<p>What is the workload there like? Also what do they consider most in your application?</p>
<p>VioletFlowers, academics are challenging and the workload substantial, but this is very much in the eye of the beholder. Some kids can do it more quickly than others. My son has found it quite manageable, but he does know a few kids who are struggling. Time management is key. Kids with a heavy EC schedule or who play on a varsity team (such as my son) quickly learn that they need to use free time during the day to get a jump on homework, because they will be too exhausted at the end of the day to complete it all.</p>
<p>The workload also depends on what you take. Some kids take 6 major courses (2 languages plus the 4 core courses, for example), but my son takes only 5. However, his film elective is fairly time consuming. Some electives are not so demanding.</p>
<p>As for what they consider most in your app, Photodad will have a better idea, I am sure, but my sense is that they look for bright, creative, and engaged kids who are passionate about something. Maturity/independence are probably also very important, since students have a bit more freedom at CA than those at many other schools. Downtown Concord (very nice) is considered part of the extended campus, so kids can and do leave the immediate school grounds. And parents need to be comfortable allowing their kids that degree of freedom.</p>
<p>I agree with everything honoraryamom said. The school is rigorous and many students, including those who attended private middle schools, find freshman year a challenge. Many students find sophomore year easier, but it just may be because they are used to the work by then. However, there are several aspects of the school that allow you to balance the workload. There are no Saturday classes and very few Saturday sports commitments, so you generally have the entire weekend free. Many (most?) students will spend one weekend day on school-related stuff and the other on fun stuff or just relaxing. Academic courses meet 3 times a week, so you will only have homework for a few courses on any particular evening. The school has no awards or honors, so there is no external pressure on students beyond what they put on themselves. There are various means of help for students beyond the classroom.</p>
<p>Most students will say they have too much to do, but that’s generally because they’re also doing sports, playing/singing in one or more music groups (or dance or theatre), writing for school publications, being involved in clubs, and/or spending time hanging out with friends.</p>
<p>As for what the school looks for in applicants, here’s a snippet from an interview with an admissions officer in a recent issue of the school newspaper:</p>
<p>Samuels said, “I am first and foremost concerned with enrolling students who are academically qualified and students who fit well in our community.” Thriving in CA’s tightknit community often means participating in the school in a number of ways. Whether it is in sport, theatre, or general character, the abilities a student brings to CA are an important part of any application, even given that academics are still the most important factor.</p>