Governor's School or Camp?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I have been accepted into Arkansas Governor's School, a summer program for Arkansas's "gifted and talented seniors" at Hendrix College. If I attend, I will attend for English/Language Arts.</p>

<p>However, I am a camp counselor at a Girl Scout camp I have attended since I was nine years old. This is my tenth year in scouting. Frankly, camp is everything to me. Nothing means more to me than being able to help children grow in scouting and encourage appreciation for the outdoors. Camp is my life, in short. </p>

<p>I cannot attend both. </p>

<p>I have been told that Arkansas Governor's School will look better to colleges, but I remain skeptical. In all honesty, I would rather do what is best for me and what will make me happy, but I'm under outside pressure to make my application(s) look as best as possible.</p>

<p>What do you think? What would you do?</p>

2

<p>governor's school because even if you love camping, you should try something else. Who knows, maybe u ll like governor's school better o_o. Plus governor's school is only 1 time thing. You can go back to camping next year cant you?</p>

3

<p>I really do not think I could love something more than camp. I love to teach and camp is a place for me to do just that.</p>

<p>It's just being away from a place where my heart is for a year.</p>

4

<p>Well, you have your answer, don't you? </p>

<p>It's pretty obvious you'd rather do camp, and you'll suffer through governor's school if you are constantly wishing you went to camp.</p>

5

<p>You're totally right, diamondbacker. It's just hard to accept. I am extremely indecisive.</p>

<p>How will this look to colleges, then?</p>

6

<p>im both a girl scout and also have applied to gov school. im waiting on a response though... as for choosing between the two i dont think you should pass up the opportunity to attend governor's school. i love helping kids as much as you do, but you will always be able to attend camp, and they will always be happy to have you there. this is something you were chosen for, and if they didn't think you would benefit or contribute greatly they wouldn't have picked you to attend. you obviously fit in with what they want, and you should run with that. camp isn't going anywhere and while governors school maybe something a little out of your comfort zone, its something you should give a try. there are camps in august that you can do arent there?</p>

7

<p>Well, I'm pretty sure that colleges won't look down upon your dedication to Girls Scout's and, as you said, your commitment to "to help children grow in scouting and encourage appreciation for the outdoors."</p>

<p>10 years of working to do that sure sounds like a great EC to me...</p>

8

<p>Thanks for your response, diamondbacker. You've reassured me a great deal. </p>

<p>Curliehead, I would only be able to staff the last Brownie weekend in August before I would return to school. </p>

<p>I don't think I'm so much worried about being out of my comfort zone as I am worried my heart will constantly be breaking this summer while I'm away from camp.</p>

9

<p>governor's school...</p>

10

<p>girl scouts camp.</p>

11

<p>Camp, definitely. It's obvious that you really want to do that, and even though gov school might be more academic, I've heard that colleges don't actually care what you do over the summer, as long as you do something.</p>

<p>Do what you love. In the end, your happiness is all that really matters.</p>

12

<p>governor's school would probably look better, and who knows? maybe you'll enjoy it too.</p>

13

<p>Camp! It'd be a hell of an application essay, and you can't exactly write an essay about camp when last summer you chose to go to a program that is obviously meant to appeal to colleges anyway.</p>

14

<p>Honestly let's remember, while that ma be good for colleges it's still SCHOOL. Remember when you were a little kid and COULDN'T WAIT until the last day of school? And when will you see your friends from camp after you go to college? </p>

<p>I had a similar decision. I chose camp. </p>

<p>And honestly, you'll gain more "real life" experience dealing with kids and peeing in the woods than you would being around "smart people" all the time.</p>

<p>Lastly, what better place is there for you to find yourself? </p>

<p>I love camp. :)</p>

15

<p>I understand how much you love camp and how dedicated you are to it,
and it's very admirable,
but Governor School is also a once-in-a-life opportunity,
and you can always go back to helping the children at camp next summer.
You applied to Gov. School, so I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy it a lot as well.
However, if you truly truly love camping and have absolutely no interest in Gov school, or feel that you might regret it if you choose to go there, I'd strongly advise to continue working at camp.
Summer should be about doing something you enjoy, and it'd be horrible to spend a whole break regretting that you could've been somewhere else. :]</p>

16

<p>Not going to Girl Scout camp for just one year doesn't sound that horrible, but you're talking like you can't live without it . We're a little biased because we're academically-obsessed, but if you're that dedicated to camp you should probably do that.</p>

17

<p>How will this look to colleges, then?</p>

<p>Don't know how colleges view Girl Scout Camp, but one of my daughter's friends ( who had very strong academics but in all of his HS career participated in club as his EC ) , got into Cornell . He enrolled in NJ's Gov school.
Like some other posters here said, one year away from GS's won't be so bad and it would most likely be a great experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend Gov School.
With the intense competition for college apps these recent years, it certainly couldn't hurt you when it is your time to apply.</p>