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13-Year Old Accepted into College Has Her Admission Revoked

July 6, 2011 By 30 Comments

by Ayvaunn Penn, Your Black World

A crushing ending  has devastated the 13-year-old African-American prodigy child who was accepted into the University of Connecticut for this coming school year. When Autum Ashante’s good news went public, her name buzzed across the internet making her something of a household name for her great accomplishment of being accepted into college at the tender age of 13. Now, unfortunately, the college that accepted her is now taking back their offer.

NYDailyNews.com reports, “Batin Ashante said his daughter, Autum, is ‘devastated’ after university officials called him [Saturday] to ‘rescind’ their offer of acceptance.” Batin said, “They said they now feel she’s not academically ready…That’s B.S.!” On June 16th, a University of Connecticut spokesperson by the name of Richard Veilleaux confirmed that Autum had indeed been accepted to the university. As for these latest developments, NYDailyNews.com reports that “Veilleux did not immediately return calls for comment.”

In the mean time, Batin says that he and his daughter will still move to Connecticut as planned and seek other education opportunities. He says, “I’m her dad and it just bothers me to see her go through this…I’m fed up. They have insulted us and the work that we’ve put in…I’m not sure I want her to be involved with an institution that treats her like that.”

This is a part of Ayvaunn Penn‘s Black And Making It series. She is also aspoken word artist and an award winning writer completing her degree in English and philosophy. For more of her witty-word works click here. To have your original poetry featured by Ms. Penn on Your Black Poets, clickhere.

 

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Shakka-Zulu/1379420279 Shakka Zulu

    This is bullshit alright, these people don’t want to see a young African being able to excel in home schooling and advancing so rapidly…I would advise these parents to apply for admissions to FAMU, Howard or Spelman all HBCU’s, i’m sure they will gladly accept this child and give her a quality education…

    • gee wiz

      Sorry. I disagree with you. Like so many of the other respondents, while it doesn’t ‘feel’ good, a 13 year old is still a 13 year old child. I think the parents should seek  assistance from professionals who work with child prodigies before making the next step with their angel. She will only be a child one time and academics is not everything. She still has to find her way in the world as an adult and skipping steps will most likely not be good for her in the long-term.

  • Rmartinezsr

    Under which criterion, the University authorities determined that a student of thirteen years can not enter. Academically she is ready, so apply for registration. I hate to think that the reason was, her skin color.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XZGS24K7ZB6TQTPRFD2G4DFB6M Sylvester

      Then Google Colin Carison  a 13 yrs old white male who is attending the univ of conn , now then you will see the real reason , on the color  of ones skin ,

  • LvFG

    there are plenty of other institutions that would accept this gifted student. Spelman is probably one.

  • Kaye Wolf

    I hope her parents listens to the school for her sake.  We are only children for a little while.  There is an entire world of experiences that 13-17 year olds gain, and if she doesn’t get them now, she will never get them.  She can take enrichment courses, learn foreign languages, study art and history, learn piano, etc.

    I started taking college math courses at age 10 and was accepted to a top notch electrical engineering program at age 15, but after one semester they sent me home because although I has four A’s and one B, they felt that I was not emotionally ready.  At the time I was very angry but over time I’ve come to realize that they were right.  In fact, if I had to do it over I would have sat out two more years before attending instead of returning the next Fall.

    I too am African-American and hold several advanced degrees from both my engineering school and a top Ivy League.  It was never about race, and given what I know about UConn, I doubt if it is about race here.  It is more likely the combination of her young age, her stunted social skills (in my 9 years as a college interviewer, I have yet to meet a home schooler w/o stunted social skills, including my own child), and a lack of support — as soon as I read about her I was concerned that she was going to college so far from home (I had a chaperon my first year).

    Since if she is home-schooled, there is no limit to what her parents can teach her.  If her parents are serious about her future, they will listen to UConn, a good school.  In the long-run, there’s little upside to finishing early.  Yes, it’s good for the ego telling people I started taking college coursed at age 10, but it’s not as impressive as the person who starts college at 50, when they are wise enough to understand the long-term effects of their decision.  It’s not as impressive as the C-student who learns to play well with others and then excels later in life, when it matters.  If they truly want her to attend college, they should seek a very small, private school where they can better control her full development socially, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.  UConn doesn’t offer that.  

    • Kaye Wolf

      Our local prodigy — a Middle Eastern kid who graduated college at 16 — works as a check-out boy at Best Buy.  The parents should do some research on the life cycle of the child prodigy.  It’s not a great as one would home.

