Teeny or Non-traditional HS - how viewed by college?

Parents Forum
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<p>First, thank you to all who have helped me in my “Schools like Reed” thread. I am starting a new thread as my obsessing has evolved!</p>

<p>Any thoughts, advice, information appreciated!</p>

<p>Second son goes to a teeny weeny itsy bitsy school, 65 kids max grades 6-12. Scheduling and curriculum is quite non-traditional, although eventually when they graduate they have met the DC HS graduation requirements. There are no AP/honors courses. He is now a junior. </p>

<p>When he started this school in mid 6th grade he had been classified as “emotionally disabled” by the public schools (a dx no professional ever agreed with) and determined to need placement in an ED program. We had removed him and put him in a special education/dyslexia school where after a year he was expelled. He later told us he was in “despair” from boredom and loneliness and frustration. This is not a special ed school, just small, non-traditional and absolutely dedicated to teaching the kids they commit themselves to. He has blossomed, matured… he is relaxed, more or less happy, learning, talking eagerly about college. When he started he refused to do any work, he trusted no adult or teacher. Now he is their most advanced math student, does pretty much all his work, causes no trouble at all, contributes in class (and is still a little bit of a rigid, formal alien, but oh well!).</p>

<p>So, how might a college look at this transcript? His psat’s were Verbal 65, Math 69, writing 64. </p>

<p>English: 9th, F; 10th- Language of Film,no credit; Social Justice in US, C; Short Stories, No Credit; (My guess is he’ll get a B in 11th grade English, History of Technology)</p>

<p>Math: Algebra 2/precalc-A; Geometry-A+; Calculus (probably A)</p>

<p>Science, in Chronological order: Sci and Tech B-; Genetics and Evolution B+; Projectiles A; Anatomy and physiology A-; Intro to Chem A</p>

<p>Social Studies, in Chron order: Capitalism - no credit; World Geography A-; DC History (prob A, no less than B)</p>

<p>Spanish !A B, Spanish 1B A</p>

<p>Sports, Art Studios, Strategic Games (electives) all grades p/f – all passed</p>

<p>Required internships, all completed and passed</p>

<p>GPA with English (counting F=0 and C, as I imagine they will be counted) = a hair over 3.5
without those early English grades, 3.75<br>
I have NO idea how “no credit” is counted. He usually got no credit where he was close to getting even an A or B, but simply did not turn in something required, and therefore could not pass, but they did not want to give him an F. Sort of like an incomplete.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance!</p>

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<p>I don’t think the fact that the high school is tiny, or non-traditional in total will make a difference. Colleges will assess how well your son is prepared for college level work - and the way the no-credit classes are described by the school in their profile. He has done well in the academic environment where he is, but he hasn’t had the same level of preparation as a kid with a 3.5 gpa and a bunch of AP credits on his transcript.</p>

<p>I think your search for colleges should center on the kind of nurturing and perhaps non-traditional environment that has worked for him thus far - my first thought was that your son might be happy at a school such as Evergreen State in Olympia Washington if he is outdoorsy or has inclinations in that direction. Whatever school setting seems appropriate, it sounds as though a small school - even a very small school - would be preferable to a large school with an institutional feel. Your son has shown dramatically better results when kept in a small, face-to-face environment and I think you will find options for him in colleges with that same atmosphere. Some of the small Catholic colleges might also be a good fit. What part of the country does he want to go to (or stay close to)?</p>

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<p>Where did last year’s graduates go?</p>

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<p>What are the DC requirements for English? Here in NY you have to pass 4 years of English. “No credit” sure doesn’t sound like passing. I would imagine some colleges would be worried about the English in particular. I would imagine a tiny school like this is somewhat equivalent to homeschooling. I’d suggest taking extra SAT subject tests except, I’m not sure how he’d do with his unusual English and History curriculum. He might want to take sample tests and see what he can do well on. I also think (as Hanna seems to be suggesting) you should ask your GC where graduates have been accepted in the past. I think also what his GC and teachers have to say about him is likely to be very important.</p>

<p>If your son is at the school I think he is - it looks like students have been accepted to a wide variety of colleges including some that we suggested on the other thread and at least a few quite selective ones.</p>

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<p>Great follow-up questions! I love that the advice here is based on detail and reality, not just a pat on the head and a virtual hug. </p>

<p>Yes, he has to earn those English credits, and he will either have to take classes at the local CC, an approved on-line course, or using his main subject lesson classes as English credits (e.g. taking a social studies class, adding on perhaps some writing and/or reading assignment, and forgoing an elective science). Logical consequence of earlier behavior…</p>

<p>Graduates of his school – they have a list of where grads have gone in the last ten years – here are a bunch — Bard, Beloit, Colby, Columbia, Drew, Earlham, GW, Georgetown, Goucher, Guilford, Hopkins, Howard, Spellman… but many take a gap year or do CC (Montgomary Cnty MD is very highly rated), UMCP and BC. Interestingly, not Hampshire.</p>

<p>Colleges with religious affiliation are completely out… founded by (Brandeis as an example, although not necessarily on list) are ok, but not affiliated (like Boston College, where a dear old friend is a math professor, would not even get a visit). </p>

<p>And on this thread I am less asking about which college to consider (that was another thread), and more about do I even bother to compare him to other applicants? By the time one gets to a kid like this, are we only thinking about schools where they look at each applicant as an individual? Will the fact that what grades he does get go up, or are high/decent help given the non-traditional stuff, or not matter at all? (If that’s the reality, then I will know to focus my attention elsewhere.)</p>

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<p>PS. His school doesn’t have a “GC” per se. There is a headmaster and a handful of teachers, and a teacher/advisor who is soooo close to the student, and they contract with a private college counselor for 3 hours of private counseling for each parent. She also did a group info session… I don’t think she usually deals with kids who are academically advanced given the general suggestions she made… we will be likely though to make good use of her time during the actual application process to keep son on track and help with actual selection, essay, applications.</p>

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<p>An upward trend in grades is always helpful - and in your son’s case, follow through to finish what he starts. I would focus on the schools that evaluate wholistically - first because they will be smaller and I suspect a better fit for your son and second because he is not the typical student and any system that measures him against a pre-determined yardstick won’t be to his advantage. I would apply to at least some of the schools that have accepted students from your son’s school in the past if the school would be a good fit for your son. Their greater familiarity with your school should be helpful in the admissions process.</p>

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<p>Have you looked at the school profile that colleges will get with his grades? I think you should ask for a copy of that to see how the school is described, where he falls in the student body and, perhaps most importantly, how the n/c is described. I think when colleges have a small school with which they’re not familiar, they look carefully at that profile.</p>

<p>I would be sure to ask the headmaster or anyone else at the school familiar with your son’s entire record for colleges where similar students found success.</p>

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<p>Your son’s test scores will be the deal breaker for most of his college choices. Like anyone, he would have to have some huge hook in addition to the high test scores for the most selective colleges, and with his transcript, some truly inspiring and pragmatic reason to take him, but that would be the case for most anyone for such schools.</p>

<p>Otherwise, he would be in good shape as long as he is in the upper percentages in test scores and keeps his grades up. Early mistakes like his are usually forgiven, except, as mentioned before, by the most selective schools that look at everything.</p>

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<p>^His PSAT test scores may be too low, but he may be like my S2 whose SAT scores were the equivalent of 340 points higher than his first PSAT scores.</p>