<p>I'm really interested in applying to Bard College at Simon's Rock, which is Bard's early college program. The school I go to is an incredibly competitive private school in Pennsylvania which sends seniors to top colleges, and around 20% or more to Ivies.</p>
<p>My freshman courses are as follows:
Freshman Integrated Science - B
Adv. Geometry - B
World History I - A
Spanish 1 - A
Literature 1 - A
Next year I am taking:
Chemistry
Algebra 2 and Precalculus
World History II
Adv. Spanish II
Literature II
Philosophy</p>
<p>While I no I don't have straight As in my classes, I'm completely bored in school. I feel really no incentive to work in my math and science courses, but do really well in language and literature. Most importantly, I am a history whiz. I do extremely well in history and understand history and political science at a level far beyond my grade, and is something I have pursued by doing additional research papers for my teachers and by being encouraged to take a Senior history course in my sophomore year. I also have a slew of ECs, being:</p>
<p>3 Plays
Drama Club
Model UN (Sophomore year)
School Newspaper
Volunteering/Interning for local Congressman
Seminar w/ State Senator
Extra Work w/ History teachers</p>
<p>I really feel that I have the capacity to do more than that is offered by my School, and think that Simon's Rock would allow me to further my interest in History and Politics, while still allowing me to take "necessary" math like Calculus (as I'll be done precalculus by the end of Sophomore year).</p>
<p>Do I have a chance to get in? Do you think that applying would be the right choice, or should I just "stick it out"?</p>
<p>If you are willing to give up "the high school experience", as in proms, football games, homecomings, being dependent on your parents, etc, then you should apply. </p>
<p>However, there are other options. Are there any charter/collegiate high schools in your area that you could possibly attend? Is there a local community college where you could dual enroll.. perhaps taking more advanced history/political courses at the college while still enrolling in math/science classes at your high school? Is there any possibility of summer enrichment programs or summer school to further your quest for knowledge? Have you looked at any online school options- if your state doesn't offer its own virtual school, have you explored other states' schools (TX, FL, GA all have them.)? </p>
<p>Will you look back on the decision to leave high school early with regret? If you are one of those people that is just trying to muscle through high school to get to the good stuff, I understand completely.. however, if you aren't, then maybe you will miss the high school/childhood life more than you realize.</p>
<p>As for actual admission chances, I am not sure. I received literature on the school when I was your age, but never really looked into it for personal reasons. Have you tried checking their website for admitted student profiles? </p>
<p>In my area, my school is really the toughest thing around, and I have actually looked into other high schools already to no avail. Dual enrolling at a community college is something that I haven't look into yet but I probably should. I also know that UPenn offers courses for High School students in my area once they are in their junior year, my only worries are that the Penn course tuition/transportation on top of my school would be too much for my family to handle financially and in terms of time management.</p>
<p>Summer Enrichment programs are something I plan on doing this summer; this summer I am taking Chemistry so that I can have room in my schedule to take the more advanced history course next school year.</p>
<p>In terms of the "experience", my school is weird, we don't have homecoming, football, and the Junior and Senior proms are one in the same. The whole "experience" is, I guess, not something I am so interested in. I like socializing with people, but this whole year I've used the idea that there was something more intellectually stimulating waiting for me following high school to really "keep going".</p>
<p>My main concern about attending Simon's Rock is what would happen following it. I know I could then transfer to another college after two years and getting an A.A., but doing that, or even staying at Simon's Rock, my main question is: how does that look for grad school? Even being a freshman I'm pretty set on the idea of getting a PhD and becoming a professor, because I really don't know what else to do when my chief interests are political science and history.</p>
<p>Simon's rock (where I'm applying next year) looks great for grad schools. You should just see the ones they list acceptances to. This is, for some people, a hidden gem of the admissions world. They know all about it,it's most of us who are cluless. It sounds perfect for you, and ihave never heard of a person (or a parent of a person) who wasn't comletely satisfied.
