When Kelsey Caetano-Anolles, a 14-year-old junior at Urbana High School, went to have her schedule changed two weeks ago, she was told she could graduate at the end of the current school year.

Caetano-Anolles said the decision was simple.

“I was already ready to graduate a semester early because I thought it was the earliest I could graduate,” she said.

At the end of the school year, Kelsey will be one credit short of completing Urbana High School’s graduation requirements.

She said she plans to fulfill this credit in a summer course at Parkland College in Champaign.

Kelsey and her mother Gloria Caetano-Anolles, an Urbana resident, said the intention is for the 14-year-old to begin studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign next fall.

“I would like to start as early as possible,” Kelsey said.

However, the University’s rules state that one cannot be admitted to the University until they are at least 15 years old.

The Caetano-Anolles family said they are going to meet with the admissions department with the hope of the University changing the rule for Kelsey.

Thus far, no decision has been made regarding Kelsey’s admission.

“They want to know how Kelsey will be affected,” her mother said.

In the case that the admissions office prevents Kelsey from joining the class of 2012, she said she would take courses at Parkland.

However, she said she is not considering that as a possibility.

“I don’t think we’re going to accept no for an answer,” she said.

If her application for the University is accepted, Kelsey said she plans to major in Public Policy and Law, with the ultimate goal of law school.

The prospect of attending college at the age of 14 does not hold much fear for Kelsey or her parents.

The Caetano-Anolles family lived in Norway until Kelsey was three years old, said her mother.

While living there, she began teaching Kelsey to read. When they moved to the U.S., Kelsey’s mother continued home schooling her daughter.

Kelsey’s home schooling experience put her ahead of most students her age, and she was able to skip the first, second and third grades, her mother said.

“I’ve always been younger,” Kelsey said, adding that she does not believe the age difference will become a factor upon attending college.

Kelsey said her decision to graduate early from high school stems from her disappointment in some of her high school courses. While she had some great teachers, there were times when she felt she was not receiving the most she should from her education, she said.

“I didn’t even know she was thirteen until I read an article (about her),” said Patrick Atchley, a former teacher of Kelsey’s at Urbana High School.

Atchley said Kelsey is very conscious and that she would do fine in a college environment.

“Kelsey is really mature. We don’t have many concerns,” her mother said, adding that the family’s close proximity to the University also eases the situation.

If Kelsey attends the University in the fall she will live with her parents.

“Even though Kelsey is mature enough to do everything by herself, we still watch (her) every day,” her mother said. “My only concern is she could suffer socially, but I really don’t think she will.”

Because Kelsey’s graduation requirements will not be completed until after her summer school course, she cannot walk in the Urbana High School graduation this spring. She has the option to walk with her classmates in the spring of 2009.

If all goes as Kelsey said she plans, she will be walking as a University of Illinois student.