@SoccaMomma when I spoke about NHS being the most prestigious, I was referring to how it is viewed at our specific high school, not as a resume item. At our school each honor society has a different colored cord that the members wear at graduation. Each of the honor societies (as well as CSF) give out scholarships to select graduating seniors as well.
I suppose it is similar to achieving Eagle Scout or a Gold Award. There are defined requirements and it is viewed as a significant accomplishment but what a Scout does to earn those awards can be extremely variable from troop to troop.
@SoccaMomma Unless the colleges know the NHS dynamics at the school, I wouldnāt call it a resume item. Our high school really plays into the āleadershipā component of NHS. Yes, the academic standards are high - a 3.5 is required to join and a 3.3 is required to maintain membership. Students are also responsible for completing 30 hours of community service each year, and that service has to be of no benefit to the student. So, those international āmission tripsā used to pad resumes are excluded as are coaching, volunteering in labs, etc. I should note that our high school places a strong value on citizenship, volunteering, and activism. What our NHS strives for is to attract the high-achieving, well-rounded student leader, not āacademic drones.ā Our school has dozens of academic clubs that satisfy general interests and honor students. NHS is a step above. And, itās why many kids who are accepted into NHS donāt feel the need to join the others. The one exception is Cum Laude Society, but those kids arenāt chosen until halfway through senior year.
So the requirements at our HS are actually a little tougher and also require more than just grades so I guess it varies. For S19, the only reason it is of note at all on his college applications is because he has a leadership position that has actually entailed a bit of work. The members also provide peer tutoring to students in addition to general community service activities which is great experience for them. I donāt think NHS is a make or break item in and of itself though. S20 will be invited to apply but that doesnāt happen till late spring semester.
S20 is taking PSAT today after school postponed due to a major incident at his school. Iām a little late, but wanted to chime in finally on the PSAT talk! When my youngest gets to be that age, we will absolutely have her prep for PSAT; this kid has not prepped. but he will for ACT down the line.
Itās been a while since Iāve been here ā hope everybody is having a great junior year!
NHS requirements are so varied an inconsistent from school to school that I really donāt believe it carries any weight by itself. Thereās big hoops to jump through in our school too, but those hoops (having performed in demonstrated leadership position in some other activity, for example) are probably better resume items than NHS itself.
This past weekend my D had a very interesting college visit. We visited McGill in Montreal.
McGill is a very pretty campus, smack in the middle of downtown Montreal, but there is a defined campus area plus a few outlier buildings. They had a separate admissions info session just for international students (especially those coming from the US).
The reason it was so interesting is because the admissions process is so different than in the US: No essays, no recommendation letters, and no list of ECs ā admission is strictly based on academics. They specifically said ādonāt send us these in your application.ā Thereās no athletic recruitment either. All of their collegiate athletes have to be accepted like everyone else.
Thereās nothing holistic about the process at all. There arenāt even quotas for the # of students from Quebec vs. Canada vs. international. They just take the top applicants based on HS grades and other test scores (ACT, SAT, IB, A levels, etc).
Other random facts:
Things NOT mentioned on the tour that are ubiquitous on US tours: blue light phones (they have none), climbing wall, Quidditch team
Seen practicing in the quad during the tour: Quidditch team
Founder James McGill is buried on campus
They are proud of their top 50 in the world university ranking ā this was mentioned more than once
@stencils My D18 is at McGill. The experience has challenged her in every way possible, but I have never seen her more confident, focused, and happy. For the right student, McGill is ridiculously amazing. But it is definitely not for everyone. In fact, my S20 went to Montreal a few weeks ago to visit his sister. Although he appreciates McGill and sees that itās a great fit for D18, he gives it a big fat NO. ^#(^
Students who apply for merit scholarships do need to write essays and submit rec letters. But yes, it is a different process. I appreciate the transparency in admissions.
I love to talk about McGill. Is your D considering applying?
@ShrimpBurrito Right now, I think it will make the list. She liked it a lot. In fact, the only thing she didnāt like during the whole day-long visit were the upper rez dorm buildings (McConnell etc) ā but every school needs its ugly dorms built in the 1960s, right?
Sheās considering CS, which you can take in the Faculty of Arts, making it a bargain for US citizens. Even better if she can nab a merit scholarship there.
I will say another unusual thing was how most of the ātraditionalā dorms were singles with shared bathrooms. The shared bathroom on the floor we saw had urinals that werenāt in stalls ā that weirded out D20 a bit ā she doesnāt want to walk into the bathroom and see a guy standing at a urinal!
Douglass Hall was amazing. I think they tried to make the dining hall look like the great hall at Hogwarts! However, I think if D20 went there sheād want to live in the former hotel doubles on Sherbrooke.
Regarding tuition in the Faculty of Arts, Quebec recently passed legislation to deregulate tuition, meaning the price will go up for international students. Iāll try to find a link that gives a timetable, as I think it is to happen gradually.
My D is in Solin Hall and she loves it. Itās a McGill dorm, but itās 3-4 metro stops away from campus. She shares a three bedroom apartment in Solin with two other girls. Solin is right next to the Lionel Groulx metro station, so itās easy to get around. Itās a very fun, interesting neighborhood, with the Atwater Market and Lachine Canal a short walk away.
She also considered the hotel dorms, but was turned off by the mandatory meal plan. The meal plan is a terrible value. D cooks at her apartment some, brings home prepared foods, and eats out for way less than what a meal plan would cost.
McGill is a fantastic place for CS, as Montreal has become a global hub for AI. There are amazing internship opportunities. D is majoring in Cognitive Science and is hoping to land one of those spots soon.
Hello there. Just popping in for my first post on CC, though Iāve been lurking for a little while.
I feel like an ignorant fool much of the time while I read the boards. My DH and I were not strong students in high school. I went straight to community college and eventually ended up with a graduate degree, but it was not a totally linear path. This whole traditional college bound student thing is a whole new world for us, and weāre still learning about things like the importance of the PSAT and other very basic things.
We have a D20 and a S23 and are so nervous about not being able to offer the right support or guidance just from sheer ignorance. But we really are trying! So far weāve toured four schools (only one formal tour as the other three were during summer while we just happened to be in the area) and are starting to get a grasp on what our daughter is drawn to and what does not feel like a good fit.
Iām very happy to be here and to find a thread devoted to this cohort!
Welcome @Glitterbug. I was a longtime lurker to CC before signing up and itās great to hear what others have done and are doing. Iāve gotten great suggestions, feedback and advice.
Confession - I feel like Iām cheating, but I sometimes check out the 2019 Parents board to see whatās to come. Ay yi yi!
No need to confess. Those that have been through this before likely follow multiple āxxxx parents ofā threads at this point. I highly recommend it to get a feel for the timing of this whole process.
