Which is better: be top 5% student at Liberty High or maybe top 20% in Jasper? (Plano: renting, transfer to)

[Sweeteaparty]

You can always send your kid to schools for mentally challenged, have them play on special teams for physically challanged, compete on spelling bee with dyslexic kids and such. If you are looking for loop holes then you'll find many, if you want them to learn to do their best then think twice before you go that route.

[synchronicity]

Originally Posted by FriscoTex

A friend's daughter was in the super smart crowd @ one of these over achieving high schools. None of her peers wanted to go to a Texas college, all wanted out of state, Ivy league schools. The super smart crowd may not be as impressed with a degree from a Texas university as compared to the Harvard/MIT etc. degrees.

There's that, too. We're not tied to Texas and although we don't have anything against the in-state school system we'd probably prefer kidlet goes out of state when the time comes (broaden horizons/explore the world and all that). In the case of someone who can get in most anywhere (assuming financial considerations aren't a huge factor) it would be great to go to whatever the "best" school is in their field of interest, which often would be outside of Texas.

For most parents, trying to game the auto-admit system is likely a waste of time. If the only way a kid can get into a good UT school is by going to a less-than-stellar high school, then they'll be less prepared for the rigors of college and more likely to fall short once they're in. If you're good/smart/talented/disciplined/whatever enough to be top 20% but not top 10% at a very good HS you'll still get into a lot of excellent colleges and be ready for the challenges.

[hlcegi]

Really appreciate everyone who responded! So many good points!

One question that has not been touched on much was the question of faith: how do we help or keep a teenager's faith if their school work is a lot? Any stories or comment?

[AllenEllen]

Weekend programs, summer camps, involvement in church's charity/recreational events helps. Another thing that works is to use car travel to discuss news and give them your moral/religious take on those topics.

[roseball123]

Originally Posted by hlcegi

Thanks for the comment! My kid is not very challenged in middle school right now, very bored by math classes. So maybe the focus should not be the pencentage, but what you learn there... Thanks for the help.

BTW, is Jasper a better choice than Plano East's IB program? Or maybe I should start a new thread?

Thanks again to all who respond!

Have you considered the TAMS program offered at UNT. https://tams.unt.edu/

[AllenEllen]

TAMS is a great program but its residential, sending kids away for their last two years at home before college is a difficult decision.

[MFC2]

I checked US news and didn't find that PWSH is ranked 45 in state, it was not even in ranking (neither nationwide nor state) and din't have any reward. Greatschools.org ranked that 8 and their college readiness is far below than other higher ranked high schools. If this is the situation, why the house price is going rocket high in that school zone? Rice or Jasper are good, but senior high is more important. I was planning to move there, but this finding is making me confused. What would be other options comparable to Clements High in that area? Richardson (Pearce HIgh) or Coppell High scool are in ranking. Does anyone know the average Geometry and Reading scores for PWHS? Thanks.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by MFC2

I checked US news and didn't find that PWSH is ranked 45 in state, it was not even in ranking (neither nationwide nor state) and din't have any reward. Greatschools.org ranked that 8 and their college readiness is far below than other higher ranked high schools. If this is the situation, why the house price is going rocket high in that school zone? Rice or Jasper are good, but senior high is more important. I was planning to move there, but this finding is making me confused. What would be other options comparable to Clements High in that area? Richardson (Pearce HIgh) or Coppell High scool are in ranking. Does anyone know the average Geometry and Reading scores for PWHS? Thanks.

Thats because for this last year PWHS did not get all their scoring in on time. Don't listen to great schools.

Here's the yea before when they submitted everything. #63 in the country.

http://www.newsweek.com/2013/05/06/a...h-schools.html

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by roseball123

Have you considered the TAMS program offered at UNT. https://tams.unt.edu/

Math Practice Exams | TAMS

Hammering these tests in about 20 minutes would be step one towards any notion of applying to TAMS. The OP's kiddo, for whatever reasons, is not earning top grades in math. That's a deal killer for TAMS; a strong letter of recommendation from a prospect's last math teacher or two is an absolute must. Also 6/7th grade SAT scores of something like 1,050 (M+CR only) and sophomore scores around 1,400 are needed if one is to have a good shot. Admission into TAMS is intensely competitive.

[Renu.Uner]

If you want boarding then TAMS but otherwise go with PISD. I wouldn't recommend Frisco for a gifted kid.