<p>There may be some programs at the University of Rochester that she could explore while in high school. I know it’s not an ivy or LAC, but the U of Roch attracts a lot of students going into medicine, and offers merit aid and scholarships. [Career</a> Exploration and Summer Enrichment programs for High School Students - High School and Undergraduate Programs - Medical Education - Education - University of Rochester Medical Center](<a href=“http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/education/md/undergraduate-programs/high-school.cfm]Career”>http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/education/md/undergraduate-programs/high-school.cfm)
They offer “Taste of College,” “Malawi Immersion Summer Seminar,” and a few other programs that might be of interest.</p>
<p>I’ll do my usual rah-rah for Howard University. </p>
<p>My kid was a NMSF and got the tuition, room, board, fees and book money scholarship (Laureate). All I was responsible for was really just getting her there and back (Amtrak Student Pass).</p>
<p>The program also offered some perks, such as research opportunities and study abroad, in addition to field trips. She also had access to many mentors.</p>
<p>My advise is to take a look, go and visit. It may not be what your daughter wants, but it is an option.</p>
<p>I’m thinking that Choate might be a good spot for high school as well as Hopkins (day school in New Haven area not the U in Baltimore!). I’d also look at some of the other Connecticut boarding schools. There <em>is</em> scholarship money for talented kids – and it cannot hurt to look, especially now that Choate is on your D’s radar (and hopefully she is on theirs!).</p>
<p>OP – If it looks like DD will ultimately be remaining in her school, do you think it would help for you and the other parents with high expectations to organize and advocate for your kids as a group? My DD is in an inner city HS in a failing district. Her HS and one other HS are more racially diverse than the others in the district, and at both AA parents have organized to get their kids into college. I don’t know the genesis of the group at her school, but at the other one it was because AA kids were not being recommended for AP classes, although white and Asian American kids with comparable stats were getting in. This pressure and the knowledge that there may be a cadre of shining students stars might energize the administrators/GC/teachers. Well, it’s a dream. Sounds like they are dealing with the pressures of NCLB to raise the bottom at the expense of the top.</p>
<p>Wow, when I originally started this thread, I didn’t expect such a great response. Again, thank you for all of your insights/words of wisdom… </p>
<p>DD14 went to Choate silently kicking and screaming… but knew it was for the best and is really enjoying herself. She came home yesterday for an overnight/to see her friends and she wanted to go back earlier than expected. She was back on campus by 9:30 this morning. She had said from the beginning " I will never go to a boarding school and leave my friends at my regular school"… it appears she is moving to the other side of the spectrum and admitted that it may not seem like such a bad idea anymore. She is/always has been very head strong, strong willed, wise, smart, fiercely independent so forcing her to go to a school away from home for 10 months out of the year may be a stretch. Having said that, she is one to sit back and consider things silently and come to her own conclusions in a very mature way. I bet once July 29th rolls around, and she is packing up to leave that place, she will have a totally different perspective… </p>
<p>@cnp55 Hopkins is about a 3 minute drive from us and she considered it, but decided to go to her present magnet school… as they have a health sciences track and believe it not, many out of district kids from the suburbs fight to get into the school… so do kids from all over New Haven. The allure of the school is that they have a very close partnership with Yale/Yale School of Medicine and they are allowed unprecedented access to the school starting in the 11th grade… and it is sad because only a small handful of students take advantage of the opportunities that are available to them. I hate to say this, but most of the AA students have no support, no focus and have little sense of how lucky they are to be able to tap into Yale’s resources. So the students who do well are the one’s who are from the suburbs( some of these students are at the school b/c their home district kicked them out), foreign students, and on a very small level, kids like my daughter. </p>
<p>@CCsiteobsessed---- There are very few students in AP classes, again, only the students that I discussed previoulsy. Many parents(of the college bound) either have no idea about AP’s, dont understand their implications or they don’t want their kids to “struggle”, they feel that easy A’s are far better than a hard/sweat inducing B… so it would probably be a waste of time to organize a group of AA’s… parents barely show up to PTSO meetings… So I have to go in on my own and fight for what she needs… and I don’t mind doing it… always cordial/assertive… NEVER agressive. </p>
