Sad to see DD prep high school didn't make the Forbes top 20 prep school!

[sailfish]

<p>Up to 41 percent of students at top preps get into Ivys or equivalent colleges??? OMG!!! But 100 percent were on that track when they were admitted, so how did the prep schools screw up with th rest? But, of course prep school grads will be at the top of their college graduating classes and snag all the med school and law school admissions, right? I mean, it really never fails, does it?</p>

[pacheight]

<p>Sooz: how can you advize kids about professional acting when you’ve been in Vermont your whole life? Do you know the biz in la or NY? I don’t get it how can you tell kids about an industry you don’t work in?</p>

[soozievt]

<p>

Meth at a Lac or prep…ya right.</p>

<p>We’re talking about Meth…sooz tried to change the subject to alcohol and other drugs…Meth is a big problem in rural Vermont. And wanting your kids to be around it so they know the real world is stupid. And its bad parenting

</p>

<p>I didn’t say I wanted my kids to be around meth. I don’t believe they ever came in contact with meth or anyone that used it. But my point is that I wanted them to go to K-12 school with kids of many backgrounds. </p>

<p>And frankly, you can’t say other drugs are so great, even the ones that are used by boarding school kids.</p>

<p>If you instil certain values with your kids, it doesn’t matter if they come in contact with others in their life who have other values. My kids don’t use drugs. They did not drink in HS either. They never attended unsupervised parties. Their friends were not into drugs. </p>

<p>I never said I want my kids to be around meth. But I am happy my kids did not only go to school with affluent kids, but rather kids from many walks of life. I hardly call that bad parenting, but more of a value judgement.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>

Sooz: how can you advize kids about professional acting when you’ve been in Vermont your whole life? Do you know the biz in la or NY? I don’t get it how can you tell kids about an industry you don’t work in?

</p>

<p>I don’t wish to ignore you. By the same token, this is not really appropriate for me to discuss on this forum. I will just say that I do not advise people about professional acting. I am NOT an actor or in the industry. I advise applicants and their parents about college admissions, in many fields, including acting and musical theater. This is not the same. My area of expertise is college admissions, including to performing arts degree programs, not professional acting.</p>

<p>By the way, I have not lived in Vermont my entire life. I grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ which is a suburb of Philadelphia. I lived in Boston for six years going to college and graduate school. I have lived in Vermont since grad school ever since and my kids are real Vermonters, as they say here, and I am not.</p>

<p>I do have a daughter who is a professional Equity actor, by the way, in NYC.</p>

<p>But back at ya, since you just asked me…I see you offering very strong advice on the theater forums on CC…what do you do for a living and what is your experience in the industry? Your advice has been about the business. My area of expertise is colleges and admissions only.</p>

[pacheight]

<p>I can say other drugs are not as bad. We’re talking about Meth…crystal. I don’t think you know about the problem</p>

<p>And your kids never tried drugs or alcohol in their rural HS…ok I’m sure that’s true…u know geeks and Christians get high too:)</p>

[soozievt]

<p>Pacheight, it doesn’t matter if other drugs are not as bad as meth…the point is that illegal bad drugs are also used at prep and boarding schools. There may be degrees of “badness” when it comes to drugs but none are really good or legal.</p>

<p>No, my kids did not do drugs or alcohol in HS. I feel sure of it. They do socially drink now at ages 22 and 24, and did in college as well (never hid that fact). They don’t use drugs now either. They are not geeks at ALL and they are not Christians either. In high school and to this very day, they are extremely involved and scheduled in activities/school/work. I knew where they were at all times in high school. They were in structured activities most of the time and we had to drive them and even stay at many of these due to the distances. When not at these, they were home doing schoolwork. They had very little free time and we knew where they were during that time and it was always supervised. They truly were not into drinking or drugs. I have no problem with them drinking socially in college and beyond as I do myself. My kids are very scheduled on weekends including having to be up early. They have never had time to be hung over or drugged up with what they have on their plates. I know my kids very well in order to be able to state this with assuredness.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>

I gotta tell you that’s just not true. We have a thing out here in California rural schools called meth…let me tell you these schools, kids, and families are a mess. </p>

<p>And I know Vermont and NH has this problem and it’s getting worse everyday. And guess what they do not have meth problems at prep schools. they also don’t have meth problems in affluent communities, granted there are other problems but not meth. Meth is purely a rural problem and it’s big problem.

</p>

<p>While there may be meth in the state of VT, as in any state, the VT Department of Heatlth and the State Commissioner of Health put out this statement in March of 2010:</p>

<p>

Production and use of methamphetamine is still uncommon in Vermont.

