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As someone who came out in the middle of the heap from a very stressful high school, I would say that the choice depends on your child's personality. If he/she can handle the stress, then he might get a lot from an environment that pushes him/her. Schools that have an academically driven culture often support bright kids in unique ways -- encouraging extra-curricular activities, permitting projects designed by students, strong college counseling.
On the other hand, students who are still maturing and getting a handle on organizational skills will often feel miserable in a competitive environment even if they are very smart. As well, competitive environments can be conducive to negative social pressures. For example, the all-girls school I attended had an exceptionally high rate of anorexia and bullimia. And the fact that kids were smart did not make them any less likely to take risks, just better at hiding their shenanigans. Underage drinking and early sexual activity were ways that many students took the edge off of their stressful lives.
As someone who came out in the middle of the heap from a very stressful high school, I would say that the choice depends on your child's personality. If he/she can handle the stress, then he might get a lot from an environment that pushes him/her. Schools that have an academically driven culture often support bright kids in unique ways -- encouraging extra-curricular activities, permitting projects designed by students, strong college counseling.
On the other hand, students who are still maturing and getting a handle on organizational skills will often feel miserable in a competitive environment even if they are very smart. As well, competitive environments can be conducive to negative social pressures. For example, the all-girls school I attended had an exceptionally high rate of anorexia and bullimia. And the fact that kids were smart did not make them any less likely to take risks, just better at hiding their shenanigans. Underage drinking and early sexual activity were ways that many students took the edge off of their stressful lives.
Yes, this is very true. In our case, our daughter has to work to stay with the top level kids, but can be there if she works. The issue is that she has figured out that she could attend our area high school, which is not very well regarded, and likely get straight As without working too much at all. In the end, she LIKES to shine. However, she does not want to push herself TO shine.
My husband's thought is to leave her in a competitive pond and let her work. I worry about the stress, but also find that things like noncompetitive sports and interests outside of school help to lessen that. Just not sure...
Go for very high GPA, very low stress but fair education OR
Fairly high stress, good GPA with effort and a very good education/foundation. Hmmmm
I think middle ground is the best, when possible. Extreme ends of the spectrum are rarely helpful in the long run. I would go middle of the road...challenging enough that the student is being pushed to reach their potential, but reasonable/easy enough that the student can still relax and be a kid.
This is where you are wrong. Colleges are very well aware of how rigorous a high school is and that does factor into admissions. If you are top 25% in a rigorous and are going up against someone that is top 10% from an easier high school, your school will factor into the decision more than your grades and chances are you will get the placement vs the one with better grades. We see this happen quite often in our high school, which is highly competitive. Kids that are in the top 25% are almost always getting into their top choices for college with the top 10% getting into Ivy caliber schools.
I know that colleges can tell how rigorous your high school is. But what I meant was they don't know about individual teachers. There was a teacher at my high school with a reputation of being a guaranteed A+. But when you apply to college, how would they know that everyone in the class got an A+?
I know that colleges can tell how rigorous your high school is. But what I meant was they don't know about individual teachers. There was a teacher at my high school with a reputation of being a guaranteed A+. But when you apply to college, how would they know that everyone in the class got an A+?
Which is why you have to have a form of independent assessment for college entry.
I think tough academics is better than just getting top grades, a little bit of both would be better imo.
I attended 1st Grade in a great school district but then went to a different school (a bad/rough Elementary School) after that, I didn't learn anything in the 2nd Grade because I knew everything already, I just sailed by with good grades, awards, & boredom. They actually wanted to skip me to 4th Grade but that never materialized (3rd would've been better imo). It lasted throughout elementary school since I was always steps ahead of everyone else. In High School I focused more on the classes, even though I got average grades (I was very very bored in that school) I was still told many times that I was one of the smartest kids in the school, I took classes I didn't even need and I learned a lot.
Yes, this is very true. In our case, our daughter has to work to stay with the top level kids, but can be there if she works. The issue is that she has figured out that she could attend our area high school, which is not very well regarded, and likely get straight As without working too much at all. In the end, she LIKES to shine. However, she does not want to push herself TO shine.
My husband's thought is to leave her in a competitive pond and let her work. I worry about the stress, but also find that things like noncompetitive sports and interests outside of school help to lessen that. Just not sure...
Go for very high GPA, very low stress but fair education OR
Fairly high stress, good GPA with effort and a very good education/foundation. Hmmmm
Sounds just like where I was a couple of years ago. DS did the magnet school through 11th grade, did okay, A's, B's and a couple of C's here and there. Got most of the required classes out of the way and decided that for his senior year he wanted to go to the neighborhood high school so that he could be one of the big fish in the pond, instead of just a little fish.
I'm still a little undecided about whether letting him change schools for senior year was a good thing or not.
While the neighborhood school let him experience a more traditional version of high school, participation in a lot of extracurricular activities, and giving him more time to enjoy his last year at home before going off to college, the academics didn't come close in comparison.
He enjoyed it though, classes were a snap. He did a vo-tech business class and a dual enrollment math class, things the magnet school didn't offer. He ran for class treasurer, worked on the yearbook as school photographer, and played for the marching band, all things he didn't do at the magnet school because he was too busy trying to keep his grade average up.
OTOH he did get a great education at the magnet school, they did a really good job of preparing him for college, but I'm not sure one more year, taking mostly elective classes, would have benefited him very much. Having the diploma from the magnet school might have been an edge in college admissions, but I don't know. I assumed they would look at his transcript and see his history from the magnet school and count that in his favor.
If she plans on a good college I'd say stick with the competitive school at least for the core classes, maybe switch later if she really dislikes it.
Kids that are in the top 25% are almost always getting into their top choices for college with the top 10% getting into Ivy caliber schools.
Where does the contest begin? There are lots and lots of top notch colleges just as equipped to turn out top notch grads as "Ivy caliber" schools are.
In fact, I have a relative who graduated with a Bachelors in business from a rather run-of-the-mill college and, because of his determination to do well, was recruited by one of the Fortune 500 companies.
The man and his family have lived in Japan for a number of years and he is extremely successful.
What's interesting is that the 4 other brothers in that family went to the same college, and one received a Masters from another run-of-the-mill local college and they are all highly successful.
What could an "Ivy caliber" college have done more for them? Nothing but the name.
An "Ivy caliber" school is only necessary for one's ego. The education isn't any better.
An "Ivy caliber" school is only necessary for one's ego. The education isn't any better.
Now I agree with the sentiment that college is what you make of it, and a highly motivated student will do well no matter where they go but the idea that an Ivy league school does not have a better education is just silly. The cutting edge research, professors who literally are THE experts in their field, and the quality of discourse will be better at the Ivies than elsewhere. How can you claim otherwise?
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