Physics Bachelor's in Theoretical Astrophysics at 18?

[saganforever]

I wanted to know if it would be at all possible to get my bachelor's degree in theoretical astrophysics at the time I'm 18. I'll be 16 when I graduate this year from high school, and I'm taking 2 dual credit college classes (the max a student can take). I'm also taking AP Physics and AP Chemistry, and from what I understand is that if I make a high enough scores on the final exams, I will have the choice of getting some college hours from those scores. I plan on going to college the summer I graduate, and going to college year round after that. My birthday is the 23rd of September. Would it be possible to get my bachelor's degree when I'm 18? Also, if I want a PhD in Theoretical Astrophysics, do I have to get Bachelor's, Master's, and then a PhD?

 

[Vanadium 50]

I wanted to know if it would be at all possible to get my bachelor's degree in theoretical astrophysics at the time I'm 18.

No.

There is no such thing as a BS in "theoretical astrophysics". Bachelors degrees are not this specialized: they will be in physics or astronomy.

 

[Wax]

It's possible to get a 4 year degree in 2 years but I'm not sure if you'd get any sleep. You can test out of any college course you want, you just have to pay for the exam fee and pass the exam. You can pass out of your entire first year if you are familiar with Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and maybe even English. I had a friend who passed out of both Organic Chemistry classes just by studying for the exams, even though he never had any formal training for those courses. On top of that, you can take a maximum of around 25 hours a semester but you have to get an approval from your dean. I know of one person who took 23 hours in a semester. I'm not sure how well she did but I'm not one to judge.

 

[cristo]

I had a friend who passed out of both Organic Chemistry classes just by studying for the exams, even though he never had any formal training for those courses.

Surely that's not the way to take an undergraduate degree, though, cramming for an exam without attending any classes or looking through any theory. Sure, you may get a degree early, but you'll have a very flimsy knowledge of your subject.

 

[Wax]

Some people just like to be challenged and the OP sounds like that type of person. He's finishing high school at 16 and he's taking AP courses. Why waste your time in a full semester when you can just spend one month studying to pass out the course? If you are able enough to pass a college placement exam and you never had any formal training in it, I wouldn't call it flimsy knowledge. I'd say that your IQ is higher then the general college population and your time is better spent elsewhere.

Also, some Universities offer Mini semesters that last for 3 or 4 weeks for certain courses. They are generally offered between regular semesters.

 

[cristo]

Why waste your time in a full semester when you can just spend one month studying to pass out the course?

Because "passing out the course" isn't what university is about. University is about studying and gaining knowledge to apply to later courses, or research, not studying just enough to pass exams. If you just fly through exams without studying courses properly, then you will come into difficulty later on in your studies when you realize you are lacking fundamental knowledge.

 

[Wax]

Because "passing out the course" isn't what university is about. University is about studying and gaining knowledge to apply to later courses, or research, not studying just enough to pass exams. If you just fly through exams without studying courses properly, then you will come into difficulty later on in your studies when you realize you are lacking fundamental knowledge.

Can't you agree that a college placement exam is about what knowledge you know and what you don't know? Summer school is only one month and mini semesters are only 3 to 4 weeks, would you consider that flimsy knowledge? If you spend one month on your own as compared to one month in summer school and you pass out the course, then what's really the difference? In theory, placement exams are harder then course exams, since the faculty make up the exams. You'd be an advantage to have only your course professor provide the exam.

 

[theman408]

whats the point of doing this if ur not going to be healthy enough to enjoy it?

 

[Wax]

whats the point of doing this if ur not going to be healthy enough to enjoy it?

Yeah I kinda agree with you but who are we to judge the OP's capabilities? He could be a genius for all we know and he is clearly on his A game for finishing high school 2 years before most students.

Link to someone who finished community college at age 11. (Monday, June 08, 2009)
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/june/08/yehey/top_stories/20090608top7.html

 

[Monocles]

College is very fun. I'd pity you if you try to rush through it in two years - you'd be missing out on some of the best times in your life.

 

[cristo]

Can't you agree that a college placement exam is about what knowledge you know and what you don't know? Summer school is only one month and mini semesters are only 3 to 4 weeks, would you consider that flimsy knowledge? If you spend one month on your own as compared to one month in summer school and you pass out the course, then what's really the difference? In theory, placement exams are harder then course exams, since the faculty make up the exams. You'd be an advantage to have only your course professor provide the exam.

