at such a young age is obviously something I could not and would not want to do, but only a 1770? I say this because I am bright but not a super-genius and got a 2170. I would think that a kid going to college at age 11 would have scored higher than that -shrugs-

ASTalumna06 · #12 08-30-2013, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

Not to diminish his accomplishment, because going to college at such a young age is obviously something I could not and would not want to do, but only a 1770? I say this because I am bright but not a super-genius and got a 2170. I would think that a kid going to college at age 11 would have scored higher than that -shrugs-

Because I received my SAT score based on the old system (1600 being the max), what's considered a "B average", so to speak, for SATs now?

SigKapSweetie · #13 08-30-2013, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Because I received my SAT score based on the old system (1600 being the max), what's considered a "B average", so to speak, for SATs now?

80th percentile is about an 1800, which corresponds to about a 1220 on the old test. Without knowing anything else about the young man in question, I would speculate that this 11 year old science genius might not have done quite as well on the writing portion of the test as he did on the math. Still, it's a good score.

AOII Angel · #14 08-31-2013, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

Not to diminish his accomplishment, because going to college at such a young age is obviously something I could not and would not want to do, but only a 1770? I say this because I am bright but not a super-genius and got a 2170. I would think that a kid going to college at age 11 would have scored higher than that -shrugs-

He most likely was not studying for the test and took it at school just because. A lot of the SAT requires some study. No one intuitively knows all of the reading and writing parts. 1770 is "good enough" when your 11 years old trying to get into college. There's no competition. My husband only took the ACT at age 11 before he started college, never studied and scored lower than I did. He is unquestionable smarter than I am. The ACT/SAT score is only part of the story.

fishspeakers · #15 09-01-2013, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

Not to diminish his accomplishment, because going to college at such a young age is obviously something I could not and would not want to do, but only a 1770? I say this because I am bright but not a super-genius and got a 2170. I would think that a kid going to college at age 11 would have scored higher than that -shrugs-

Me too. I scored higher percentile-wise when I was 12 for the ACT, and there was NO WAY I was cut out for college work back then. Standardized test scores are only part of the story, but I wonder how they determined he was academically prepared enough.

In comparison, Sho Yano, one of the most famous child prodigies, went to Loyola University at age 9 after scoring a 1500/1600 on the SAT at age eight. He's now in his early 20's and he said the experience was good for him.