<p>I am in total consensus with you. There is no doubt about it. I will never take a decision that will ruin his chances even a single percent. I am pretty sure about it. </p>
<p>But if there is a positive feedback from the families who have gone thro similar situation will help me look into the relocation.</p>
<p>I think that HIS feelings about the move are critical.</p>
<p>I’ve known a number of kids who chose to spend senior year abroad or at boarding school because they were eager for a new adventure. These kids did very well at college application time. If your son is this kind of kid, the last-minute switch of schools doesn’t have to be a downer. It’s a chance to taste some of the change he’ll experience as a college freshman, but with a greater support system in place.</p>
<p>If the kid is freaking out at the thought of leaving everything behind and begging to stay in Arizona, that’s a whole different story.</p>
<p>Why don’t you also call UChi and see if it’s possible to speak with one of the senior admissions reps? Explain your son is a high performing kid, the sort who could have a reasonable shot at that school- and ask how the move would be reviewed. Would he be viewed primarily in terms of the old hs or new hs and what allowance do they typically make for an adjustment period? Be clear you are only interested intheir usual approach to this sort of situation. Ask how it would be viewed if he could not perform at the same level in band and possibly did not have top mid-first-semester grades. You may be asked for some background about classes taken so far and his proposed (at this point) major. I’d say keep it a very organized conversation. They will not predict chances, but what you need is to learn how they would look at his case, 3 years in AZ and one semester (or less, if he’s ED) in Chi. You can clarify how many recs, etc, they would accept, in this case, from AZ. Good luck. It is great you are concerned.</p>
<p>@ lookingforward,
That’s good idea. Thanks! I’ll call UChi admissions and see if I could get some input.
@ Hanna,
Though he loves the idea of adventure and new place, he feels little bit insecure in leaving his current HS.
Let me see!</p>
<p>Am back. Got caught up with other activities.</p>
<p>Had a meeting with my son’s college counsellor and she wasn’t happy about our decision for relocation. She advised that my son graduate with High Honor and look for his internship in his senior year third trimester in Chicago area which will probably help him apply to Universities in Chicago.</p>
<p>Sent out an email to University of Chicago undergrad admissions with my queries.</p>
<p>Have you looked into the University of Chicago Lab school? It is an excellent private high school in Hyde Park, where U of C is located too. Their college counseling is wonderful and perhaps a smaller school would be more amenable to integrating a new student. You would have to pay tuition and transportation for him for the year, but this would give him an opportunity to see his dream school up close and might make him more excited about the move.</p>
<p>Also, if he applies EA to U of C (highly recommended and nonbinding), only his junior year grades will be considered. His recs will come from his previous teachers and guidance counselor.</p>
<p>I didn’t know about Chicago Laboratory School and just looked it up on the net. Considering his tuition fee and other financial issues that will arise from relocation, I guess that would be too much to handle. He plans to apply for early admission to selected universities.</p>
<p>It’s almost impossible to get into the high school at the Lab School if you are not a child of U of C faculty. Many of the kids enrolled way back in nursery school.</p>
<p>Besides, the commute from Northbrook, a northern suburb, to Hyde Park, a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, would be a pain.</p>
<p>And as you already discovered, $25,000 per year tuition!</p>