The reason I'm disagreeing is probably because I'm not from the US. Where I'm from, you can't "pass out" of core classes, regardless of whether you have studied things in your own time or in your high school, and you can't take courses in a month over the summer holiday, since you're clearly not going to have the same fundamental knowledge as someone who's taken a course for a semester, or even for a year.

Perhaps that is standard for undergraduate degrees in the US, though; I'm not sure. I guess I'll leave you people with experience of the system to comment further on the OP's situation.

 

[Wax]

The reason I'm disagreeing is probably because I'm not from the US. Where I'm from, you can't "pass out" of core classes, regardless of whether you have studied things in your own time or in your high school, and you can't take courses in a month over the summer holiday, since you're clearly not going to have the same fundamental knowledge as someone who's taken a course for a semester, or even for a year.

Perhaps that is standard for undergraduate degrees in the US, though; I'm not sure. I guess I'll leave you people with experience of the system to comment further on the OP's situation.

The average number of years most students spend in college is six years so it's not really a big deal. There are very few who are capable to finish in 4 years, not to mention 3 or less.

 

[Pengwuino]

Why do you want to get your degrees so early? So you can work for an extra 2 years in your life?

 

[diazona]

The average number of years most students spend in college is six years so it's not really a big deal. There are very few who are capable to finish in 4 years, not to mention 3 or less.

4 years is standard, in the US at least. Probably 95% or more of the people I know did their bachelor's degrees in 4 years.

With respect to testing out of core classes (or any classes) or taking summer classes, it depends on which college you're at. Different colleges have different policies in place. (again, at least in the US)

 

[Pengwuino]

4 years is standard, in the US at least. Probably 95% or more of the people I know did their bachelor's degrees in 4 years.

With respect to testing out of core classes (or any classes) or taking summer classes, it depends on which college you're at. Different colleges have different policies in place. (again, at least in the US)

In the US, 4 years isn't the average unfortunately. Our university is a 6-year graduation average even though I know plenty of people who graduated in 4.

As for the thread, some universities will not confer a degree to you if you haven't actually done a certain number of units in their entirety at the university. That is no testing out, no credits from other schools or AP, etc. Our university is 60 units which is 2 years worth of courses if I remember right.

 

[Wax]

4 years is standard, in the US at least. Probably 95% or more of the people I know did their bachelor's degrees in 4 years.

With respect to testing out of core classes (or any classes) or taking summer classes, it depends on which college you're at. Different colleges have different policies in place. (again, at least in the US)

Sorry but you are misinformed. You can find this information anywhere from google.
33.1 percent of students who started college full-time in fall 1996 graduated in four years. The study also indicated that 16.5 percent graduated in five years and 5.1 percent finished in six years. The remaining students took longer to earn a degree or never finished at all

http://www.dailytargum.com/2.8663/more-students-fail-to-graduate-in-four-years-1.1514424

You also have to take into account how many students start off at community colleges and when they start there, they start in remedial courses which set them back at least one year.
http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/Summary.aspx?reportNum=07-31
You can read more here if interested.
http://www.aei.org/paper/100019

College is no joke and if you have no idea what you want to major in or what your capabilities are then you will not succeed.

 

[diazona]

I fail to see why you're saying I'm misinformed. Every American college I know of assumes a four-year schedule by default - for what it's worth, [/URL] says "Bachelor's degrees in the United States are typically designed to be completed in four years of full-time study." Even the data you cited show that more students finish their bachelor's degrees in four years than in any other duration. (I'm not claiming that 4 years is the average graduation time.)

Maybe some universities have a longer standard graduation time, like 5 or 6 years. But they would be in the minority.

 

[Pengwuino]

I fail to see why you're saying I'm misinformed. Every American college I know of assumes a four-year schedule by default - for what it's worth, [/URL] says "Bachelor's degrees in the United States are typically designed to be completed in four years of full-time study." Even the data you cited show that more students finish their bachelor's degrees in four years than in any other duration. (I'm not claiming that 4 years is the average graduation time.)

Your post was a response to him saying 6 years was the average so I think it is safe to assume you meant to reply with your own understanding of the average was. Yes 4 years is a standard course layout for universities, but 6 years is probably about the average time people take to complete their bachelors. Not much else to be said. I think we all think that so nothing to argue haha

 

[lisab]

Why do you want to get your degrees so early? So you can work for an extra 2 years in your life?

This was my thought too. Not that there's anything wrong with that; more worker bees = more taxpayers .

To the OP: I suppose if you're really bored with taking the normal route and you have an irrepressible drive, you have to do what you have to do. But you shouldn't see a university education as simply a check list of tasks to get through as fast as you can.

