Dawson county High School or Lumpkin? (Cumming, Forsyth: job transfer, school district, universities)

[miper70]

My family and I will be moving to Dahlonega this summer. After reviewing the high school in Lumpkin County I am not too pleased with a 37% graduation rate. I don't know if this info. is old or not, but to me Dawson County looks better. I am already having a hard time convincing my children this is a good move. My oldest is 3rd in her class and has a great shot at an academic scholarship. If I put her in a not so good school.......

Please, anyone that has inside info on these schools, I could really use your help.

[lastminutemom]

May I ask where you are coming from and why you feel you need to make this move?

If your daughter is going to be a senior, I would consider delaying and letting her graduate where she is... Many times high schools penalize the new kids in terms of academic awards, etc.

Dawson -- 50 percent of students are participating in vocational programs -- only 1/2 of the graduates are finishing with college prep diplomas.

Lumpkin seems to have similar stats -- don't know where you found that graduation rate.

Use this to get all the data you need...

www.gaosa.org

then click on k-12 public school report cards

Most colleges judge a child not just on GPA but on the rigor of the courses they take -- if she is a top student taking lots of advanced and AP classes, then you need to pick somewhere where the opportunites are the same.

The best state universities -- UGA and GA TEch turn down far more kids than they accept -- they are not sure bets.

[miper70]

She will be a junior next year, not a seniour. I would stay if she were. My husband is getting a job transfer that we just can't turn down.
I hate to say this, but I'm coming from Florida.....and the school system here stinks. That is one reason we decided to make the move. She may be tops in her class, but oh boy what a class it is. The most rigorous class she has taken was an AP history class....did very well and now thinks she flunked the big test because she wasn't taught what was on it. SO much for these classes. I've heard that the school system in parts of Georgia far exceeds the system in Florida. I have my fingers crossed as this is the most important thing to me right now.
I would really like for her to do a couple of years of Junior College then move on to University.

[lastminutemom]

I would contact each schools' counseling department and ask about the number of AP courses offered, pass rate on AP tests etc and I would use that as a guide. Their stats look very similar.

Are you aware of the HOPE scholarship? Let me know if you are not and I will provide information. If she can get the HOPE, she shoot for the best 4 year college in the state that she can get into.

A couple of other thoughts -- if she is considered gifted (having been officially identified as that) speak to the counselor about that. While there are statewide standards in Georgia for iding gifted students, each county has wide leverage on how they treat students from out of state in terms of gifted status.

In terms of AP opportunities, with the exception of the truly exceptional students, most sophomores only take AP history (if they take AP courses at all that year).

[miper70]

Thank you very much for that site. I feel a whole lot better about our decision to move now. It seems she will have a lot more opportunities. The one she is in now offers nothing to her. You say 1/2 of the graduates are graduating with college prep diplomas..........not even offered at this school.

I feel so much better now.....I was really starting to second guess myself.


Is there a website I could look up the HOPE scholarship on? I would love as much info as I can get my hands on.....and again, thank you so much.

[jxu66]

How about North Forsyth high school area? I know that's a little longer drive. But Forsyth county school district is moving up since it is now considering exurb of atlanta.

[miper70]

How far is that from Dahlonega? I will look that up. She will be driving to school, so if they allow special assignment, I would like to send her to the best one. Of all the headache and stress of moving, this has to be the hardest part.....finding a school that my daughters can really do well at.

[jxu66]

My guess is 20 to 25 minutes from North Forsyth area. The best high school in Forsyth is South Forsyth, which has IB program. But that's south of Cumming, much longer drive. North Forsyth covers north of Cumming area. So if your husband does not like to drive, pick anything near the Forsyth border to shorten the commute.


http://reportcard2006.gaosa.org/k12/...cct&ID=658:195
North Forsyth high school.

http://reportcard2006.gaosa.org/k12/...cct&ID=642:198
Dawson high school

http://reportcard2006.gaosa.org/k12/...cct&ID=693:101
Lumpkin high school

[miper70]

It seems to me like Lumpkin being the smaller of the two (Forsyth and Lumpkin) would be the better choice. Both have about the same numbers. I am going to give them a call today and see what they have to say about AP courses and anything else they offer.

Thank you so much for all of you information.

[jxu66]

Lumpkin high schools AP stats
Number of Students Taking Tests 94
Number of Tests Taken 126
Number of Test Scores 3 or Higher 30
Percentage of Test Scores 3 or Higher 23.8%

North Forsyth high schools AP stats
Number of Students Taking Tests 418
Number of Tests Taken 620
Number of Test Scores 3 or Higher 297
Percentage of Test Scores 3 or Higher 47.9%