<p>New Haven public school has some amazing opportunities and you have to be savvy enough to ferret them out… many a student has gone on to amazing universities from her school… but those are the students who were serious/motivated and took advantage of all the extras that are there for them… and for free! She will be able to take classes @ Yale, UNH or SCSU in her jr year… she will have to sit for the SAT’s next June as SAT scores above 1650 are a requirement for dual enrollment. </p>
<p>@silvermoonlock. I didnt reaalize that Howard gave so much aid. We are planning a trip to G.town in the fall and I had also planned on taking a walk through Howard. I didn’t think it would hurt to have a look-see. I called the admissions office back in May to inquire about tentative fall tour schedule and I recieved a crisp/tart “check out the website in August”… which was a bit offputting… Isn’t the admissions office supposed to be professional and borderline syrupy sweet? LOL As this is the first contact that most parents/prospective students have with a school…</p>
<p>@twomules, Sally Rubenstone gave me the information for Smith program last month and we will definitely keep that in mind for next year. Thanks for the info just the same… </p>
<p>@sybbie19 Getting my ex husband to fill out any forms will be impossible… I will win a bid for presidency before he does that! So we will have to hunt for/apply for as many scholarships as possible, Questbridge, Bill Gates scholarships and the like. His involvement has been very limited so I am glad you gave me a heads up about the CSS guidelines…</p>
<p>I second the idea of Questbridge. The sticker is if you qualify for full financial aid. At some schools if you don’t qualify for full aid they will take you out of the Questbridge pool and put you in to the ED pool. Not the end of the world but something to keep in mind. The reason I am such a big Questbridge fan is the prep work that takes place BEFORE the apps are submitted. It is worth its weight in gold.</p>
<p>The best advice I can offer is to be broad-minded and remember that your daughter is an individual with individual needs. There are many colleges where she may prosper.</p>
<p>Great job newhavenctmom!
Your daughter seems to be on the right track. I agree with all of the posts so far. I am an AA with both my son and daughter attending OOS flagship colleges in AL and NC. D graduated in '08, S is a rising junior. As everyone has said, don’t rule out any particular schools. It looks like your daughter will have many opportunities and choices of schools to attend. If she continues on this path, have her look at schools where she is a standout and high expectancy for full rides. I also agree about Questbridge. Also look at her becoming a a Venture Scholar. It’s a program specifically for minority STEM students which gives them opportunities to attend summer programs and sponsors early college visits to many of the schools she’d be interested in.</p>
<p>Financial aid and ex…</p>
<p>My neice’s Dad goes MIA for months at a time (anywhere from 3- 20). Thanks to CC we learned that waivers could be obtained for the Non-Custodial Parent if she started the process early. It required much documentation and back up from school counselor and a clergy memeber, but neice got it for 2 schools. Then Dad turned up and did wind up completing the form late. Just wanted you to be aware if there are private schools she really falls in love with, don’t auto rule out without looking into a waiver.</p>
<p>As far as merit and FA, there are many LACs that I know if in PA that would bend over backward for a female AA. You just need to go down a bit on the rankings list to find them.</p>
<p>APs - Be aware, your daughter can self-study and take the APs. My neice did this. Her AP schools were sub-par compared to CC standards, but self-studying the AP was pivotal in 2 of her college interviews and was noted it was 1 reason she received merit at one school. It showed her self-motivation and quest for knowledge. </p>
<p>Her high school sounds like it has many great opportunities. The only downside I am hearing from you is the peer group. The counselor situation can definitely be easily overcome by the great advice you can learn here. </p>
<p>Xiggi’s advice on letting the info seep in slowly is very good. CC overwhelms most in the beginning. Esp. stay away from the boards that students post in – The stats of some kids made me think the forum is only open to the top .5% in the country. The parent board is much more ‘real’ to me. Even the parents’ of the top .5 group reveal that their kid is “normal” in many areas.</p>
<p>very interesting thread! I’m not AA but grew up in a predominantly AA school district and now have ret’d home to recruit for my HYP alma mater. If I can add two things:</p>
