Asking Eric: I feel my daughter is too young for college but she disagrees

A parent is expressing concern regarding their 17-year-old daughter's readiness to attend a faraway college this fall. While the daughter disagrees with this assessment, the parent prefers that she takes a gap year instead. To resolve this conflict, the parent has sought professional advice from R. Eric Thomas to determine the best course of action for the teenager's transition into higher education and whether she is emotionally prepared for the move.