<p>I know that at my D’s school, this program has been life-changing for many of the kids, and again, rather than PRESSURE them, it gets them to think beyond next week’s basketball game or what car they’re going to drive someday. It offers options that fit kids with their interests. One girl who planned only to get married and have lots of babies graduated at the top of her class and is now in pre-med at college. A kid who excelled at the hands-on projects learned about engineering instead of just fixing cars and is at RPI. A 1st gen girl for her senior project last year started a “Girls in Science” event that will be continued on through the years. She also decided to go to college.</p>
<p>It’s easy to think PRESSURE! when CC is often all about “packaging” kids for the “tippy top” schools but the fact is that in some families there just isn’t the interest and some low-income, first gen, ESL kids are perfectly suited to go to “elite” schools too. But if they don’t even know that’s an option, it will remain for the CC type kids to fill those seats.</p>
<p>All I know is that we’re parents with advanced degrees and we have STILL learned new things from D’s school college and career planning program. And I’ll repeat that instead of feeling pressured, the kids feel EMPOWERED.</p>