Questions - NCSSM

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>I’ve seen this done for other schools, so I thought I would do it for NCSSM in hopes of providing information of use for someone.</p>

<p>I am a current Junior at NCSSM. I was originally from CD4.</p>

<p>The classes that I’ve taken / are taking are:
Modern Physics (one trimester)
American Studies (two trimesters, dual English and History credit)
Research in <a href=“I’m%20not%20going%20to%20specify%20which%20one,%20because%20I’d%20like%20to%20be%20anonymous%20and%20the%20research%20classes%20are%20very,%20very%20small”>science</a>
AP Calculus BC (two trimesters)
Molecular Genetics (one trimester)
Soccer (one trimester)
Latin (Three trimesters, still in progress)
Modeling with Differential Equations (in progress)
Number Theory (in progress)
Molecular and Cellular Biology (in progress)</p>

<p>I’m primarily interested in physics and mathematics, so those are the departments that I know the most about. I know a fair bit about each department, though, and a lot about the “mythology” of the school (ie, tales from grand-seniors, etc). My older brother also attended NCSSM, and so I have a somewhat better perspective on the school than some other students do because I have the benefit of his experience as well.</p>

<p>Some common acronyms/nicknames that prospective students will find useful:
PFM – the cafeteria (the food was once provided by ‘Professional Food Management’, and the acronym stuck; we often play about with potential meanings, favorites including ‘Putrid Festering Mess’ and ‘Place for Mastication’)
SLI – Student Life Instructor, the adult supervisor who is assigned to your hall.
RLA – Residential Life Assistant. There are generally two per hall, and they’re Seniors.
SuperStudy – Supervised Study, required for all first-trimester Juniors and anyone with grades below a certain level.
AmStud – American Studies, a required class dual-credit class for Juniors.</p>

<p>There are a lot, lot more, but those are some really, really basic acronyms/nicknames that I will almost certainly use in answering questions. We also have a lot of nicknames/acronyms for places around campus, but those aren’t really useful until you’re on campus and trying to understand directions that you’re given.</p>

<p>I’m willing to answer any questions about the school that are possible to answer without identifying myself.</p>

2

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I just applied for the school, and I’m pretty much waiting for whether or not I am accepted or not.</p>

<p>My main interests are in mathematics, computer science, and physics, and I was wondering about the research classes that they offer. What would you need to be qualified for these classes? I don’t have a strong background in research, and I heard it’s almost like an application process to get into these classes, especially as a junior. Also, what are these classes like? I would love to work on something that has not been done before, but I’m not particularly interested in verifying results of past experiments or just helping out a professor with his or her own research.</p>

<p>I am also interested in the Siemens Competition… If I were to compete in it, would it be possible to submit as a senior? The website says for high school students, but the due date is around the beginning of senior year, although the next year’s competition begins at the end of senior year, when I would still technically be a senior, but not when the winners are announced. If I do compete, are there any “must-have” classes that I would have taken prior to doing research that would have a decent chance at the competition? I want to compete in either math or computer science, but the extent of my knowledge is only introductory college level classes.</p>

<p>My last questions are mainly about acceptance to the school… I had thought that I would have a pretty decent chance, but I’m not too sure. My essays in my application and Discovery Day are pretty solid… I know I missed a few on the Math test on Discovery Day, and there are some grammar mistakes on the application. I have about 1300 SAT for math and reading, and I’m taking a few APs right now, most of which are math and science. I’m in a number of science and math clubs, but aside from that I haven’t done anything else that would stand out - no volunteering, sports, or accomplishments to distinguish me from everyone else. Do you think these vices could deny my acceptance altogether?</p>

<p>I actually have a backup plan… it’s not the best, but should I not be accepted I will take many APs junior year and dual enroll senior year… I’ve been looking around and saw a video explaining how dual enrolling might be a better decision than going to NCSSM. What are the main pluses of NCSSM over dual enrollment as far as acceptance into colleges? Is it the school itself that looks good on an application or the classes and things students do at the school?</p>

<p>Thank you very much!</p>

3

<p>I’m sorry for replying so late – I hope my reply is still useful.</p>

<p>They offer a lot of research classes, which are arranged in tiers:

  1. The research experience classes (in chemistry, physics, biology, and humanities), which are the lowest of the research classes. They begin in the spring trimester, and will not prepare you to enter the research competitions.
  2. Mentorship, where you’re paired with a professor at Duke or UNC to do research in a chosen field. You do not start your research until the first trimester of your Senior year, and as such cannot enter any of the research competitions.
  3. The “R” classes (Research in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Computer Science). These are the classes that prepare you to enter the research competitions, and they begin in the second trimester of your Junior year. If you want to propose your own project (as I am doing – although I can’t discuss the details or even the subject without singling myself out), this is the class that you want to take. The difficulty of being selected for the class varies based on the subject that you apply for, but anyone with a reasonable background in the subject and a strong interest should be able to get a spot. Prior research experience is not required.</p>

