<p>Hello, I am a rising sophomore who is ardent about learning. However, my grades do not reflect my intellectual capability (My average grade for the first semester is around B+~A-). My average grade is quite low (BTW, I take junior level mathematics and English) because my median grade for science is around B-. This semester, I have significantly improved my science (A+), and my average grade is around A~A+. I am planning to take my SAT later this year. Are my grades good enough for Simon's Rock? I have a passion in writing essays, and I heard that Simon's Rock has an emphasis on writing quality essays.</p>
<p>I would really like to attend Simon's Rock because I feel that I am not being challenged at school. At school, I do not need to study because the coursework is so easy. </p>
<p>Also, I sometimes do not connect with my friends. While my friends squander their time playing games, I spend most of my time reading classics, such as Tom Jones and Les Miserables. I simply had enough of high school. .</p>
<p>Do you think Simon's rock would be a good fit for me? </p>
<p>I think that Simon’s Rock would be a good fit for you. As for the second post you put on here, Bard students transfer after 2 years to VERY good schools.
Think of Bard as 2 more years of high school and then you apply to college and transfer (except you’ll be at an advantage since you’re already taking college classes!)</p>
<p>Here’s a short list from their web site of where their students go:
American University
Bennington College
Boston College
Boston University
Brandeis University
Brown University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Evergreen State College
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
New School for Social Research
New York Medical College
New York University
Middlebury College
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Reed College
Rhode Island School of Design
Rice University
Sarah Lawrence College
Smith College
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of California at Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
University of Chicago
University of Colorado
University of Illinois
University of Massachusetts
University of Minnesota
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rochester School of Medicine
University of Virginia
University of Washington
Wesleyan University
Yale University</p>
<p>Hello. I am going to be an upcoming sophomore in high school. But do not let that fool you, lol. I have done lots of research of LOTS of schools and I like helping people. I am going to apply to Simon’s Rock this fall and I hope to answer any questions. It’s a great school and it seems like a good fit. You seem to have good grades and it’s better than me. Please be free to look at ALL my past threads, because you will find a lot about Simon’s Rock. I would also go to Live Journal (simonsrock2) and you will find even more info. Did you call admissions yet? They are very helpful and can answer any questions. I would get that student packet. I have been researching Simon’s Rock for a long time now, since August of 2009. I would also like to tell you to apply for AEP. You can get some really good scholarships. Good Luck!</p>
<p>I just read Pierre’s post. I do not agree with all of it. Not all the kids transfer and about 2/3 (a good amount) still do transfer. But a lot have gone to different schools and hated it and went back to the Rock. You can go to the Upper College after the two years. It also is NOT a high school and a real college. It will be a lot more difficult than high school.</p>
<p>I don’t know what about Pierre’s post you didn’t agree with, Early College, since Pierre didn’t say that all students transfer – just that many students transfer to very good schools, and that one could think of Simon’s Rock as two more years of high school. Which, one could, because although you’re taking college classes, you’re going with other 16 and 17-year-olds and your curriculum might be quite like finishing up high school.</p>
<p>I also don’t think you can make a judgment about whether it will be harder than high school, as you haven’t even gone there yet, but I’m sure you’re probably right. It is, after all, college and not high school.</p>
<p>I really don’t understand the rush with students attempting to skip the last two years of high school to go straight to college – it’ll be there soon enough, and you won’t even be able to drink in college! (not that that’s important, lmao) and there’s a lot of maturing to be done during the last two years of high school, but if one simply must go to college at age 16, it should be one who has high grades and is not feeling challenged by the material in their high school. And not “I’m taking general classes and I’m not challenged”, but more like “I’m taking the hardest possible classes I could be taking and I’m still yawning.”</p>
<p>I think students who are thinking about opportunities like Simon’s Rock should discuss the opportunity with some of their closer teachers, their guidance counselors, and their parents. There’s no way that we, as total strangers, will know that you’re a good fit just from two recent novels and your GPA. But your teachers will be able to tell you whether they think you are prepared enough (and a good enough student) to go to college at 16, and your parents will be able to tell you if they can even pay for that or would even be willing to let you go.</p>
<p>That is a fantastic point, juillet. I’m considering applying, and I feel that if you don’t <em>know</em> that Simon’s Rock is the perfect place for you, it probably isn’t. That said, there are several other early college programs, and some with you going in just one year early, not two or more.</p>
<p>I received my A.A. from the Rock last spring, and while I think it’s the best place on earth, it’s not for everyone. If you’re not willing to work hard, or be on a tiny campus, or be in a rural area, you might want to reconsider. Some of my friends were very happy to transfer to other schools with less rigorous academics and a bigger social scene. It does get very cliquey, and you know EVERYTHING about EVERYONE. That said, if what you want is to learn, you can’t find a better place. We have a lot of students transfer back from notoriously “great” schools because they just weren’t getting the same quality of education. I have to point out that it is definitely NOT the last two years of high school though. It IS real college, and the same things are expected of you as at other universities, and in a lot of cases, more. In my opinion, I had better opportunities for growth than I could ever have expected in high school, both academically and as a person. You’re definitely challenged, but you’re also surrounded by intensely passionate, intelligent, and interesting people, and the professors are superb and completely devoted to their students.
We have a mix of students who were straight-A honors students in high school, and others who weren’t great students but thrive because they’re being challenged and taught in a way that inspires them. We also get people who decide either to transfer or go back to high school after one or two semesters, because it just isn’t for them.
My advice is to visit, talk to the students and professors, and consider whether you’re ready to do your own laundry, be solely responsible for the direction your education takes, and do three times as much work as everyone else you know. If you feel you are, then consider whether you value your social life over your academics, because that’s also a big issue.
Hope that helps. Good luck!</p>
<p>Hi, I thought I’d bump this thread as I’m also interested in going to Simon’s Rock. Well, more than interested; my application is in and all I’m waiting on is some stuff from my rather lethargic guidance counsellor…</p>
<p>I had a few questions for any alum out there though:</p>
<p>I come from a very straight-and-narrow family so I was a bit concerned about the all the reports of drugs and drug-users on campus. However it’s very likely a lot of what I read was exagerated. So how big of a problem are drugs on campus?</p>
<p>Also, I am actually only a freshman in my high school, but I have heard of them accepting kids younger than 10th and 11th grades. I mean, didn’t they accept Ronan Farrow when he was 9? Do I have a chance of getting in? I am an all Honors, straight A student with a fair amount of extra and co-cirriculars.</p>
<p>Thirdly: I’ve heard some unsettling reports that it can kind of hard to transfer; a lot of hassel, credits not transfering, etc. Did any of you alum have experiences like that? Esppecially when transfering to “good” schools? I myself would like to transfer to Williams after I get my A.A. (that is, of course, assuming I get into SR. Fingers crossed!)</p>