    • Kaye Wolf

      Our local prodigy — a Middle Eastern kid who graduated college at 16 — works as a check-out boy at Best Buy.  The parents should do some research on the life cycle of the child prodigy.  It’s not a great as one would home.

    • JustMyOpinion2

      I skipped a grade that took me from middle school to high school a year early. So I graduated at 16 years old.  If I had to do it again, I probably would not.  I was 13 that summer before going to high school and there was pressure when I got there because many of them simply didn’t want me there.  Of course, the only reason I WOULD do it again is because it got me out of a middle school where the thug females gave me a hard time because I was quiet and smart. 
       
      I have mixed feelings about whether or not this young lady should be admitted to a university at 13 years old. Yes, she should be able to excel in life, but I think the more important thing is for her to enjoy her youth.  Excelling in education and a career is fine, but I would hate for her to look back on her life and regret growing up too fast and missing out on her fun years as a child.  I work in higher education and unless she’s emotionally ready for a lot of the “non-academic” tests and temptations that go along with college life, she’ll be eaten alive. Either way, I hope they make the right decision for their daughter.

    • http://www.facebook.com/Akatriel2028 Oquendo Jones

      Very well written and your point is well taken, Ms. Wolf. It’s so easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of a the story; A 13 year old Prodigy getting accepted into college and then being rejected. One tends to automatically feel for the parents and child while demonizing the school. As you said, it’s a great boost for the ego that a child is 13 and in college, but are they truly ready mentally and emotionally? Perhaps waiting a yea or two to enter college wouldn’t be a bad idea. This is certainly food for thought.

  • Kaye Wolf

    I hope her parents listens to the school for her sake.  We are only children for a little while.  There is an entire world of experiences that 13-17 year olds gain, and if she doesn’t get them now, she will never get them.  She can take enrichment courses, learn foreign languages, study art and history, learn piano, etc.

    I started taking college math courses at age 10 and was accepted to a top notch electrical engineering program at age 15, but after one semester they sent me home because although I has four A’s and one B, they felt that I was not emotionally ready.  At the time I was very angry but over time I’ve come to realize that they were right.  In fact, if I had to do it over I would have sat out two more years before attending instead of returning the next Fall.

    I too am African-American and hold several advanced degrees from both my engineering school and a top Ivy League.  It was never about race, and given what I know about UConn, I doubt if it is about race here.  It is more likely the combination of her young age, her stunted social skills (in my 9 years as a college interviewer, I have yet to meet a home schooler w/o stunted social skills, including my own child), and a lack of support — as soon as I read about her I was concerned that she was going to college so far from home (I had a chaperon my first year).

    Since if she is home-schooled, there is no limit to what her parents can teach her.  If her parents are serious about her future, they will listen to UConn, a good school.  In the long-run, there’s little upside to finishing early.  Yes, it’s good for the ego telling people I started taking college coursed at age 10, but it’s not as impressive as the person who starts college at 50, when they are wise enough to understand the long-term effects of their decision.  It’s not as impressive as the C-student who learns to play well with others and then excels later in life, when it matters.  If they truly want her to attend college, they should seek a very small, private school where they can better control her full development socially, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.  UConn doesn’t offer that.  

  • Randy

    HBCU are just as good if not better. Why go were you are not wanted? Get what you need then make then come to you for what you have.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Desiree-Primus/1430685268 Desiree Primus

    UCONN believes 13 year old girl is too young, rescinds offer.

  • Beverly

    What a poor excuse. When I returned to school to study Photography here I was just a beginner but they wanted to make me feel inferior but I knew I was better than most of the instructor than was trying to educate me in Photography. It seem when a person of color has intellectual talent, there are people that will still try to find fault because in that way, they are trying to hold you down, as I told one of my instructor, I know I have talent and what I have within me, no one can still that it’s a GIFT. This young lady should keep her head up high because she has proven herself a gifted child and God will take care of the rest.

    • Bevwshngtn

      In reply to my own comment. I meant steal not (still)

  • Meanchick

    This young girl should be allowed to do what she’s earned the right to do. This is clearly an attempt to hold her back by the institution. Why should she try an HBCU if she doesn’t want to? (I’m not saying anything bad about HBCUs). How many times have you read about a child prodigy who was denied entrance to college? I’ve only heard of one instance, THIS one. Some ‘people’ are STILL not ready for educated black people, no matter how enlightened they claim to be. Had this girl been non-black, this would not have become a sudden problem for the institution. The father should sue them.

  • Hotdog090

    Rather then getting all upset simply google  University of Conn and look for the registar, admission’s office and bombard them with calls, emails, or, snail-mail until we get the desired effect. If all of us on this website make 1 call, 1 email, 1 letter to the dean, admission department, and/registration, we can put that university on standstill until they meet our demands.

    http://www.uconn.edu/contact.php is the website.

