<p>When my DD applied to BOTH programs... THINK and JSA: FRESHMAN SCHOLARS we honestly didn't think she would get into both. She was using JSA as her "back up" to THINK. But now - she has to choose and she is "all over the place."</p>
<p>DD is a rising 9th grader ...... She has high (1800 +) SAT scores - taken in 7th grade without any preparation. She is taking (as an 8th grader) Honors Alg 2/Trig, Honors Geometry, French 2 all for high school credit. The rest of her classes are honors 8th grade classes. She is a STRONG student.... A or A+ in all her coursework at school (which is way too easy)....</p>
<p>For THINK.....
She got into Philosophy 101 and Mind, Brain and Learning (which is a 400 level course !).<br>
The program awards 6 college credit with satisifactory (or above) grades.</p>
<p>For JSA .....
It is AP Gov't and Speech & Communications.</p>
<p>She has interests in BOTH. They are completely different. As of today - she is thinking she wants to go into International Relations and study Law...... possibly Politics.....</p>
<p>We live in Metro DC.... (N.VA)
I am fine with traveling with her to Nevada.... however, Princeton is only 3 hours by car...
But that REALLY shouldn't play a role in her decision.</p>
<p>Any imput ? Any advice ?
This would certainly help her.</p>
<p>Definitely choose THINK! JSA is just a money making program where anyone is admitted as long as they can pay, while THINK is actually very competitive and extremely hard to get into. It is the experience of a lifetime!</p>
<p>Good luck and I hope your daughter enjoys her summer, however she decides to spend it! :)</p>
<p>I would choose THINK for the intellectual, peer stimulation. JSA will largely be a group of above-average, diligent students. THINK, however, will be full of highly and profoundly gifted students (140+ IQ). Most likely your daughter falls into one of those two categories if she did that well on the SATs. A child like that needs intellectual peers. THINK will give her that sense of community and social bonding that she most probably cannot get in school (unless she is at a school for highly and profoundly gifted). Additionally, your child will almost definitely be able to take AP Government in high school but the THINK courses are more esoteric and advanced. I recommend THINK both for the coursework and the social components.</p>
<p>DD is considered “profoundly gifted”. She is part of JHU-CTY … She lives for summer programs. She was homeschooled until 8th grade - and decided to go to school (where she is immensly bored) - to prepare for high school. She has applied to TJHSST in Alexandria VA (very competitive, Science/Tech/Math school for GT kids, public magnet by acceptance only) and wanted to go to “school” before applying.</p>
<p>We agree - THINK - is the way to go for the reasons you stated and more. I am VERY impressed with everything about it… from having the syllabus up online, professors, schedule… everything you can think of… </p>
<p>DD is VERY laid back with friends. She has many friends and has been rather “tolerant” in the past; however, as she is getting older she is stating that the lack of caring, the lack of motivation, the lack of intellect in many of her friends is starting to get to her. She needs more kids with similiar capabilities :)</p>
<p>Thanks for your opinion ! I think she made a decision before I looked up these responses.</p>
<p>Eva, my D was also accepted for THINK today. I was really impressed with the syllabus for each class that was available online today, they look like fascinating and rigorous classes. I hope our Ds get to meet this summer!</p>
<p>Community Health Sciences 200 (Intro to Public Health Biology) and Philosophy 101. So they will be in Philosophy together. I was just looking at flights; their windows for arrival and departure don’t work so well for flights from our midwestern city. I have e-mailed already to ask for a slight exception outside those windows for her departure, hopefully they will approve it. I also found used copies of the Philosophy book they are supposed to read prior to arrival in “nearly new” condition on Amazon for about $13.00 including shipping, so ordered one of those.</p>
<p>You are WAY ahead of me. We are coming from the East Coast. I will likely fly out with her - the day before… however, she will fly home alone. </p>
<p>This week is mid-term week and she has her “high school entrance exam” on Saturday for TJHSST… to make the “next level”… we are running around with our heads cut off. On Sunday, we are going to take a closer look at everything.</p>
<p>If your paperwork is like ours, you have until Feb. 10 to get her deposit in, and the forms aren’t all due until sometime in April. So you have time (although flights are already very expensive already :eek: ). My D will probably fly Southwest, fares are comparable and at least she won’t have to pay the bag fees. She will be flying alone (alone for the first time, and with a plane change). She is excited that I have agreed to get her a cell phone for this trip; her sister didn’t get one until she got her driver’s license, so this is a big deal! But if she is going to fly alone with a plane change, I think she needs it. And it is on their packing list!</p>
<p>I also had to remind my D today that even if she gets her textbooks early, she needs to wait until spring break or summer break to really dig into them so she stays on track with her current schoolwork.</p>