<p>1) I concur w/Longhaul’s point about APs sometimes not being up to snuff. A local, above avg inner city HS boasts of a wide list of AP offerings. However, some of the teachers are quite lacking and it shows in the students’ test scores. I had a Harvard recruiter tell me how sad it was for these kids who got rec letters from the AP English teacher that were filled with grammatical errors. While not the kids’ fault, it cast a pallor on the real quality of the AP classes at the school. If your daughter wants to actually take the AP exam in the end, have her obtain the prep books early and see if the actual class’ trajectory will have her prepared to take the exam. Otherwise, she’ll need to study and take practice tests and crank herself.</p>
<p>2) Someone also mentioned the Naval academy. Certainly the military is a viable option for thousands of our young people. However, one should apply to a service academy only if a compelling desire to be an officer in one of the service brances (in time of war) is profound. Annapolis (and others) shoud not be only viewed as some sort of ticket to a Med degree. Graduates are expected to lead the military in the future. This is great for some – and not for others. Choose wisely here.</p>
<p>Hope this has helped! Is your DD at Wilbur Cross by chance?</p>
<p>Keep in mind, that even applying through questbridge, you must fill out the same financial aid forms. If the school requires the CSS profile and the non-custodial profile, you must still complete the paperwork in order to receive financial aid from the school.</p>
<p>[College</a> Match Requirements for Finalists](<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-college-specific-requirements]College”>http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/ncm-college-specific-requirements)</p>
<p>@sybbie719… we will have to pray for the best when it comes to my ex…and know that things will work out. She is far too talented for it not to! </p>
<p>@T26E64… as far as AP’s… Once her schedule was complete in April, I ran out and picked up some study aids for her AP class. From what I have gleaned from the AP threads, being autodidact is necessary for one do well once May rolls around(no matter who is teaching the class). DD has an uncanny knack for studying hard and doing well… as I said in my original post, I’m not sure if she is mine! LOL I joke that I worry about the “switched baby” brigade coming to snatch her away from me and present me with a teen slacker… as far as school selection, I am sure she will have some great places to choose from. She will definitely be applying to UCONN which gives some pretty nice scholarships to those who have exceled and are well rounded.
And no, she isn’t @ Cross… but I did consider moving her in January… I went to speak to the principal/Asst. principal… they both agreed to having her at their school but the AP(who has known my family for 30 years or so) said that he would hate to see her move and it “disrupt the apple cart”. Cross is double the size of her school and double the trouble. Though they have an excellent honors program in which the students are segregated in their own wing and see very little of the insanity that permeates that air. And they push the kids towards AP classes and nuture their intellectual side…even with all of that, I felt leaving her where she is would be the best. Some of you may disagree with me on this one, but I feel that being a big fish in a small pond is best in this instance. The class of 2014 has already bonded with each other/teachers… class rank, gpa’s are already penciled in. She wouldn’t stand out @ Cross. I feel thats important in the long run.</p>
<p>@Longhaul… Xiggi always give great advice… but I took a different approach to CC and have jumped in, feet, ankles and shins first… and have immersed myself. and acutally become obsessed with it to be honest… I have learned a ton so I am truly thankful that I found this place/all of you! I have been able to tell her gc about programs that she had never even heard of… all thanks to CC…</p>
<p>Register on “Colleges That Change Lives” Site [Colleges</a> That Change Lives | Changing Lives, One Student at a Time](<a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/]Colleges”>http://www.ctcl.org/) They also have College Fair Events Around the Country… Don’t rule out the Smaill Private Colleges</p>
<p>and Check out BluePrint Summer Programs [Blueprint</a> Signature Summer Programs](<a href=“http://bpsummerprograms.com/]Blueprint”>http://bpsummerprograms.com/)</p>
<p>I started taking my Child to Visit Colleges when he became a High School Freshman…The Summer after his Freshman Yr he attended Summer Programs in Life Science at U of Iowa, Chemistry Program at Wabash College and the Summer Youth Music Program at U of Illinois…Each yr we visit Colleges…We have a Good Understanding of the process and now we are so relaxed when we go to visit schools, while the parents of rising Seniors and rising Seniors are Scribbling notes like crazy at Open House Events…My child is about to begin his Jr. Year in HS…He is compiling a list of Colleges and focussing on his upcoming yr with Honors, AP, Music and Athletics on his plate… I decided early to spread this college search process out so I wouldn’t be half crazy and stressed out his Senior Year… Start Early and Make sure Your Child is in the higher level Math and Science Track</p>
