The following article borrowed from Earlyentrance .org explains well why early entrance programs are becoming more common in the last few years. I will add several additional websites you may wish to read if you are looking at the IUPUI Span Program and wondering, "Why can't I just leave them in high school?" The same experiences that many parents had in high school is not what happens in high school today. The remembrance of happy days of football games, camaraderie, proms, dances, and hanging out with friends is now marred forever by bullying, drugs, peer pressure, sexual harassment, violence and numerous other items. These other issues make getting an education in high school today more of a miracle than an assumption. For the gifted, academically bright, or academically driven student the feelings of being different, teased, or just the boredom of waiting until everyone in the class has learned the material
becomes burdensome and further drives them not to more education but to less. Statistically it further drives many bright and gifted students to less education and places them at risk for not graduating at all.
In addition, 21 states now offer "dual enrollment" options to high school students. According to the Education Commission of the States in Denver, Colorado. Some states have many colleges offering "dual enrollment" or "early college" opportunities. While some states only have one or two, the programs are becoming more and more available and seen as less innovative than in 1984 when IUPUI opened the SPAN Program.
http://www.earlyentrance.org/index.shtml
Early Entrance College Programs in the USA
During the past 25 years, an entirely new class of educational programs has sprung up in the United States. Because of innovative ideas, colleges have found new ways to cater to the very brightest high school age youth. In all likelihood, most people have heard of geniuses and whiz kids who start college at an exceptionally young age, but now a number of programs exist that turn this possibility into a reality for more of today's talented youth.
These early entrance programs take entire groups of students who have yet to complete high school and place them in a supportive peer environment within a collegiate setting. Various programs allow these students to then spend their time working toward either a full college degree or a high school diploma plus transferable college credit. In almost every case they are taking college level courses alongside regular college students and are expected to perform to that high standard. In addition to academics, these programs are designed to provide enrichment and support mechanisms for dealing with the unusual transition and other issues unique to young bright students.
While certainly not meant for everyone, these programs provide the most gifted students with exceptional opportunities. At the student's disposal are the full resources and variety of a university setting. This means top-notch faculty, unusual and more challenging course work, excellent libraries, access to research projects, and numerous other opportunities. Such programs have been so successful that graduates are often accepted by the best institutions in the country, either for grad school or whe n completing their undergraduate degree. Those, who truly aren't being challenged or have exhausted the options at their current school, can benefit greatly from this kind of opportunity.
The academic opportunities are considerable, but the advantages of an intelligent peer environment should not be underestimated. While being the very best student at one's home school can earn bragging rights and the appreciation of teachers, it can often be detrimental to peer relations. The tendency to be labeled as a "geek" or "nerd" and the resulting childish torments can be quite detrimental in a young person's life. Admittedly much of this diminishes as peer groups mature and students develop
coping strategies to "fit in", but frequently a change of setting can be the most immediate solution. Since students are not isolated from other college students, the abilities to "fit in" will still be developed but in surroundings that are more understanding and less destructive to self-esteem. Entering one of these programs, students often encounter an environment they have never had before. They are surrounded by other equally bright people and have the opportunity to feel a sense of group unity and acceptance. In fact, many students reflect that the close-knit environment is the most significant part of the experience for them, and they carry these friendships with them long into the future.