I agree with cristo...if you hurry through, I don't think you'll get the same quality of education than if you took more time with your studies.

 

[j93]

I'd say that your IQ is higher then the general college population and your time is better spent elsewhere.

Thats the worst attitude regardless of your IQ and is the surest way to become a mediocre prodigy.

 

[j93]

4 years is standard, in the US at least. Probably 95% or more of the people I know did their bachelor's degrees in 4 years.

With respect to testing out of core classes (or any classes) or taking summer classes, it depends on which college you're at. Different colleges have different policies in place. (again, at least in the US)

That is due to top schools having more students graduate in time but in general community college students are included in those statistics and the time to complete bachelors for community college students on average is nowhere near 4.

 

[saganforever]

No.

There is no such thing as a BS in "theoretical astrophysics". Bachelors degrees are not this specialized: they will be in physics or astronomy.

Thank goodness you told me that. I just don't know whether to get a bachelor's in physics or astronomy now. If I were in pursuit of a PhD in theoretical astrophysics and interested in cosmology, which one would likely be best suited for me? Is there a PhD degree in theoretical astrophysics or just astrophysics?

It's possible to get a 4 year degree in 2 years but I'm not sure if you'd get any sleep. You can test out of any college course you want, you just have to pay for the exam fee and pass the exam. You can pass out of your entire first year if you are familiar with Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and maybe even English.

I’m willing to work hard for it. What would testing out of courses do to a person’s gpa?

College is very fun. I'd pity you if you try to rush through it in two years - you'd be missing out on some of the best times in your life.

My friend said something similar to that when he learned I was finishing high school in three years. He said high school is fun. But is it going to high school and college that is fun or is the age at which a person does these things is fun? I really haven’t had any enjoyable experiences in high school except for learning and going to homecoming my freshman year.

To the OP: I suppose if you're really bored with taking the normal route and you have an irrepressible drive, you have to do what you have to do. But you shouldn't see a university education as simply a check list of tasks to get through as fast as you can.

I agree with cristo...if you hurry through, I don't think you'll get the same quality of education than if you took more time with your studies.

That is probably true. I might be able to get a better quality of education by studying concepts other than just those presented in the exams alone.

 

[Math Is Hard]

.. mediocre prodigy.

Cool. I'm totally going to name my band that. Thanks, dude.

 

[Wax]

I’m willing to work hard for it. What would testing out of courses do to a person’s gpa?

My friend said something similar to that when he learned I was finishing high school in three years. He said high school is fun. But is it going to high school and college that is fun or is the age at which a person does these things is fun? I really haven’t had any enjoyable experiences in high school except for learning and going to homecoming my freshman year.

Testing out of a course does nothing to your GPA. You will get the credit towards your major but you won't get the grade. Some people decide to not test out of courses just to raise their GPA.

As for the whole "college experience", it's over rated. The only real way to get the complete "college experience" is to join a Frat. If you're not going to join a Frat then you are better off just finishing school. Joining a Frat opens your option up to parties and meeting girls. If you don't join one then the only people you'll ever meet are the people in your major and all you generally do with them is study.

 

[andrassy]

Testing out of a course does nothing to your GPA. You will get the credit towards your major but you won't get the grade. Some people decide to not test out of courses just to raise their GPA.

As for the whole "college experience", it's over rated. The only real way to get the complete "college experience" is to join a Frat. If you're not going to join a Frat then you are better off just finishing school. Joining a Frat opens your option up to parties and meeting girls. If you don't join one then the only people you'll ever meet are the people in your major and all you generally do with them is study.

That is a HUGE generalization, and it completely depends on what school you go to. I am having a great time in college, and I would not pass up the next two years to graduate now. I go to a liberal arts college with very little greek life, and there is no need to join a frat to either get into a party or meet girls. Sounds like you just don't know how to socialize, or you went to a very Greek-centered school. And if the latter is true, then that is to be expected, is it not?

If you want to try to graduate in two year for whatever reason, fine. You may get to college and realize you would like to spend four years though. College is much different than high school, and most people seem to think for the better. Just leave your options open.

As for your major, go physics or, if your school offers it, astrophysics. Astronomy is less physics-heavy, and if you want to pursue graduate school in astrophysics, you definitely want more physics. A lot of schools do offer astroyphysics, or at least physics with a concentration in astrophysics. I would consider that.

 

[saganforever]

Testing out of a course does nothing to your GPA. You will get the credit towards your major but you won't get the grade. Some people decide to not test out of courses just to raise their GPA.