<p>If you want to compete in Siemens (as I will), you need to take one of the R classes, beginning midway through your Junior year. You submit your research at the beginning of your Senior year. In order to compete in mathematics, you need to begin talking to the mathematics department at the beginning of the year, as they only offer spots in their Research in Mathematics class by invitation (I only know of one person who competed in Mathematics this year, and he is an incredible mathematics student). If you want to compete in Computational Science, you would want to take Research in Computational Science.</p>

<p>I can’t really tell you whether or not you’ll get in; I’ve never really understood their exact selection criteria, as it sometimes seemed fairly arbitrary. It depends a lot on what congressional district you live in, as you’re only competing with those who live in your own district.</p>

<p>I do have more to say, but I actually have to run and take a Modeling with Differential Equations test in about ten minutes – I’ll be back!</p>

<p>And good luck today! I can’t wait to find out who will be in the new Junior class!</p>

4

<p>I got in!! I’m so excited!</p>

<p>Thanks for the response! It was very helpful. Sorry but I have more questions lol…</p>

<p>I think I’ll do Math if invited or otherwise computer science. Definitely the R classes though. So you have already chosen your topic? How did you choose it? I’m just worried that the topic I choose will be too complex to finish on time or too simple to even be noticed.</p>

<p>How is Modeling with Differential Equations? I wanted to go straight into Linear Algebra and Differential Equations once I’m in, but I don’t see them on the catalog of courses… Are there equivalents? I always thought that Differential Equations was after Calc 3, and Modeling with Differential Equations does not require the two multivariable calculus classes. How does it compare?</p>

<p>Is it alright to overload first trimester? There’s just no other way to get foreign language, math, science, amstud, and computer science into 4 classes… and the next trimesters I’ll (hopefully) be in the Research in CompSci/math classes, and I actually want to do more than one math.</p>

<p>What about APUSH/APENG during 3rd trimester? I think I would like the review, but after the exams, wouldn’t it be learning more afterwards? English and history are not my best topics, so I’ll need the review, but I don’t want to have to still do work for a grade for another entire trimester in the subjects. Is it possible to not take those classes and still get a 5 on the exams?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

5

<p>My son attends NCSSM and he just heard that he was chosen as an RLA and a science teacher assistant. I would just like to know from former/current NCSSM students about the advantages & disadvantages of both. Thanks for any input.</p>

6

<p>No. Overloads in the first trimester of junior year are not allowed and many students are forced to repeat their sophomore language classes, making their transcripts basically three courses plus a repeat of a language plus maybe ultimate frisbee. Not very competitive, huh?</p>

<p>To any rising junior accepted into NCSSM: Look very carefully at this policy, then look at your current high school. Can you take 4-5 AP’s (or more) plus challenging or interesting electives? Are you involved in strong extra-curriculars? If you can and are, don’t go to NCSSM. There is less access to AP classes and classes in general due to their inability to schedule students. There is less opportunity to participate in clubs due to scheduling problems and lack of teacher involvement. Many of the electives are throwaways in spite of how great they look in the course catalog. There is less opportunity to form relationships with teachers due to the trimester schedule, making your college recommendations difficult to obtain and less meaningful than the one from that teacher at your home school who has known you (and liked you!) for two years. </p>

<p>The excitement of attending NCSSM wears off incredibly fast, but your transcript endures. Don’t make the huge mistake of thinking things will work out once you get there or that you are “especially gifted or motivated.” <em>Yawn</em> (administrative reaction) Students are there for two years and gone, making continuity impossible and accountability practically non-existent–not good ingredients for excellence. </p>

<p>Still unconvinced? I highly recommend a visit to the school and a sit down with the academic folks. FORCE THEM FORCE THEM FORCE THEM (they won’t want to do this–with all their tiny, little hearts they won’t want to do this) to plan your transcript for you over the next two years, then compare it to what you could get at your current high school. Do not believe for one minutes that 1) every teacher at NCSSM is excellent 2) every AP class at NCSSM is excellent. Make a reasoned decision to attend or not attend NCSSM, but for your own sake, look beyond the sales pitch.</p>

7

<p>The advantage to being an RLA is that it looks great on your college application, and it allows the first pick of rooms for senior year. </p>

<p>The main disadvantage is that no one likes housekeeping, and your relationship with your hallmates is altered when you are the one forcing them to do the work.</p>

8

<p>What is the game ‘spoons’</p>

9

<p>Bump
10char</p>