<p>@wherezwallace - I think your on point with the academic rigor and the “badge of honor” the students feel for making it through. It’s a bit like boot-camp…you struggle together to get through and come out the other side better than you started. That surely isn’t for everyone, but we still have a volunteer army, so it must appeal to some.</p>
<p>What’s interesting in your commentary are the suggestions of “sacrifice”. I don’t believe the students see the rigor as a sacrifice. They are passionate about what they want to focus on…not really worried about “will they get a job”. To your closing point, I think the kids at Swat “enjoy” the challenge.</p>
<p>That said, those qualities are not the norm, and many of the kids come off as a bit odd. Many are…but odd kids exist at every school. What’s different about the Swat kids is that they generally seem VERY nice. I think they target kids who are genuinely “good” people.</p>
<p>Not fitting in that environment is understandable. Every school isn’t for everyone.</p>