</p>

<p>[url=<a href=“http://healthvermont.gov/advisory/2010/031210_methamphetamine_use_in_vt.aspx]031210_methamphetamine_use_in_vt[/url”>http://healthvermont.gov/advisory/2010/031210_methamphetamine_use_in_vt.aspx]031210_methamphetamine_use_in_vt[/url</a>]</p>

<p>Frankly, meth is not a HUGE problem in my community. It might exist. Drugs exist everywhere including your affluent community, as well as prep schools and boarding schools. Perhaps rich kids are using cocaine and that is not a good thing either.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>

1 In 33 Teens Admit Trying Meth
A new survey shows that one in 33 U.S. teens has tried meth, nearly a quarter say it would be easy to get meth, and some see benefits to meth use.</p>

<p>The survey included about 2,600 students aged 12-17 at 43 public, private, and parochial junior and senior high schools nationwide. The margin of error is on average +/- 2 percentage points.</p>

<p>During class last spring, the students completed the confidential surveys about methamphetamine (meth) use.</p>

<p>The results show that most teens haven’t tried meth. But many say they could get meth pretty easily if they tried…

</p>

<p>[1</a> In 33 Teens Admit Trying Meth - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/19/health/webmd/main3274335.shtml]1”>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/19/health/webmd/main3274335.shtml)</p>

<p>I don’t wish to have this thread go off on a tangent. But as you can see in this article, the survey represented kids in private schools, as well as public schools.</p>

<p>I read another article where an expert said that people need to get beyond the misconception that meth is just taking place in trailer park communities. </p>

<p>Kids in private schools are not immune from bad drugs.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>In response to pacheight:</p>

<p>

Parents Blind to Rising School Drug Use</p>

<p>Based on survey responses, researchers concluded that 80% of the nation’s high school students and 44% of middle-schoolers have personally seen illegal drugs used or sold and/or students drunk or high on the grounds of their schools…</p>

<p>“Here in New York City the private schools are riddled with drugs, and it is the same in Washington, D.C., and other major cities,” Califano [served as health secretary during the Carter administration] says. “There is no safe harbor for kids.”

</p>

<p>[Parents</a> Blind to Rising School Drug Use](<a href=“http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20070816/parents-blind-to-rising-school-drug-use]Parents”>Parenting Center: Parenting Tips and Advice from WebMD)</p>

<p>Here is a blurb about a presentation that was given this month by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States on Reducing Underage Drinking and Teen Drug Use in Independent Schools:</p>

<p>

Statistics reveal that independent schools are far from immune from the destructive effects of substances by teens. Research shows that public school students start using substances earlier than their independent school peers, but by high school, many independent school students exceed public schools students in their use of alcohol and other drugs and mental health problems.

</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.isacs.org/resources/calendar/detail.asp?id=205[/url]”>http://www.isacs.org/resources/calendar/detail.asp?id=205&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[wonkapickletop]

<p>I know that this is getting off topic, but I’ve lived in California my whole life, in urban and rural areas, and I’ve never heard of a rural school having anywhere near 3000 students, as pacheight seems to state. Pacheight, where are these schools/districts? I’m not trying to “call you on it”…I’m just really curious.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>Re: California and rural schools…</p>

<p>You may wish to read this document titled:
Rural Schools in California: A Demographic, Economic, and Educational State Profile. 1989.</p>

<p>It gets into detail on definitions of “rural” in CA and also data. Too much information to quote here. </p>

<p>Here is one blurb talking of CA rural schools:</p>

<p>

The size of rural schools vary from just a few students to several hundred. Half of all rural schools have fewer than 250 students. There are 173 schools with less than 50 students, another 185 with 50 to 100 students, and 180 rural high schools with fewer than 300 students.

</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/PDFS/ED325273.pdf[/url]”>http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/PDFS/ED325273.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[wonkapickletop]

<p>Thanks, Soozie!</p>

[soozievt]

<p>These are the rural counties of CA:
Del Norte, Humboldt, Lassen, Trinity, Shasta, Siskiyou, Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Plumas, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, Yuba, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Tuolumne, Alpine, Inyo, Mono, Sierra, Imperial, Kings, Madera, Merced, and San Benita. </p>

<p>Source:
<a href=“http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/PDFS/ED325273.pdf[/url]”>http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/PDFS/ED325273.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I then looked up some high schools in these rural counties and their student population. Here are some examples:</p>

