Can somebody tell me...

Gwen_Fairfax
Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:47:52 +0000

I come from an isolated town with a very limited high school (and school choice-- my D goes to a different hs)-- but, what happens time and again is that a student will get into a good college and feel utterly at sea there. So often these bright kids end up dropping out, or being miserable for a while because they’re behind, or because they have little experience of life away from their own hometown, where everyone knows them, their parents, their uncles, their dog…

Reading is always important and a big part of preparing yourself. But if you can find an enrichment summer program, some distance away from home, where you meet other bright, motivated young people, I think it could be a great thing. (Look on the Summer Programs forum…just to start.) Some are free or offer scholarships-- a good one will give you a chance to be among others in the way you will be at college. You will likely make good friends and you’ll get a sense of what will be expected of you in the future-- and that can really make a difference in your confidence. Plus, let’s hope you’ll learn a lot! It’s great that you’re thinking about this already-- shows real maturity. Good luck!