As for the whole "college experience", it's over rated. The only real way to get the complete "college experience" is to join a Frat. If you're not going to join a Frat then you are better off just finishing school. Joining a Frat opens your option up to parties and meeting girls. If you don't join one then the only people you'll ever meet are the people in your major and all you generally do with them is study.

If testing out of courses does nothing to a person's GPA, why do people not test out of courses to raise their GPA? And I don't plan on joinning a Frat. I don't feel comfortable at parties anyways.

 

[Pengwuino]

As for the whole "college experience", it's over rated. The only real way to get the complete "college experience" is to join a Frat. If you're not going to join a Frat then you are better off just finishing school. Joining a Frat opens your option up to parties and meeting girls. If you don't join one then the only people you'll ever meet are the people in your major and all you generally do with them is study.

That's completely subjective. The typical person I know who joins a frat to party ends up stuck at their university for years, gets mediocre grades, and ends up with some nice extra debt in the end because of the extra time... unless of course you're in some mick major. The REAL college experience for an intellectual is having millions of dollars worth of facilities and a massive amount of knowledge at your fingertips along with the abundance of people to hang out with and socialize with.

In high school you're running around with a bunch of kids who don't really want to be there in the first place with a bunch of teachers who in many cases, could care lessa bout education. In college, you're dealing with real people who have real lives ... most of the time.

Then again the college experience is what you make of it, you have way more flexibility.

 

[Wax]

If testing out of courses does nothing to a person's GPA, why do people not test out of courses to raise their GPA? And I don't plan on joinning a Frat. I don't feel comfortable at parties anyways.

Reread my post! Anyway, you don't sound like a social person from your response so finishing college early for you would be the right thing to do. Also, I really don't think you can do it by taking 25 hours a semester. That's just crazy. Take 18 or 19 hours a semester, go to summer school, and do the mini semesters. If you test out your first full year then you'd still be done early. You also have to check and make sure your college offers mini semesters and if they let you test out of certain courses.

 

[Monocles]

That's completely subjective. The typical person I know who joins a frat to party ends up stuck at their university for years, gets mediocre grades, and ends up with some nice extra debt in the end because of the extra time... unless of course you're in some mick major. The REAL college experience for an intellectual is having millions of dollars worth of facilities and a massive amount of knowledge at your fingertips along with the abundance of people to hang out with and socialize with.

There's nothing wrong with doing both.

 

[Pengwuino]

There's nothing wrong with doing both.

Absolutely! I know a few people who did the former for the first few years and... kinda did the latter, but the point is yah you can definitely do both but I have a feeling the OP is more interested in the latter.

Plus there's absolutely girls in the hard sciences departments!**not really[/size]

 

[saganforever]

The REAL college experience for an intellectual is having millions of dollars worth of facilities and a massive amount of knowledge at your fingertips along with the abundance of people to hang out with and socialize with.

In high school you're running around with a bunch of kids who don't really want to be there in the first place with a bunch of teachers who in many cases, could care less about education. In college, you're dealing with real people who have real lives ... most of the time.

Then again the college experience is what you make of it, you have way more flexibility.

That's something I'm going to look forward to. There isn't much of a selection on mathematics, physics or astronomy books at my local library.

That's very true. In most of my classes this year I was about the only one who wanted silence either to hear the teacher or to concentrate. Most kids in my high school are ridiculously immature too.

 

[Wax]

That's something I'm going to look forward to. There isn't much of a selection on mathematics, physics or astronomy books at my local library.

That's very true. In most of my classes this year I was about the only one who wanted silence either to hear the teacher or to concentrate. Most kids in my high school are ridiculously immature too.

I like the way you think kid. Most kids in high school have absolutely no idea what they want to do with their lives and so they contribute to the high dropout rates in college. Just take the maximum 19 hours a semester and if you feel that you have too much time on your hands then you go talk to the dean about lifting the cap. I don't think the dean would even lift the cap unless you showed that you could handle 19 hours in one semester anyway.

 

[Pengwuino]

Wait wait, so again, why do you want to graduate so early? Other then you think college might be lame like high school was?

 

[Phyzikz]

Wait wait, so again, why do you want to graduate so early? Other then you think college might be lame like high school was?

So what do you think please ?

 

[saganforever]

Wait wait, so again, why do you want to graduate so early? Other then you think college might be lame like high school was?

It will be a challenge. Also I think it will look good on resumes.

