stay, one year off or transfer ?

Periwinkle
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:19:49 +0000

I don’t think one can talk of a junior in high school “taking a year off.” If she is 16, she is able to drop out of school. If she is younger, in most (all?) states, she would be required to be enrolled in school, in some fashion. Maybe your state allows for home schooling, but those rules can be stringent. Once you’ve dropped out of school, it can be psychologically challenging to return to school.

In addition, even if she does manage to take a year off, that gap will look troubling to any college. A serious health issue, such as mono or cancer, sometimes causes students to repeat a year or lose a year of high school, but it will stand out on the transcript. It is unusual, so without an explanation, admission officers may assume there was some sort of serious issue.

I am concerned about her reluctance to join clubs, negative self image, and the general downward trend in her grades. Have you spoken with her adviser about her loneliness and disengagement from the community? Does the school have a psychiatrist on staff, or a mental health provider in the area? It sounds as if your daughter is depressed. Bringing her home may not improve things, if an underlying depression isn’t treated. Of course, depending on the school, just raising the question of clinical depression with them may move the school to require her to take a semester off. You may prefer to bring her home, to see a therapist whom you trust in your area, rather than set off alarm bells without cause.

(Please forgive me if I’ve read too much into your words. As the parent of a boarder myself, I know that there are some questions which are hard to answer at a distance.)