”Cairo applied to 10 graduate programs. Six rejected her because she didn’t have a college degree. Two admitted her, but then higher-ups in those universities’ administrations overrode those decisions."

This is both unsurprising and shocking to me at the same time.

For institutions of allegedly pure higher learning in a field where it's known that youth is where the advancement happens, the fact 80% axle wrap over a piece of paper that, let's face it, in modern times of grade inflation is pretty much worthless of anything beyond money and sitting in a seat for four years.

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kurthr 5 days ago | parent | next [-]

A lot of programs don't want to have to babysit a teenager no matter how talented they are. Some of the more prestigious programs both have some experience with it and extra staff to (give profs warm fuzzies) handle any issues that come up. I'd expect it depends a lot on her interests and the particular professors that study that at any particular institution.

Even as a student, I'd be more interested in which professors at Johns Hopkins were accepting students, than which school.

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xandrius 5 days ago | parent | next [-]

As if that was the reason.

Also, I've seen a great deal of adult babies in academia, so let's not be ageist here.

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kelp_herder 5 days ago | parent [-]

I suspect the reason is not about babying her as much as it is a concern for her development, about whether she would be "missing out" on the opportunities for social and intellectual growth in college. This kind of thing is usually why well intentioned higher ed people put roadblocks in front of precocious young people.

	▲	sperginator 12 hours ago \| parent [-]
		[dead]

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currymj 5 days ago | parent | prev [-]

i can understand a university administrator not feeling they can give a good educational experience to a 14 year old.

but she'd be the same age as all the first years on campus, any university must be institutionally equipped to deal with a 17/18 year old. seems like an odd choice to personally intervene to cancel an admission.

like presumably if she enrolled in a bachelor's program, and then signed up for grad math classes while doing independent research, this would be fine. but if she takes the same classes and does the same research for PhD credits instead, no good?

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neilv 5 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Two admitted her, but then higher-ups in those universities’ administrations overrode those decisions.

I've personally seen universities go both ways, and it comes down both to individuals, and to the culture of the department/university faculty and administration.

(Not to the culture of the student body, which is influenced by the administration culture, but has very little institutional memory, and almost zero power. If you draw an analogy to nations, there might be one with the most awful 'leaders' seizing and abusing power, but that's "way above the pay grade" of the many nice citizens you will meet -- who didn't know what they were being born into, and will do their best to be decent to each other, despite whatever bits they're unfortunate to learn about the upper powers.)

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graycat 5 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Cairo may have a way out: Commonly the main criteria for a Ph.D. is: (1) Pass qualifying exams in several important topics in the field. (2) Do some research that is an "original contribution to knowledge worthy of publication" where the main criteria for publication is "new, correct, and significant".

No professor or university Dean can keep her from doing well on both (1) and (2). It looks like (1) would be easy enough for her. The work she has already done may satisfy (2). Once she has done well on (1) and (2), tough not to award her a Ph.D.

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coliveira 5 days ago | parent [-]

PhDs in the USA also have curricular requirements, with at least some required courses. These courses are only available after a bunch of paperwork is given to the university. So, it's not so easy.

	▲	graycat 5 days ago \| parent [-]
		My Ph.D., applied math, Johns Hopkins, supports my post.

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gus_massa 5 days ago | parent | prev [-]

In my university, when someone is accepted as a graduate student of a different topic (let's say phisics -> biology) it's usual to include a few of the last courses of the major as a mandatory part of the Ph.D.