Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Hi,
I recently, for middle school, went to a very small middle/high school type of school. It was an arts school so you had to major and participate in your arts area and academics. The people were cliquey, and the academics weren't great. I did very badly and transfered to my local highschool with about 3,000 or so kids. I haven't exactaly liked it. I feel lost and lonely, which is odd because I usually make fast friends. The academics are much better here and the electives and extracurriculars are extensive. I have been doing well with grades, not friends, or an activity to participate in, I am however, going to tryout for cheerleading in the winter. But now I'm faced with where I want to go next year. My choices:
1) Audition back into my arts magnet school for a major I probably will never want to excel in. And settle for probably mostly honors classes, and be with the same kids I was with since middle school who I'm not fond of.Not in a good neghiboorhood/area. Small school of 500ish, 800-middle and high.
2) Apply to an ACADEMIC high school. About 30 minutes from home, will have to take the bus, my parents won't let me drive there EVER. You are required 5 AP courses to graduate, and 90 community service hours, the lowest class you can take are honors. The cirriculum is rigirous, and its a very hard and challenging school. Not in a good neghiboorhood/area. Not too many electives to choose from, extensive work hours. Small school...500 kids or so. Have varsity sports, but may not have time due to the workload.
3) Stay at my huge highschool and hope to make some good friends through cheerleading or volleyball, challange myself with honors and AP courses, in a great area very very close to home, will be able to drive junior/senior year, great and tons of electives to chose from- over 100. I just won't know many kids, only the ones who may turn into friends or the ones from classes.

I tend to like a small school where I know everyone and I don't walk down the halls and think: "Who is she." I like to say: "Oh thats (so and so)." So I'm not sure, which do you guys think?? Any suggestions also?? And I want to get into medicine and law and a really good college!

My parents can not afford private school, here anywhere from $5,000.00-$15,000 a year, unless, my mom and dad said my mom, whos a realtor, can sell 2 $500,000 dollar houses a year, then I can attend a relitivley cheaper private school ($5,000.00) range, which to me would be fine, seeing I really want to go to private school, I'd go in a heartbeat!!

Suggestions though???

By Editrix (Editrix) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 06:20 pm: Edit

Spiffygirl--

It doesn't sound as if you've been having much fun, and I'm sorry.

I have a few thoughts about your situation.

From the way you describe it, the first option, auditioning to transfer back to the arts magnet school, doesn't seem to have any real advantages: You weren't very happy there before; the academics aren't strong; the location isn't good; and (if I'm understanding you correctly) you're not all that passionate about the arts area that you would major in.

As for the academic high school, it depends on what's most important to you. If you do see your interests as primarily academic, that school might be worth considering, despite the bus commute: In addition to what sounds like a strong academic program, it has the smaller size that you like, and you might find more compatible kids there than you did at the magnet school or (so far) at the big local high school.

I'm wondering what the timetable is for applying to the academic school and/or for deciding whether you really want to go. If there's any chance that you might be interested in that school, perhaps you should go ahead and apply. But in the meanwhile, since I presume you need to stay in the local school for the rest of the year, and it's only October, do try to get as involved in that school, both academically and socially, as you can. Whether or not you stay there, it can make the year pass more pleasantly. You may find that this school meets your needs after all, in which case you'll have the advantages of being close to home and having lots of electives and ECs to choose from. And if you learn that it really doesn't have what you want, then the decision to commute to the academic school will be that much more clear-cut.

By Editrix (Editrix) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 09:15 pm: Edit

Spiffygirl--I just saw your post on the Yale thread (YALE HAS BEEN MY DREAM SCHOOL) that makes you sound like a senior. I would have liked to be helpful, but it's annoying to feel as if you're simply making things up.

By Spiffygirl818 (Spiffygirl818) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 09:06 am: Edit

Yikes! I knew that would be a problem. Sorry! My friend is allamericangirl, I told her to join the site seeing she's applying for colleges. But like me, we can't post on most of the threads and she can't sign on her user name either. She emailed the moderator and is hoping for a response today. Sometimes it logs on and sometimes it does not. Therefore, I told her that she could log onto mine. Shes a highschool senior, I'm a freshmen...so um, sorry about that. But no, I really need help with the problem up there, about my high school issue!!!! Although, I talked to my mom last night, and I'm begining to think maybe I should just apply to all and see how things get, but I need more suggestions!!!