Ever since he was little (like, three years ago), boy genius Colin Carlson has dreamed of attending a prestigious liberal arts college. He’s earned his high school diploma, scored 1350 on his SAT and amassed enough AP credits to fulfill an entire year of college courses. Problem is, some colleges think 12-year-old Colin still has some growing up to do. According to the Hartford Courant, Colin was set to attend Connecticut College in the fall, but administrators decided he was too young to live in the residence halls. Instead he’ll start his freshman year at UConn, a larger school but one Colin says has given him “a great deal more certainty.”
While administrators are wary of how a kid who’s young enough to be in middle school is going to fare as a co-ed, professors have shown support for Colin. Children development experts say gifted children need to be constantly mentally stimulated, otherwise they may get depressed or underachieve. We’re rooting for Colin. If he can handle the work, why hold him back? Besides, his maturity level is probably on par with the guys I lived with in the dorms anyway.