<p>Any one ever have a "young son" who did a post grad year after high school before doing the college thing again? Not very involved in college selection process this time around and now he is disappointed in choices. We are getting him to go give another look to the final contenders, but if he still isn't gungho, what do you think of a post grad? He is younger than his classmates, will be starting college at 17. If you have done this, what did you consider and how did it work out?</p>
<p>My son did a PG. He had good solid reasons for it, and committed to the PG year in the fall of his senior year. He had excellent college results and benefitted from the experience.</p>
<p>Your mileage may vary.</p>
<p>It’s hard on kids going to * PG boarding school* with all of the rules and restrictions when their friends are going to the freedom of <em>college</em>. I think this is the biggest drawback. </p>
<p>That and the pricetag. Maybe a gap year (with a solid plan) is a better choice? </p>
<p>I’d also note that many of the PGs are athletes beefing up their size, skills, or grades. If your son doens’t fit into that category, the PG year may not be right for him.</p>
<p>cnp55, Thanks for your thoughts. H did this school for high and he said alot were athletes too. S is not. Would be grades and structure/discipline along with college research and apps. He has great test scores, not great GPA. Would this help? Not really sure what kind of plan to GAP with since he doesn’t seem to have much direction. We are trying to sort the options. Thx again.</p>
<p>While many PGs are athletes, there are a number who are not. I knew several kids at my son’s boarding school who were in the same situation as your son- perhaps a little younger than their classmates and wanting to beef up academics to enhance their college opportunities. There are some good schools from which to choose, but it is a little late in the application process.</p>
<p>Thanks MomofWildChild. Yes, we are running out of time. Have a few feelers out to schools in NE for openings. Just didn’t know if it was even a good idea. If they have space, I am sure they will try to convince me that it is. Really would like to hear from the parents not the schools. BTW I LOVE your screen name. Should have thought of that one myself. :)</p>
<p>momma, I suggest you also post your query on the prep school forum. You may have more luck finding parents with experience in this kind of situation there. you may also want to have your son contact the colleges about taking a “gap year”, if he can.</p>
<p>Counting on my fingers I realized that I have known 7 PGs, none of whom are athletes. Most are younger or smart but without the the organization skills to do well enough in high schools. Three are Naval Academy foundation student, with conditional admissions, if they put a year in at a specific list of schools (full scholarship.) </p>
<p>The goofy kids became much more mature in that year. BS know what they are doing and do it well.</p>
<p>Gap at 17 - ouch, that’s young to do anything meaningful. Same for sending a 17 year old off to college.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about late application. If you are full pay, admissions this year are more like rolling, then with concrete deadlines. </p>
<p>NMH, DA, and Wilbraham and Monson all have PG programs.</p>
<p>Prep school forum would be a good source</p>
<p>I like the PG programs at the MAPL schools. I have seen a lot of kids achieve success at Blair, Hill, Peddie at al with a PG year.</p>
<p>My son did a gap year rather than a PG year and applied during the fall – he had health issues during the fall of senior year and had to decide between maintaining his record in school or applying to college and picked the former.</p>
<p>toadstool, there are lots of very organized gap year programs abroad. My son would not have liked them but is very self-directed and had a bunch of things to accomplish this year. He’s fading a bit right now and will do some traveling before college starts, but it has been a good year to tie up loose ends and have surgery to address the health issues. But, the organized programs would be good for someone who needs structure.</p>
<p>S1 was one of those PG athletes. He also benefited greatly academically from the environment, but for a nonjock, in my view not worth the money.</p>
<p>Not a <em>great</em> deal of personal experience to add, but I have come around to accepting that spending an extra year (or two) before going to college is often a very good thing. My oldest (current college freshman) has mentioned several times this year how many of the freshmen on his sports team (those getting way more playing time!) will turn 20 before he turns 19. As we speak we’re considering having my current hs junior repeat his junior year. His grades this year have been fairly awful + I really thinks he’s a little immature in many ways. (Teenaged boy immature? No!)</p>
<p>We do know way too many kids who have dropped/flunked out of their first year at college. Hmmmm. . . now that I think about it, they’re all male.</p>
<p>My husband read that Outliers book and came away with the sense that all kids should be held back. (That said, I went off to college at 16 and did just fine.)</p>
<p>Bottom line is you need to (1) decide whether or not your son is ready and has a good option for college next year (understanding that few feel <em>completely</em> ready–going away to college for the first time is a big adjustment at any age), and then (2) if that answer is no, decide how best to spend a year off. Working? Americorps? Boarding school? Lots of research/discussion/decisions ahead for you and your family, but I can’t think of one kid/adult I know who regrets taking a little longer before becoming a real grown-up. (Unfortunately, it’s so hard to go back.)</p>