Bryce Harper, the 16-year-old who's been billed as the greatest player in the history of baseball (OK, a little exaggeration there, but read this story), has decided to skip his junior and senior years of high school and enroll in community college.

Harper will earn his GED and begin classes at the College of Southern Nevada in the fall and play for the school's baseball team, according to this article. His father, Ron Harper, said his son will enter the Major League Baseball draft in 2010 or 2011.

Do you see anything wrong with a high school kid bypassing his last two years of high school to make it the major leagues quicker? Some will say he's giving up his youth. But Harper doesn't think so. He told this to Sports Illustrated:

"People say, 'Weren't you deprived of your childhood?'" he said. "No way. I would not take anything back at all. Everything about it was great. I got to go places, meet people, play baseball against older kids and better competition. I had a great time."

Why do people go to college? To enrich themselves. To gain an education that will help them get a good job and make a good living. That's what baseball will do for Bryce Harper. It's his trade, his vocation, his career. Sure, he's going to miss out on some things a "regular" 17-year-old would experience. But I'm sure he'll survive when he pockets a huge signing bonus a year from now.