[Stardust]

I simply want to ask.
Does a kid who leaves home and goes away to college at 17 or just turn 18 succeed/fail as a college freshman at the same rate as a kid who has been held back and goes away to college at 19?

I didn't. As a Junior, so far my Son didn't!

I have an October Birthday. As a 16 yo Senior, I did well in Football and played scholarship baseball!

I know we are talking apples and oranges, but an athlete is an athlete - Bryce Harper was 17 when he started college baseball. Kobe Bryant did OK going straight to the NBA as a 17 yo.

If you are good enough at 19, then you were good enough at 17!

Let your kids be who they "Are", not who you "Think" they are. Again, if this whole argument is about sports, then it is the parents who are foolish and you have no right asking the public to pay for that foolishness! If it's about education, then we all support it and gladly pay for it!!