(I'm sure there are some, there just not talkative)
Go for it, maybe I'll see you there!</p>
<p>A. Bard College at Simon's Rock is not Bard's Early College program. Bard is Simon's Rock's parent institution in the sense that Simon's Rock became a part of Bard College many years ago, but Simon's Rock was a college and an early college before being affiliated with Bard.</p>
<p>B. I think you could get in pretty easily as long as you come off as being mature and independent in your interview.</p>
<p>C. Simon's Rock is the best thing that ever happened to me, but I know some people who have gone and hated it. The chance of you enjoying it are high if it's the sort of school you would want to go to whether or not you were goig early, and if you're willing to work really, really hard. Getting into Simon's Rock is easy, getting good grades is difficult. The Princeton review gives Simon's Rock a higher academic rating than every Ivy League except for Harvard. If you go to Simon's Rock and work hard, you will get what I believe is one of the best educations available anywhere. And you will have a lot of fun.</p>
<p>I'm currently beginning my freshmen year at Simon's Rock.</p>
<p>As said before, we are quite independent from Bard, and academically much more challenging than Bard. The only connection I've encountered with Bard has been that I'm in the process of getting a book from their library. It doesn't ever seem to become much more than that for most students.</p>
<p>Grades don't matter as much with Simon's Rock acceptance. My grades were ****. I know people that attend this school with academic scholarships that failed their last year of high school. The way to get in, really, is to ace your interview and essays. If you can't write a good essay, you'll have a tough time getting in, not to mention surviving here.</p>
<p>The professors are amazing, the classes are amazing, the people are amazing. But the school is incredibly small. We're having growing pains right now with 450 students. And I can already see people cracking that can't take it. It's a rough school, but it's worth it. The acceptance rate is high because rockers are a self-selecting group. </p>
<p>As for graduate school, Simon's Rock's med school acceptance rate for first or second choice school is 100%. I don't think there are any other schools that can say that. I don't have the figures for other graduate schools, but they clearly can't be bad. While the average Joe has never heard of Simon's Rock, the academic world is familiar with it.</p>
<p>Oh, and you'll go insane at some point in the winter. It's absolutely beautiful right now, but the winter is bitterly cold and no one ever wants to go outside. Just accept that you'll lose your mind. We have an unofficial inadequacy club for a reason.</p>
<p>I'm actually considering this school for next year too- my school academically is pretty similar to yours I guess, competitive, high ranked etc. I actually emailed a student there, and they said lots of people end up at places like Berkley, Columbia and a few at Yale after they transfer out. Tell me what you think of the school too-I'm feeling the same way you are at the moment.</p>
<p>I am a parent of a Simon's Rock grad. When she made her decision to leave her competitive private high school (in PA, by the way) I was concernred about how it would affect her future chances. My concerns were unfounded. Simon's Rock was an incredible experience for her. I was impressed by the quality of the faculty and the students. After two years she obtained her AA degree and had no difficulty transferring to one of the most highly regarded universities in the country. She is now in a grad school-doctoral program. I would say that if you are interested in S-R you should visit the campus and seriously consider it. It is not for everyone, but it can be a great option for highly motivated students.</p>
<p>I am a sophomore I am an A student. I don’t go to a highly competitive school but its a good school (Benjamin N Cardozo) for some reason they put me in Algebra of four terms and I was wondering who fast the math is or how hard is in general. I am prepared to work really hard so can I make it?</p>
<p>I recently found out that I was accepted into Simon’s Rock for the Fall 2010 semester. One of the things about this school that appealed to me was the array of courses they offered. I looked online at the course catalog for this current year, and there were so many classes I would LOVE to take.Another thing that appealed to me was the fact that every other student there would want to be there as much as I would. Right now, in my history class, our teacher just gives us loads of work. I can handle the work, but it bothers me that I learn nothing. He literally doesn’t teach us anything. He gives us about 35 questions over a 40 page chapter and we have to find all the answers before the class time is up. If I end up gathering enough money to go, it would be difficult to adjust to not being one of the smartest in the class. However, it would be great to always be around people that I can bounce ideas off of.
One thing I am worried about is the social life. I have read that it is extremely isolated as well as freezing cold during the winter. What is the social life like there? Are there opportunities to make friends, or is everyone to busy because they’re buried in schoolwork. Also, is the weather really that bad? I’m from a warm climate and it snows maybe 5 or 6 days a year.</p>