<p>My son has been nominated to serve as Senate Page for the spring semester 2010. I would be very interested in hearing from others who served as a page or parents of pages what the experience was like and whether you think it is worth spending a semester of Junior year in DC. AP courses are not offered at the Senate Page School but I understand that the course curricula is very rigorous and many pages sit for the exam and do well.<br>
–Is that your experience?
–How do you think Admission Committees at top schools view the applicants with this experience?
– Any insights would be most appreciative.</p>
<p>I don’t meet any of your qualifications for a response, having no direct experience with the program…but let me say that the Senate Page program sounds like an amazing opportunity that could be a life-changing experience for your son. The opportunity to have a front row seat on history being made would make me sign up in an instant, and I can’t imagine it could have any sort of negative impact on future college applications (actually probably would strengthen his app).</p>
<p>My child was a Federal Page a couple of years ago. The experience was excellent, both academically and professionally. In terms of my kid’s back-home school, I was annoyed to say the least. Child started off in local school’s AP Lang (our 11th grade highest English) and AP US History. Page School only offered Honors but many Pages (inc my kiddo) sat for and received 5s on the AP exams. Our school system had only AP and regular for 11th grad Eng and US History, no Honors. My kid did NOT receive AP credit for Page grades.</p>
<p>This is a criticism of our school sys. not Page Programs. Several schools are known to LOVE pages.</p>
<p>One of my friends was a page during the Spring Semester for 2009. She loved it and increased her interest in politics. She had great seats for the Inauguration, has met President Obama, and watched his speech when he addressed both sides of Congress. She said that the classes were very challenging even though they were not at the AP level.</p>
<p>My son was a Senate page for the first semester of his junior year and absolutely loved it. (I can’t speak at all about the House page program - that is much larger and quite different.) The schedule is indeed rigorous - the kids have school from around 6 am to 10am, then report to the senate for a full days work, then return for homework. (If the senate is going late, pages take turns staying into the night.) The Page program keeps a tight rein on all pages and is a well-run program. The Page school (in the basement of their dorm) is excellent - master teachers, small classes, motivated students. My son was able easily to join AP classes back home. While the actual work of a page is not that challenging (preparing the chamber, delivering water, retrieving senators for votes, etc), the chance to be a part of government, to learn the workings of the Senate, and to be expected to balance a full-time job with a full course load makes for a unique experience. My S’s love of politics and history intensified after this program, and I’m sure that his college apps were enhanced by it. (He wrote one of his common app essays on the experience.)</p>
<p>The program sponsors some cool field trips (at least for the fall semester) and organizes social outings in DC as well. Meeting kids from all over the country is a plus, as is the first taste (at least for my son) of living away from home for a long spell. He still is close to several fellow pages (he is now a college freshman) and many of them are at Ivies. In our experience the Page program was always viewed very favorably by adcoms, and teachers at his home school, and I can’t imagine it being a detriment at all. </p>
<p>Please feel free to PM me if you like. Good luck - and congrats to your son!</p>