What I Learned From Starting University at 15 Years Old
Please stop rushing the next generation to go faster and faster
In many parts of the world, parents are pushing their kids to learn faster and earlier than ever before. It’s their way of supporting their child to have the best start in life possible, and yet it can have a lasting impact in other ways too.
Here’s my story of what it was like to take an accelerated path of starting university at 15 years old and what I learned from it:
How I got into university so young
When I was young, my dad was obsessed with the title of a ‘gifted child’. By then, I had already skipped a grade in elementary school. It started my dad on this path to look for more opportunities for me to accelerate my education.
My dad came across this opportunity called the ‘Transition Program’. Essentially you would cram all of high school into 2 years and learn just enough to make sure you could pass the university entrance exams. This meant skipping 3 years’ worth of traditional school. Only 20 students were accepted every year into this unique group.
I remember my dad driving me across town to take a series of tests during summer break. At the time he didn’t explain much, just that they would be testing me on a variety of things like my IQ and cognitive and reasoning skills.
The only thing I remember from the test results was that I scored in the 98th percentile on spatial awareness, which meant that one of my ideal career paths would be a fighter jet pilot. Cool.
After receiving the test results, nothing really happened. I think my dad was disappointed but he didn’t show it at the time. Instead, I prepared myself for going to a new public school in a couple of months as my family moved into a new neighborhood.
Little did I know, my dad continued working behind the scenes to get me into this special school. Then the call came one day. It was the day before I was to start at a new public school. My dad said:
They are willing to accept you into the Transition Program on a 2-month trial basis. Your IQ and test results were borderline what they were looking for. It’s your choice. Would you like to go to this school?
Wow. Little did they know how stubborn I am. Their words ignited a fire in me and I said to myself, “I’ll show them”. After deliberating for a couple of hours, I said to my dad, “Dad get me into this school.”
University at 15 years old
Flash forward two years. I completed their special program and I did it better than expected. It was now time to take the bigger leap: University.
Suddenly my small group of 20 teenagers was thrust into a massive university with 50,000 students. Although I encountered my schoolmates from time to time, I was primarily on my own.
That first year was a lonely existence. I was 15 and young, plus introverted and socially awkward. I oscillated between trying to open up to make friends and trying to not let anyone know how young and different I was.
I eventually did find my way. I switched from the Arts program to Business school and found it to be a more welcoming environment. Instead of seeing my earlier start as something to be minimized, I started to see it as a strength. Four years later, I graduated at 19 years old with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Marketing specialty.
What I learned
So what did I learn from this unique experience? And what would I offer to the parents and the kids of the next generation?
1. There is no rush
Let me repeat that: There is no rush. I have two younger siblings and I’ve been asked before if I would suggest the same path to them. Unequivocally, my answer is no.
I would not suggest what I did to anyone. I certainly don’t regret my experience and I’m happy for the head start it gave me, but I also learned that there is no rush. Yes, I skipped three years of traditional schooling, but I also felt behind in developing my social skills and experiencing a normal upbringing.
Now that I’m 30, I don’t believe it truly matters. I could’ve gotten to the exact same point I’m at now whether or not I graduated young.
2. Be careful about labels like “gifted”
The “gifted” label really screwed me up. When you are a socially awkward teen that doesn’t really fit in, you feel anything but “gifted”.
During those difficult teenage years, all I wanted was to fit in. I thought by joining a program with teens who were similar to me, I would feel like I fit. It worked for those two years of the Transition Program. But afterward, I was suddenly amongst thousands of university students who were a few years older than me and I felt like I had to hide this “gifted” status somehow to fit in.
The lesson of all of this is to be mindful of the labels we put on others, especially children or adolescents. These labels can stick with us for years or even a lifetime and may not always be helpful for shaping our identity.
3. Perseverance beats out IQ every time
I’m proud that I proved the school administrators wrong who thought I should enter the Transition Program on a trial basis. They truly thought there was a chance I couldn’t keep up with the studies because my IQ wasn’t high enough.
The reality is that all of my 19 peers who I went to this program with had a higher IQ than me. And yet, my grades were just as good, if not better in some cases. The only thing that set us apart at that time was hard work. I studied and worked my butt off, and the results showed for themselves.
So if anyone ever dares to question your IQ or your aptitude, please remember that you can ALWAYS blow them out of the water if you choose to work hard enough.
Summary
In summary, my path was certainly unique although it was tumultuous emotionally and socially for me too. I don’t believe there’s any right or wrong in any schooling path we take — eventually we all get to where we are meant to.
I do hope that we can start to take it easier on the next generation of kids and realize that pushing them to go faster and faster is not necessary, nor is it helpful. All good things happen when they are meant to.
With love, Megan
Want to read more about how I found my way post-university? Check out my About Me story:
