A place to be celebrated and understood: The impact of early university from parents’ points of view

Abstract: This study surveyed 181 parents of students enrolled in one of two early entrance programs at the University of Washington: the Early Entrance Program for students who entered before age 15 and the University of Washington Academy for Young Scholars for students who matriculated after Grade 10. The purpose was to understand parents ’ per-spectives on the early entrance experience, including reasons for choosing early entrance, satisfaction with their children’s program, perceived advantages and disadvantages of early entrance, and the effect of early entrance on family relation-ships. Ninety-five parents participated, with the majority reporting great satisfaction with multiple aspects of their and their children’s experience. Early Entrance Program parents expressed a slightly higher degree of satisfaction than did Academy parents. This study suggests that early university entrance is an attractive option for parents willing to follow the lead of their talented and ambitious adolescents. Putting the Research to Use: Early entrance programs are attractive options for parents of academically advanced students who have outpaced available secondary programs. These programs are not inevitably initially successful; however, as our study demonstrates, they benefit greatly from ongoing program evaluation and analysis. Key com-ponents of effective early entrance programs include intensive advising, community building, thoughtful selection of students, active engagement by students and faculty, and a welcoming college or university environment. Careful attention to the informational needs of parents is also important, particularly about the social and emotional transi