<p>S, 20, did Americorps for a year after high school before going to college. He is a very smart guy, but was unfocused in high school and underperformed greatly. For instance, he had CR, M scores in the 98th percentile, yet graduated with about a 2.7 unweighted. He also somehow just never got around to doing his college apps even though he loved school, and wanted to go to college. Other than take him to see colleges, I didn't help him with apps because I'd learned my lesson about micromanaging high school seniors: I'd organized older S's college apps, made sure he got them in on time, and then he went away to the college of his choice and flunked out from too much partying (This from a guy who before college had only gone to work and home, and never partied, not even going to prom).</p>
<p>My younger S had always loved volunteering -- any kind of activity in which he could help others. Before he missed his college app deadlines, I'd suggested that he take a gap year instead of applying to college, but he said he didn't want to do that because he was afraid he'd lose momentum academically.</p>
<p>After, however, he missed his deadlines, he talked to our local volunteer office -- where he had been responsibly volunteering for years -- and they created an Americorps volunteer position, which he applied for and got. Interestingly, he'd said that he wanted to live away from home, preferably out of state, but he ended up living at home while doing Americorps. Americorps pays a living stipend, and he could have rented a cheap, shared apartment, but he didn't do that either. I even had an acquaintance who was looking for someone to house sit her place and take care of her cat. All he'd have had to do was pay utilities. He passed on that, too.</p>
<p>I think he knew he wasn't ready to leave home and go to college, so he ended up living at home and doing Americorps. We did have him pay rent --$50 a week, and he had to pay gas for our car that we let him use. Our rule is that adult offspring who live at home and aren't in school fulltime have to pay rent. We've seen too many college drop-out kids get overly comfy at home, and develop unrealistic ideas of how far their meager wages can go, while not paying rent. </p>
<p>Americorps ended up being perfect for our son. His experience started with training tat was done out of state (Americorps paid expenses for this) and included time management, grant writing, career planning among other things. </p>
<p>Americorps lets their volunteers run with their interests and talents. S did disaster relief and headed a youth program. He also wrote a grant. He represented his agency at meetings involving city officials. Often, he was by far the youngest person there. He still doesn't have appreciation for how connected he is in this area, He personally knows people like a representative in the state House, the mayor's assistant, an assistant superintendent of schools.</p>
<p>Through his work requirements, he also learned that in the work world -- just as is the case in school -- one can't procrastinate. For instance, he had to spend several nights in the office very late doing his monthly reports. </p>
<p>He also learned more about what his particular talents and interests are. One reason he'd had a hard time with college apps is that he's got very broad interests, and was interested in fields ranging from engineering to psychology to education.</p>
<p>His Americorps work helped him realize how much he enjoys being in an environment in which he can work closely with others. He also developed appreciation for his talent and interest in the visual arts due to his getting such enjoyment out of creating flyers and graphics for Americorps projects.</p>
<p>And he became much more comfortable working with people of all kinds, including adults. </p>
<p>When he went to college -- a liberal arts college due to his realizing how much he vales mentors and how much he likes to be able to intellectually explore a lot of things, he demonstrated more maturity and appreciation than do many college students.</p>
<p>Although he's at a college known for partying, and had a roommate that partied, there's no evidence that S got very involved in that kind of life. Instead, he took great advantage of things like movie festivals, guest speakers, ECs that allowed him to delve into learning new things, and he took a wide variety of coursework including some that were things that interested him, but that he had never tried before.</p>
<p>He has seemed to appreciate the fact that college is a rare time in one's life in which one has such a panoply of intellectual activities to choose from. </p>
<p>He also had the guts to take leadership roles in some activities including organizing a group to make a movie for the campus movie festival (an EC), and offering some leadership training to a campus organization.</p>
<p>His grades have been good: He's carrying about a 3.3 while working 14 hours a week and participating in a variety of ECs. He also has carried a heavy enough courseload that while he's a second semester soph, he has the credits to be a first semester junior.</p>