<p>Hello good people,</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your responses! Her 5 weeks @ Choate flew by… she fell in love with it and didnt want to come home… she’s been home a week and it seems like she is depressed! She is missing all of her friends and I hope she remains life long friends with these young women… Being in that idyllic setting for 5 weeks was wonderful… an inner city girl in that type of setting, having that type of experience, was priceless… it will show her that there is so much more to life than what lies outside our door! </p>
<p>I hope she gets to her summer reading list soon… i didn’t dare push the issue, but we did run to the library to grab the books just so she’ll have them @ her disposal… school starts on the 31st of this month and as we know… TIME FLIES…
and there is also an AP assignment that she has due on the 1st day of school as well…</p>
<p>We met a Marine Scientist(she is a good friend of my friends mom) and we finally got a tour of her lab on Thursday and it looks like dd14 will have an opportunity to work as a lab assistant! Her researh focuses on DNA… </p>
<p>We are also looking at her resume to see which activities can be deleted for the upcoming year…and which activities that she should pursue… I am sure that many of you will disagree with me but I feel that this whole process is a huge competition for those coveted university spots and I want her to be in the running… </p>
<p>I often wonder if URM’s are held to a higher standard than other students… I cringe whenever I read here on CC that URMs only get in b/c they are URM’s… I want her to stand on her own and not on the color of her skin…am I wrong to feel this way?</p>
<p>NewHavenCTmom- can you apply to Choate as a day student for 10th grade? Quite a few students commute from New Haven, and they double the size of the class for 10th grade, as a lot of the feeder schools go through 9th grade. Choate has quite a few very impressive African American students who go on to Ivy League (or that level) schools- and one student this year did get the Gates Millenium scholarship- complete full ride- for four years of college.</p>
<p>She wants to apply boarding status… she actually had me call the Monday after she got back home… she will have to apply for the 2012 school year… so we will see… I am just glad that she had the experience and she sees the world in a much different light now…she is still enamored with her friends… I hope that wanes soon…</p>
<p>She went to the lab today and did lots of “grunt” work and was also able to see some cool DNA extraction/quantifying in action! She enjoyed it and has been invited back on Thursday… very cool for a girl like her! She is blessed to have such life changing experiences this summer. </p>
<p>I just hope that she is able to maintain her straight A streak for her sophomore year… and also get some killer scores on her SATs… it may help her to write her own ticket…</p>
<p>Hello ALL.</p>
<p>How is everyone? I was clicking through my “subscirbed threads” and saw this one… actually forgot all about it! I would love to know how everyone is doing! </p>
<p>DD14 is now a junior. She did extremely well in her 1st AP class in sophomore year. Scored a 5 on the exam and is currently taking 3 AP classes plus a dual enrollment class at a local university. She is planning on taking another DE class, but this time @ Yale which the school district will pay for. We only have to pay for the book. </p>
<p>She was hired by Shake Shack which just opened here in New Haven but had to quit b/c they were expecting the high school students to work full time. Work til close(2am) and didn’t really care about the kids at all. They only cared about the bottom line… $$$. She is now working at a little restaurant that is only steps away from SS. She is enjoying it and its a better enviroment all around. She was sad to leave SS but I had to put my foot down. She now sees that this other place cares about its employees and she is happy with the change. The tutoring and other EC’s continue and she is applying to a few summer programs which deadlines are either in the fall or mid January. </p>
<p>I hope everyone was safe during the 2 storms that we had these past 2 weeks. Hope to hear from you guys soon. :)</p>
<p>NHCTM</p>
<p>That is a great option of a DE at Yale.</p>
<p>What is your DD doing for summer? I think alot of the competitive summer programs start posting applications this month. Both of my children and 5 nephews/nieces did LEAD. </p>
<p>My DD is a senior. She has applied to 10 schools so far with one left to complete.</p>
<p>She is applying to programs now. Finished her 1st application last month. She has lots of choose from so we are trying to decide what the final list will be. She can’t apply to all 15/20 of them. LOLOL That would be overkill.</p>