Early College Simon's Rock

Prep School Admissions Prep School Parents
1

Looking for some advise regarding admission to 11th grade to Simon’s Rock .
My D is very interested to go. she seems to be very unhappy with her current school and would like to change. was wondering anyone has experience to Simon’s Rock school . Is it worth it? what type of kids attend that school and how is the academic experience and future. would like to get more information regarding the same which will help us make the right decision for our D.
Thanks in advance.

2

In my opinion, you need to visit this school while it’s in session to get a feel for it. It is absolutely the right school for some…and the wrong school for some.

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3

Thanks for your quick response . Can you please elaborate a bit more.
which kind of a kid will thrive here and which kind of kid will not thrive. How is the school wrt to academics .The school seems to be a bit pricey .so want to make sure whether this is the right one for my D. How is this school different then regular school.
Any additional info will be helpful.
Thanks

4

I agree with thumper…You and your D do need to visit…has your D done any of the virtual admissions sessions? Connected with an admissions rep?

5

My opinion only. The early college program at Simons Rock is fine but I think it attracts quirky kids who are bright. We had several friends whose kids tried it because they were just not happy with their public or private high schools. The kids we know didn’t last there.

But there are plenty of kids who thrive there. It seems to be a very liberal place.

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6

Thank you Thumper1 and Mwfan1921.
Since you may have some experience with this school, few basic questions:

  1. Do they attract a lot of international students? Is it good or bad?
  2. Any thoughts in terms of the environment - Is this an academic focused place? Sinc there fees are so high, it may also true, the kids come are from relatively well off families. Do you heard of any issues due to this ? Is it an aggressive environment?
  3. Since it a very small school, how is it recognized outside? Have you heard or know of anything in this regard.
  4. The kids who dropped out - what options they had? Going back to high school was not an easy option for them…right?
7

I guess why is your daughter unhappy with her current school and why does she think Bard will be better for her?

8

What is your daughter looking for? If she is looking for a traditional high school but not the one she currently attends, my opinion is…this is not a traditional high school.

The students I know who left did a couple of different things. One was homeschooled for two years. Another enrolled in community college near where they lived. Two others went back to their public high schools and graduated from there.

I really think the best way to get a feel for this school is to visit when it’s in session. It’s the perfect place for some. Maybe your daughter is one of those students.

I would ask…what brought Simons Rock on to your radar screen? Do you know students who attend?

There are many prep high schools in New England. Why did Simons Rock come to your attention. What other prep schools is she considering?

9

@sulu

Is your daughter interested in Simon’s Rock because she is highly or profoundly gifted, or is it due to running out of material in her high school, or both?

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10

Or maybe neither. Maybe she doesn’t like the “culture” at her current school.

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11

My DD is currently enrolled at Simons Rock. We spent years looking at this school because she wanted to skip HS altogether due to insufficient rigor and negative culture - including sex, drugs and alcohol so prevalent there. Well she finally got to go and now it’s no different than her previous HS socially, but academically it is rigorous. Unfortunately the staff and admin are very “green” and do not accept responsibility when things go wrong - they constantly pass the buck on to someone else. The academic professors are fantastic.
It has only been a few weeks but we cannot recommend this school because the staff & admin are not in charge of the bullies at the school, but the opposite is true.
I would recommend being a day student so you can focus on academics and not the horrible social scene.