<p>Any success stories with having your child switch HS’s. My D, a Freshman is having a hard time at her present HS and begs us to move. I know that there are problems at other schools but she is so unhappy. Her present school is small, her class has few girls and no one here has the same interests that she has.</p>
<p>What’s the downside? Three more years is a looonnng time to be at a high school that is making her unhappy. And switching now would give her plenty of time to get to know teachers before she has to apply to colleges, and get to be part of the new school community. It might be different if she only had one more year.</p>
<p>S jas switched schools several times (long story…) D switched for junior year and did her last two years at an arts boarding school. She had no adjustment problems. S found that the main problem is foreign languages. Each school seems to use a different method of teaching. As a result, he squeaked through LatinIII and bailed out of languages at that point.
If your D is unhappy now, it will probably only get worse. I would switch if you have some good options.</p>
<p>I read the title really hastily, but now I see it’s not about switching H’s (husbands), haha.
My neighbor moved at the end of her daughter’s junior year, because of problems she was having with the administration. We were all worried for the girl, but she thrived, in her Senior year, and got accepted into U.Penn.
Investigate well, so you don’t jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.</p>
<p>She should switch!</p>
<p>In my experience, teenagers tell adults half the story. So…when a teenager’s story is negative or unhappy, we can assume there are worse tales they aren’t telling.</p>
<p>My Ss switched schools and countries successfully. Not without bumps, mind you.</p>
<p>Thanks for the positive responses. Yesterday was another bad day which just compounds the fact that my D is not going to fit in at this HS. She a very social girl with many interests but none that gel in this school. Compounding the situation is that she is doing really well in school with minimal effort and is trying to bump into harder more challenging classes and is being met with resistance from the adminstration. Very fustrating.</p>
<p>Unfortunately I also have a junior in HS who is very happy here. My H will have opportunities to move and we can make this happen but will have to wait until S graduates. Moving my D to another school in this area does not seem to be a good option as I feel we will have to move in a year.</p>
<p>I hear from people all the time how hard it is for kids to change HS’s and was looking for encouragement that this will not be a terrible idea. Thanks.</p>
<p>deb922,
I had to chime in on this one…My d. switched after freshman year – and she didn’t particularly want to! Even in our case, it seems to be turning out fine, but not without bumps. Short history: She did okay academically at her former school, and was starting to make friends, but did not want to become involved in much, and the things she did enjoy were so selective that she couldn’t become involved. There were lots of other small nit-picky reasons we were not delighted with the school, but ultimately it was finances that drove the decision. We just couldn’t justify using college savings on h.s.</p>
<p>One year later, with some added effort, things are going well. She’s involved in her beloved EC, has made some nice friends, and even kept the old ones. She sometimes even prides herself at knowing groups of people from all over. Academically it seems to be slightly more of a struggle in some areas, and easier in others. </p>
<p>One thing I advise is to talk with the teachers or departments heads at the new school early - BEFORE summer. There were some scheduling issues and differences in curriculum that we were able to work on over the summer with tutoring or self-study. I know some transfer students are penalized (and others rewarded) because of grading differences between schools. I think it better knowing these issues going in, than being surprised later.</p>
<p>Also, if there is any way you can introduce her to students over the summer, so she goes into the new school knowing at least one or two people by sight, I think it would go a long way. </p>
<p>So far, the only negatives I have seen is that the new school does not offer as many choices. We knew that going in, but felt that having a large number of choices doesn’t do you much good, if you cannot (or choose not) to take advantage of them. It does not offer as much guidance (public vs. private resources). Socially, when things are not going well, she seems to retreat to her former friends. But this may not necessarily be bad, and so far, she has always bounced back. </p>
<p>The GC warned us that the road can be bumpy when a teen switches schools, but also suggested that it is more often the case with those who are not excited about the move. It sounds like your daughter will welcome the switch!</p>
<p>I am all for listening to children, particulary when they are high school age and shortly will become adults responsible for their own decisions.
My oldest attended a small prep school and one girl switched schools to attend in 11th grade( they don’t allow changes after 11th into the school).
She did fantastic and this was a class of 18 many of whom had been there since 6th grade. She really utilized the resources of the school and excelled in everyway.
If there is another school in your area that she wants to move to- I would move her now, waiting because you may need to move again, is not the right choice
One- because moving in a year is not set in stone
Two because she is in an extreme negative situtation and needs to be out of it ASAP. Frankly I would move her even to home school the way that you have described it.
My youngest daughter has lot of anxiety/shyness. She was attending a public k-12 school that I had hoped to have her remain through graduation for several reasons. One because of her shyness, but also the small size made it a “new face” to colleges, and they were often intrigued, with students being admitted to schools easily.
However she really wanted to change schools for 9th grade, to a huge comprehensive high school in a very diverse neighborhood. Her teachers all advised me against the move, but I also consulted with some of my daughters college age friends-being that they were in a place between being a teen and a* parent*, and they all advised that I give her choice a chance.
I grudgingly went along with it last fall, and she is doing exceedingly well. She wasn’t challenged at her former school, but I didn’t realize that because she had been doing a half-a job on her assignments. Now that she has well written challenging work, she is enjoying school so much more. Even though her former school was small and teachers knew all students, her focus had been on social, and I rarely heard her discuss her classes, now she likes her classes, and is talking about taking new risks ( not dangerous risk! she wants to go to Australia for a month next summer to live with a host family- really a big jump for her). It is so validating for them for us to listen and act on their concerns, and speaking from my own experience, so “killing” to downplay or put off their concerns.</p>