Age gaps challenge classroom norms
Age 11. Sophomore Shreya Parjan could have been a high school freshman. Age 14. She could have graduated high school.
But Shreya chose not to skip three years. She only skipped two.
Skipping three years meant that Shreya would not be able to drive until sophomore year of college. She would miss out on the coming-of-age moment associated with obtaining a driver’s license.
In Hillsboro, Ore., Shreya passed an aptitude test in preschool and entered first grade at age five. At that time, skipping one year made little difference to her. She continued through elementary school, which she described as beneficial — in terms of education. As a result, she grew worried when she reached the end of elementary school in sixth grade; the middle school, South Meadows Middle School, offered a less challenging education. According to the Oregon Department of Education’s report card for 2012-13, South Meadows Middle School was rated “Below Average,” based on factors including standardized test scores in reading and math.
Concerned for her own education, Shreya spoke with her elementary school counselor, who suggested that she take another aptitude test. She performed so well on this test that she was offered the choice of skipping middle school entirely and entering high school immediately after graduating from sixth grade.
However, the potential three-year age gap between Shreya and the other ninth-graders troubled her family. Shreya’s father Shikhar Parjan recalls that he was worried regarding the social aspect of Shreya’s growth.
“She was not getting challenged at the lower level, so we encouraged her to test for a higher grade,” Shikhar said. “But I think three years was where [her mother and I] drew the line. We didn’t want her to be [like] a child prodigy who does medical school by 15. People don’t take them seriously.”
Two years younger
Shreya skipped only seventh grade. The social gap was greater than when she skipped kindergarten.
“I had a lot of close friends from sixth grade that I had to really try to still keep in touch with and not leave behind,” Shreya said. “It was definitely a little more awkward, because I’m now a grade above them even though I was already a year younger than them.”
Shreya remembers that a few of her friends from sixth grade began treating her differently, as if she was a different person after skipping seventh grade. At the time, she wondered if it was due to envy, but realizes now that it also could have been the sudden difference in both grade and age.
However, not all friends resent Shreya for her younger age. Sophomore Ankita Chatterjee, who became friends with Shreya at the New Student Barbeque held in Aug., says that the two-year age gap between her and Shreya has no effect on their friendship.
Chatterjee initially discovered Shreya’s age when they were talking about and sharing their wallets. In Shreya’s wallet, Chatterjee found the numbers “2001” on Shreya’s MVHS student ID card in place of the expected “1999”. Shreya’s friends went on to banter with Shreya about her age, but Chatterjee says that having to overcome this age gap makes Shreya stronger.
“I guess [age gap] is not that big of a deal,” Chatterjee said. “As long as the person is mature, I don’t think it matters much. Age doesn’t really factor into a lot of things.”
Making the most of it
On the other hand, Shreya says that there was still little academic challenge in eighth grade even though she skipped two grades.
Shreya knows her dream of attending medical school in the future entails a great deal of education and as a result, she believes that her two-year head start in education will aid her in the long run.
Her father Shikhar believes the same.
“[In college and university], your age will really help because by the time you are 25, you could have two or three degrees,” Shikhar said. “It’s a matter of taking a slightly tougher route, but getting ahead overall when it comes college time.”
Although some are skeptical about the worth of grade acceleration and the motives of students who do skip grades — sometimes students who skip grades are seen as “showing off” — Shreya and Shikhar both believe that in Shreya’s case, grade acceleration was the right choice.
“In life, every day, every year is important, and you are getting a chance,” Shikhar said. “In the global world, there are thousands of kids just as accomplished as you. They may not have the same choices or chances, but given half a chance, they would gladly be in your shoes. Make the most of it.”
As far as fast as possible
But Shreya’s Java teacher Debbie Frazier believes otherwise. Grade acceleration reflects a common mindset at MVHS — trying to get as far as fast as possible.
When students fall into this pitfall, their end goal becomes reaching the final destination without traveling the whole distance. Frazier doubts the motivation behind this mentality.
But Frazier also says that skipping grades may have made sense in Shreya’s case.
“Maybe [Shreya] was reading ahead of everybody,” Frazier said. “[It’s] perfectly logical — she already did all the work, so maybe she didn’t have to do all the years.”
Sophomore Rachel Zhou has chosen a similar route of grade acceleration. She took a biology course over the summer before freshman year and continued studying biology at MVHS in freshman Biology. After the two comprehensive courses, she felt ready for more and took a chemistry course during the summer before sophomore year. Zhou is currently taking AP Biology as a sophomore.
Zhou says that the age gap in her class has not been a major issue.
“When [my classmates discovered that I was a sophomore], there was nothing really negative or positive,” Zhou said. “After the initial shock, some of them said, ‘Oh, I wish I did that.’ For the most part, afterwards, they were really accepting.”
Age versus identity
Shreya asserts that a social gap is still present. She is not completely open with revealing her younger age as she doesn’t feel that age constitutes a crucial part of her identity — it only reflects the part of her that wants to be more immersed in learning.
Nevertheless, attitudes towards Shreya still shifted when classmates discovered her younger age in ninth grade.
“In ninth grade, [most classmates] didn’t find out until the year was already halfway over. It was kind of awkward. We weren’t on the same ground anymore,” Shreya said.
Shreya only moved to Cupertino this past July, and she says that the chance to learn with other talented, intelligent students at MVHS was the main reason her family decided to move. It was not entirely imperative that her family move to Cupertino, yet the tremendous pressure to succeed at MVHS appealed to Shreya’s dedication to learning.
“What I really appreciate about MVHS is that the competition here really prepares you for the competition [for college],” Shreya said. “In my old school in Oregon, I was easily the best of the best. But MVHS really teaches you to work for the things you want to achieve.”