    Be creative send email cards and whatnot. Enjoy!!!

  • Hotdog090

    Additionally, universities with international recognition are much more affordable in Canada then in the US. Universities are run by their respectable provinces. Check out the cost for University of Toronto or the University of Vancouver. 

  • Fitlady67

    Interesting.  Maybe the college should have said they do not think she is emotionally mature enough for a college curriculum.  Remember at the university level it take more maturity to succeed rather than academic prowess.  Although I do believe she would succeed academically, but who is to say she could handle interacting with young adults on group projects?

    Think back to your university experience undergraduate and graduate.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t get it. Why did they accept her in the first place if they thought she wasn’t academically ready or old enough or whatever? That’s not an unreasonable position to take. Offering and then rescinding is not reasonable.

    • Anonymous

      Casey Anthony she;s not. Just keep her ‘in her place’. We still need HBCs

  • Monchelle603

    I am so sick of  some of  the comments,  saying she was academically but not emotionally ready, if she didn’t feel she was ready to go to college I’m sure she would have told her parents that she would prefer to stick it out with her classmates  and finish high school  first, before accepting the offer to go to college.

  • Lilmomma_15

    like i said before if this was blond hair, blue eyed  betsy sue  it wouldn’t  be an issue!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Okereke/100000572058772 Mike Okereke

    As I peruse the write-ups made here by various contributors, I can see a common thread wooven through most of them particularly, Kaye Wolf’s, and the experience h/she went through.
    Obviously, most of America’s higher institutions of learning are White-dominated, with Black population in sprinkle, or spotty. Such millieu, or environment may not be socially coducive for African Americans, more so for a thirteen year old African American girl. If Autum’s parents don’t want their prodigious child’s educational vibrations to be dampened or stlled, I would advise they take her to a HBCU, where she can also get a quality education, and would fit in socially without being socially intimidated, as she probably would in a university environment such as U Conn. If the parents can adhere to this piece of advice, they would not regret it. There are very many talented African Americans who went to Ivy League schools, who upon graduation, become social reclusives. But on the other hand, names like, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, Veron Jordan, and many many more were students at HBCU; and we see how singificantly contributary they are in the African American community, and the country as a whole.

    • Anonymous

      Assuming she isn’t bitten by the same ‘I got mine BUG’ so many of our recent grads have encountered

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Okereke/100000572058772 Mike Okereke

    As I peruse the write-ups made here by various contributors, I can see a common thread wooven through most of them particularly, Kaye Wolf’s, and the experience h/she went through.
    Obviously, most of America’s higher institutions of learning are White-dominated, with Black population in sprinkle, or spotty. Such millieu, or environment may not be socially coducive for African Americans, more so for a thirteen year old African American girl. If Autum’s parents don’t want their prodigious child’s educational vibrations to be dampened or stlled, I would advise they take her to a HBCU, where she can also get a quality education, and would fit in socially without being socially intimidated, as she probably would in a university environment such as U Conn. If the parents can adhere to this piece of advice, they would not regret it. There are very many talented African Americans who went to Ivy League schools, who upon graduation, become social reclusives. But on the other hand, names like, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, Veron Jordan, and many many more were students at HBCU; and we see how singificantly contributary they are in the African American community, and the country as a whole.

  • Briee Joycoates

    Academically ready is a joke, obviously she is booksmart. And I know most of the stories on this blog are racially biased and I would hate to go against the grain of “hating the white man keeping us down”….but really. she’s 13. EMOTIONALLY ready absolutely not and I believe her parents are acting irationally and borderline irresponsible by sending her away to a campus with individuals probably 23-25 walking around campus and exposing her to lord knows what. Well actually were all alumni so we all know what. And now the family is uprooting their lives to STILL move I think this whole situation is stupid. What they SHOULD have did is apply to the beat university in their area and she could take day classes and live at home at the most. Honestly what is the point of sending anyone under 16 to college early its not like she can get a damn job upon graduation or even really handle the daily tasks of an important internship in her undergrad and someone bought up the point of how well she could collaborate on projects with her much older classmates…they will probably treat her with respect but not real actual friends lol. shell be 25 wih a ph d and not able to swap fun college stories, smh

  • Ttisbac

    BRAVO YOUNG LADY !

  • Kevin Adams629

    I believe everyone has a right to higher education. I hope she keeps fighting.

  • Leesylvester33

    Why ,Is this..Asmart young Black young girl entering the Univ,of Conn .Then later rejected,base on her age,yet  Colin Carison a 13 yrs white male stay?