 

[cristo]

As for the whole "college experience", it's over rated. The only real way to get the complete "college experience" is to join a Frat. If you're not going to join a Frat then you are better off just finishing school. Joining a Frat opens your option up to parties and meeting girls. If you don't join one then the only people you'll ever meet are the people in your major and all you generally do with them is study.

Just because you didn't enjoy university doesn't mean that this holds for everyone! Why do you think that you only meet people who study your subject? I know that's totally not true, for universities anywhere in the world!

I don't feel comfortable at parties anyways.

Well then isn't college a good enough time as any to start learning how to socialise? After all, you cannot live your life with your head buried in the sand, avoiding social situations.

Reread my post! Anyway, you don't sound like a social person from your response so finishing college early for you would be the right thing to do.

How are you qualified to tell someone what the "right thing to do" is? And why does the fact that someone doesn't seem comfortable in social situations automatically mean that they should lock themselves up in a cupboard, with nothing but physics books, so that they can get their degree a few years early?

 

[SonyAlmeida]

I support your doing this as a challenge. However, I wouldn't count on it looking great on your resumes. For one thing, your employer isn't even allowed to ask your age. For another, you can come off as smart, sure, but rushing through college almost necessarily limits the amount of extra/advanced coursework you can complete. A stronger coursework background is more likely to make you competitive, as far as I can tell.

 

[aostraff]

Well, here are some other non-obvious things you might want consider before making up your mind of completing university in 2 years.

- The course offerings for your program might not always be available to you since it is usually set up for the regular 4 year plan. This could be quite troublesome if you can't get the course you want.

- All classes have prerequisites and it might mean that you won't be able to fill up your schedule the way you intend to simply because you haven't taken the course to aid another course. For example, you probably wouldn't be able to do Calc 1, Calc 2 and Calc 3 all in the same semester.

Go ahead and try it out this 2 year plan if you want, I wouldn't recommend it though and chances are that you will think differently when you finish your first year.

 

[Wax]

Just because you didn't enjoy university doesn't mean that this holds for everyone! Why do you think that you only meet people who study your subject? I know that's totally not true, for universities anywhere in the world!
Well then isn't college a good enough time as any to start learning how to socialise? After all, you cannot live your life with your head buried in the sand, avoiding social situations.
How are you qualified to tell someone what the "right thing to do" is? And why does the fact that someone doesn't seem comfortable in social situations automatically mean that they should lock themselves up in a cupboard, with nothing but physics books, so that they can get their degree a few years early?

I, unlike most people in this thread like to encourage people and their decisions in their life. I'm not shoving anything down his throat that he doesn't want to do, which is what you and almost everyone else in this thread wants to do. Most people at his age have no idea what they want to do with their life and end up dropping out of high school or college. The OP has goals, priorities, and knows how he wants to do it. If he doesn't want to be the party frat boy and would rather be the guy who solves the world's energy crisis then I'm all for it!

I also don't think finishing college in 2 years is really practical. You'd have to test out of your entire first year to really do it, then you can take 19 hours a semester and go to summer school to finish. I only say this because I've never heard of anyone testing out of history(Elective) or English but it could be possible.

 

[cristo]

Most people at his age have no idea what they want to do with their life and end up dropping out of high school or college.

Most 16 year olds drop out of school or college? I'd like to see some statistics that support that!

Anyway, you are pushing things down his throat: you are telling a 16 year old child that it is ok to be antisocial. How, pray tell, is that good advice?

 

[Wax]

Most 16 year olds drop out of school or college? I'd like to see some statistics that support that!

Anyway, you are pushing things down his throat: you are telling a 16 year old child that it is ok to be antisocial. How, pray tell, is that good advice?

Well, maybe I am going a bit overboard.

Anyway, here are some statistics and it seems to be based on where you live.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344190,00.html

 

[cristo]

Well, maybe I am going a bit overboard.

Yea, I'd say that you were.

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/013618.html

The tables also show that in 2008, 29 percent of adults 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree, and 87 percent had completed high school.

 

[saganforever]

Well, here are some other non-obvious things you might want consider before making up your mind of completing university in 2 years.

- The course offerings for your program might not always be available to you since it is usually set up for the regular 4 year plan. This could be quite troublesome if you can't get the course you want.

- All classes have prerequisites and it might mean that you won't be able to fill up your schedule the way you intend to simply because you haven't taken the course to aid another course. For example, you probably wouldn't be able to do Calc 1, Calc 2 and Calc 3 all in the same semester.

Go ahead and try it out this 2 year plan if you want, I wouldn't recommend it though and chances are that you will think differently when you finish your first year.