<p>In Humboldt county, Arcata HS: 801 students
In Mono county, Mammouth HS: 298 students
In Siskiyou County, Etna Union HS: 222 students
In Sierra county, Loyalton HS: 140 students
In Kings county: Avenal HS: 646 students
In Tuolumne county, Don Pedro HS: 57 students
In Tuolumne county, Sonora HS: 1,389 students
In Shasta county, West Valley HS: 925 students
In Shasta county, Shasta HS: 1,668 students
In Amador county, Argonaut HS: 573 students
In Yuba county, Marysville HS: 909 students
In Sutter County, Yuba City HS: 1,759 students
In Sutter Country: Sutter HS: 735 students
In El Dorado county, Union Mine HS: 1,210 students
In El Dorado county, South Tahoe HS: 1,337 students
In Mariposa county, Mariposa County HS: 605 students
In Yolo County, Woodland Senior HS: 1,565 students
In Imperial county, Brawley HS: 1,696 students
In Napa county, Napa HS: 2,370 students
In Napa county, Vintage High School: 2,244 students
In Butte county, Biggs High School: 169 students
In Butte county, Chico HS: 1,999 students
In Trinity county, Trinity HS: 439 students
In Calaveras county,Bret Harte Union HS: 827 students
In Merced county: Atwater HS: 1,938 students
In Merced county: Gustine HS: 585 students
In Lassen county: Lassen HS: 933 students
In Placer county: Foresthill HS: 229 students
In Placer county: Lincoln HS: 1,409 students
In Del Norte country: Del Norte HS: 1,117 students
In Alpine county:Woodfords HS: 4 students!</p>

<p>Source: [California/CA</a> High Schools - Public School Review](<a href=“http://www.publicschoolreview.com/high_schools/stateid/CA]California/CA”>Top 10 Best California Public Schools (2023))</p>

<p>pacheight mentioned a rural HS In CA with 3,500 students and then said the “typical” rural HS In CA has 3,000 students.</p>

[Pizzagirl]

<p>

Most rural HS in California have very large student bodies. Surprised you smart Vermonters wouldn’t know that we have more people in a lot of our counties than you have in your state

</p>

<p>I know this is hard for you to believe, but really, the rest of the country doesn’t particularly care all that much about learning about the ins and outs of California. Like Texas, you’re a legend in your own minds.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>This dumb Vermonter knows that CA has more people in a lot of their counties than the total population of VT, duh. But the rural high schools in CA do not have the number of students that pacheight states. A county can have a large population but rural high schools are not necessarily large, and certainly not as large as pacheight states OVERALL.</p>

[pacheight]

<p>“it doesn’t matter if other drugs are not as bad as meth…the point is that illegal bad drugs are also used at prep and boarding schools”</p>

<p>that’s not my point</p>

<p>the point is that meth is cheap and more destructive than other drugs…mainly because t’s cheap. that’s why it’s call the white trash drug and found primarily in rural areas</p>

[soozievt]

<p>If your point is that meth is more destructive than other drugs, so be it. If you avoid sending your kids to a rural public high school due to meth, that is your choice. My kids never ran into meth at our rural public school. But at any type of school, public or private, drugs abound, and many of these drugs are also destructive. Would you be happy if your kid used cocaine instead of meth? </p>

<p>You also bring up that rural public high schools in CA typically have 3,000 students, and that doesn’t seem to be the case from my research. </p>

<p>An earlier post of yours on this thread comes across as undermining what I do as a profession and questioning my qualifications (my profession, however, does not involve what you surmised), but have not offered any indication as to what you do in the acting industry (if you are even in it) given the advice you offer on CC’s forums about that. I think if you are going to ask me, you should answer my question in return. I have been forthright.</p>

<p>In any case, I don’t think I, or anyone else, is a “bad parent,” (your words), for sending our kids to rural public high schools. My kids had a very good experience and have gone on to achievements once leaving their rural public school system, as have so many we know, some of whom have risen to great heights in their chosen fields.</p>

<p>By the way, you have offered opinions without backing them up. I cited articles that said meth was still uncommon in VT. I also cited articles that mentioned that meth exists in private schools as well.</p>

[thumper1]

<p>If this thread is now going to discuss drugs and high schools…perhaps it’s time to move it to the Cafe.</p>

[vicariousparent]

<p>A agree with thumper1. The Forum is for more serious and ‘relevant to college’ topics- like mustard and vacuum cleaners.</p>

[ihs76]

<p>I meant to ask earlier about vacuum cleaners. </p>

<p>I have 1 vacuum that came free with my washer/dryer and is now 6 years old which likely puts me down low on the totem pole. However, I have a cleaning lady who likely owns more than one and of newer vintage. Can I get credit for her vacuums? I would like to know where that puts me on the hierarchy.</p>

<p>And to keep things serious and getting back to analogies:</p>

<p>Cleaning your own house: public HS::Having a professional clean your house: private HS.</p>