I don’t know what I’m going to do about college. I’ve been thinking about going to college this fall instead of waiting a year. See, I’m homeschooled and I have enough credits to graduate as a junior. So I’m graduating this year. If I did a normal four years of high school, I would actually be graduating in May of 2011. But, I haven’t talked it over with Mom and Dad at all or even mentioned it. It’s just been kind of understood that I would stay home for a year (like my sister did) taking college classes long distance from home and go to college on campus the year after. I’ve also been thinking lately that I might go to college for the spring semester of next year. (The semester would start in January 2011). I've pretty much decided not to try to go this fall but wait until the spring semester.
Here are the advantages/arguments I’m going to tell my parents. What do you guys think of my reasoning?

My birthday. My birthday falls in November. So if I went to college for that spring semester, I would turn eighteen almost two months before I left for college. My sister’s birthday, on the other hand, falls in April. If my sister had gone for the spring semester the year after she graduated, she wouldn’t turn eighteen until three months after she went to college. My mom thinks it'd be best if we wait until after we turn eighteen to leave home so that's an advantage.

I’m not first born. Since I’m second born, my mom is already used to my sister leaving so it’ll be easier, I think, for her to let go of me. My sister didn’t have any Christian friends her last year here. All her Christian friends were a year or two older than her so they all left for college before she did. My sister made lots of Christian friends her first semester in college (Fall 2009). She goes to a dance class, soccer games, hockey games, plays on a soccer team, has this huge social and academic life that we never had because we’re homeschooled. My mom has seen all this in my sister so I think that might help her let go of me easier.

Family and friends. The college I want to attend (University of Alaska – Fairbanks) is located (duh) in Fairbanks. I have a ton of family there. I have two second cousins and their wives who live there. Lee’s family lives there and my family is really good friends with them. We’re almost related. We have dozens of friends whom we’ve met over spring break who live there. My sister had at least five invites for Thanksgiving! It’s not like I’m going to college in Iowa where I know no one.

Schooling. My parents have seen before now that I do much better at school if I have a real teacher rather than just a 2D person on a video. I have done 100 times better with having an actual teacher on the phone/over the internet with my long distance college classes and I’ve done 100 times even better than that when I did a Library Science class with a teacher who was actually here in my town. And I had a tutor one day for Algebra and having a real person I could talk to rather than a faceless person over the internet was even better. Doing classes here, I have to call or e-mail the instructor. I can’t walk into their office. The one class on the phone, I could ask the teacher questions but the other class was on-line and the bookstore hadn’t sent out headsets so any questions we asked, had to be asked through a chat box which made it harder.

So what do you think? Do you think those are good reasons? How soon do you think I should bring that up to my parents? Do you think I should wait until after I graduate in May or talk about it now?

I think starting to talk about it sooner rather than later is good - help them warm up to the idea.

Keep in mind that room and board isn't cheap - but having social life would be nice to...so...

Looks like pretty good reasons to me. Exactly what will convince each set of parents is different...like if it was me, I'd have spreadsheets showing the financial aspects and how feasible they are, but that's just me. hehe.

Yeah, finances would be a good thing to keep in mind. You probably don't want a student loan as it hangs over you forever. (I'm a Dave Ramsey fan)

Well, I've been saving my money for awhile and I have my PFD's (Permanent Fund Dividends which is oil money that the state gives every Alaskan) that my parents have saved for me since I was born and just the PFD's alone would probably just about pay for my tuition for four years. And, I'm going to be applying for scholarships this year.

That would help a lot! I'd love to have my tuition covered. lol. Usually if you work hard, you can cover room and board between an on-campus job and/or summer employment.

I'm going in state so it's cheaper too.

I think your reasoning is good, but I think the best thing you can present to your parents is its what you want and would really like it. So they can take in to consideration its what you really want. but ... I dunno esp you having us here I think is a good reason but.

Were it me I'd take all your gen-eds at a community college, making sure they transfer to where you want to go. Build up a good GPA and do other things that can get you scholarships and grants (so you don't have to deal with loans).

I learned the hard way about loans.

As for your folks, present that list of pro's and con's to them, to show that you've put a lot of thought into it. Have a discussion with them. Lay it down out there. It can't hurt!

You could ask them for their pros and cons too. (and they may have already done that) Sometimes, if we want something really bad, we can't see any cons about it, but a third party can, and it's nice to have other thoughts that you may not have seen.

MommaDayDream, that's kind of what I'm doing now. I took Developmental Algebra and English 111 through the University from home the Fall semester (2009). There's no community college here. There's the University office here and they teach a couple classes a year here but not very many because they only have two personnell.

They sound like good reasons for me. Plus, explain that it is what you really want - unless they have some serious concerns about you going, they are likely to honour your wishes if it's dear to you.

I agree with Elisabeth that talking about it as soon as possible is a very good idea. If your mum has another daughter going, she will definitely want time to get used to the idea, as opposed to having you spring it upon her!

You just have to talk to them, Julie. It sounds like you have some nice arguments, and you've already thought all about your tuition. But I would just talk to them and see what they say, that way you will have a little while for everyone to think about it.

I understand being "second born." You don't necessarily want to do what the first born did. I totally understand. Tell us what happens once you talk to them.

Yea. I don't know when I'll talk to them. Crab fishing starts today and my dad commercially fishes for crab so I won't even be seeing him at all except on Sunday's (if that) and early mornings and super late evenings so I don't know.

Mmmm, I crab!!!

I still haven't talked to my parents. Today, my mom was talking to my sister on the phone and she's going for the weekend to someplace and she really needed to practice the piano (music major) for an hour and she was trying to pack and all that and my mom started crying and then just now, my dad and grandpa and little brother got in from crab fishing and mom was talking to Dad and she started crying again and how she couldn't talk to my sister and stuff and now I'm thinking she'll never let me go. My dad would at least I'm pretty sure he would. We were talking a couple years back about a bunch of stuff and my dad said, "You might not even be here then" meaning I might be going to college this fall instead of waiting the year. My dad's more easy going about stuff like that.