I will take a look at how the courses will fit together and if it looks like I will not be able to complete them in time to get my bachelor's degree when I'm 18, I will aim for something else.

 

[saganforever]

Well then isn't college a good enough time as any to start learning how to socialise? After all, you cannot live your life with your head buried in the sand, avoiding social situations.

I'm social when I'm skateboarding and at skateparks/spots.
I also skated in a contest with people I had never met before. It required a little bit of an effort to be social. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wO1chieRBNE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wO1chieRBNE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object>

It's just outside that realm of skateboarding that I'm not entirely social.

 

[Vanadium 50]

It will be a challenge. Also I think it will look good on resumes.

A truly bad idea.

If you want to be a theoretical astrophysicist, you need an advanced degree. Galloping through undergrad with an eye towards getting out as fast as possible will not impress the admissions committees. You will impress them by learning as much as you can, not learning as fast as you can.

 

[mal4mac]

There aren't many college students or professors into skateboarding. Einstein rode a bike, so I'm not going to condemn childish activities outright! But you need more strings to your bow. I recommend reading books on politics and philosophy, then you will always have something to talk about in any college social situation. You migt even broaden your mind :-) It doesn't have to be too heavy. In fact for socialising, reading things that everyone has heard about is a good idea. For instance, Obama's biography or Dawkins "The God Delusion". Imagine a beautiful psychology student, in the lunch queue, asking you what your hobbies are. If you say skakeboarding, she is likely to move on quickly. Say reading, and then say you are reading Dawkins or Obama, and you have a good social situation right there! And, heck, reading such authors is fun!

 

[JDGates]

Buncha points from someone who could've graduated in two years, but took three, then went on to a PhD.

1) Great college life doesn't mean being in a frat. I was bored in high school. I loved college, because I went to a school with a very intellectual atmosphere and was surrounded by fellow geekily intellectual introverts. "Socialization" does not mean "drunkeness", and as others have said, the college academic experience goes well beyond coursework.

2) If you want to be an astrophysicist, then "how it looks on my resume" is absolutely meaningless. No one will care about your undergrad education when it comes to research jobs -- your research record in grad school and after is all that matters. Even if you move to industry, it won't appear, because your high school graduation date won't be on there (and if you put "BS in Whatever, 2011 -- finished in two years!", people will be rolling their eyes, not feeling impressed).

3) Again, if you want to be an astrophysicist, that means grad school. Rushing through the bare minimum to get the degree will make you uncompetitive for good grad programs. Upper-level electives are good, research experience is vital. Do not kid yourself into thinking that you can get good research experience while taking the kind of courseload you're talking about.

Seriously, many of us have been where you are -- bored in high school, taking advanced electives, and looking at just how much or how fast we can do things. You need to stop thinking about college as a competitive sport, and start thinking about what you want to get out of it and what it's going to set you up for afterwards.

And just as a completely random anecdote that proves nothing, I had an acquaintance in college who triple majored in technical fields and finished in two years (he came in with a lot of credit and those three majors had a lot of overlap, but he still worked himself to near-death). He ended up taking eight years of bouncing around research areas at two schools to get his PhD, partly because he came through those crazy two years with no idea of what he really wanted to do.

 

[Choppy]

I'd like to second JDGates - all very valid points.

Rushing through an undergraduate degree will not provide you with any advantages when applying to graduate school. In fact, it could very well hinder you if applying for jobs outside of academia as well because you won't have anything to fill in under the categories of previous work experience and volunteer experience.

 

[TMFKAN64]

I agree with all of the previous posters who said that it would be better for you to graduate in four years with some solid research experience behind you than to just rush through doing the minimum.

I'd also like to point out that graduating college at 18 isn't necessarily as impressive as you'd like to think. When I started grad school, one of the other students was 17... and another was 16. So you're already too old to be an impressive prodigy! :-)

 

[jtbell]

I am having a great time in college, and I would not pass up the next two years to graduate now. I go to a liberal arts college with very little greek life, and there is no need to join a frat to either get into a party or meet girls.

That sounds like my experience in college about 35 years ago. Actually, there was a sort of pseudo-Greek system of "social clubs" that didn't have houses, just meeting rooms. But I wasn't part of that scene and neither were most of the people I knew. The physics majors and some hangers-on (OK, call them "physics groupies" if you like ) hung out after hours in the "physics library" in the science buliding and went out to do stuff together. We didn't "party" in the usual sense but we had fun in our geeky way...