<p>With St Mary Baldwin's PEG program, from everything I've heard it's legitimate. I've lurked a little on TWTM's accelerated learner boards, and there are a couple discussions on it there.</p>
<p>Hey, I'm from Sao Paulo, Brazil! And I know those schools you're talking about. I studied 5.5 years at PACA (Pan American Christian Academy) and we always have sports activities against St. Pauls and Graded (one of our biggest rivals) there's Chapel too, if you've ever heard of it. Brazil is truly an awesome place to live and to visit of course (if you have good money too lol). I wish I could go back really...
It seems now that your best option for you right now is going to Brazil. The security problem is an issue, but not a really big one. If you want to take a walk outside, don't wear any expensive stuff, be aware all the time, but your appearance is of a natural "gringo" (what we use to call foreigner) then it might be a problem when you are in more dangerous neighborhoods. I'm asian and I've always walked alone around the city and only got robbed once ("only" lol). But please don't let that be a problem, for me at least, it has not been one.</p>
<p>I do recommend PACA (<a href="http://www.paca.com.br)%5B/url%5D">www.paca.com.br)</a>, the people there is just really welcoming. The school atmosphere is really good. The campus, although its size is not nearly as big as Graded, it's pretty "green," grass, trees, etc... While I was there, school wasn't a big pressure, so you'll probably be alright to pursue your own studies. I only have good things to say about that school.
A good thing about it is that it's SO MUCH cheaper compared to St. Pauls or Graded or Chapel and the quality is just the same as I can tell.
Another point, it's a Christian school, but as long as you behave, you won't find that an issue (besides the one Bible course which I think isn't nearly as stressful as your school's 5 religion courses)
"hsmomstef" mentioned the 'closed culture of Brazil' ... I lived there literally almost all my life and all I can say it's very very open =) I've read some social experiments they did in many countries and Brazil came up as the place where people are most friendly... Brazilians say that "God is Brazilian" is somewhat true, but too exaggerated...</p>
<p>Finally, your topic really came up to my attention because right now I'm facing the same issue about homeschooling. Due to some ongoing financial issues (too damn expensive!!!), it's been a real trouble staying at the American school here in Taipei. The thing is that here it's pretty stressful and there's not much left to pursue the things I wanna pursue. For example, right now I'm taking three language classes and I really want to further improve my Portuguese (1st language) but it's just tough with all the things going on. However, the school does have this reputation of rigorousness and getting good grades on the harder courses is really a plus duh...
So I've been thinking too about homeschooling, getting the essential things done more efficiently and at my own pace and pursue the things I want (BUT I'm not sure I'll be able to push myself to do it -_- ) However, since I'm all the way in Taiwan, can I take AP and SAT tests without being currently enrolled in a school? The school I'm at they give SAT and AP tests, but I'll have to see if they'll let me take it.
If I choose to study the subjects that I still need to complete and take the AP tests for these, would it be enough and looked at just like my "high school transcript?"
A VERY IMPORTANT point is that I would only homeschool for a semester (2nd semester 11th grade) because then I MIGHT go to a boarding school in California. With the tuition money saved, I could help out with my parents' business, buy an endless amount of books, computer stuff, computer courses, etc... OH! Does outside computer courses (thinking about 3DSMAX and web programming php, asp, jscript, etc) count as anything for college admission?</p>
<p>PurpoisePal, if you ever consider going to Brazil and take a look at the school I used to attend, tell them Victor Chiu told you about it and that I also really miss all of them ^^.</p>
<p>Thanks Chiurox, that was really helpful. I'm probably not going to go to PASA or Chapel because I'm Jewish, though. As far as security goes, I'm going to live in Hingenopolis (no idea how to spell it lol) and I don't know how dangerous it is, but I'm hoping it's a little better than the rest of SP. I won't get into cars with high profile people and it's a given that I won't wear jewelry... I'm just like, a little worried, I guess. </p>
<p>When my mom suggested school in Brazil, I asked her how good they were academically, and she said they were really good. (can you confirm that?) What's better by the way, St. Paul's or Graded? She said that they were so good for college and stuff that when some people got transferred out of Brazil, they arranged it so that their kids could live with someone else so that they could stay at the school. Chiurox, it sounds like it's been a while since you were in Sao Paolo, but maybe, if you know anyone there still, you could go back. It could be an alternative to homeschooling or boarding school in California... What school in CA are you looking at, by the way?</p>
<p>As far as I know, Higienopolis is the neighborhood where there's a famous soccer stadium Pacaembu. It's pretty okay really and better if you plan to attend St. Paul's cause I think it's near. Now, whether St. Paul's or Graded is better? St. Paul's follows a British curriculum (I'm most certain). I've never been there, but I've been to Graded a couple of times and Graded seems to be pretty good. I can't tell exactly which one is better cuz I don't really know people that go to any of these two... =(</p>
<p>It's been almost exactly a year since I've left Sao Paulo, I came to Taiwan for vacation, visit relatives etc..., but things do happen and I ended staying... My brother still lives there in Brazil, so going back is an alternative. However, right now I think it would be best to stay with my parents and help them with some business over here. </p>
<p>About boarding school in California, that's just a thought, we don't have any idea yet. So I'm pretty much stuck with either selling one of my kidneys and pay for this international school over here $6000+ a semester and waste 80min everyday commuting, or try some online high school (I actually looked up at some like Keystone, have u heard of it?) and do some of APs, maybe SAT prep, and then take the AP exam in May...
So I need more info about homeschooling/online high school and people who do take it and how college admissions will look at it...
Right now I'm very interested with Keystone National High School because they offer all the APs and Honors that I'm taking, but I'm still researching =)</p>
<p>Were your parents transferred? Because I heard that if they belong to a company that sent them to Taiwan, then usually, the company would pay for your education. Maybe you could talk to the school about financial aid. </p>
<p>My mom said that Graded and St. Paul's were like the same academically, and that it's just that one's British and the other one's American. I'm looking at both, but because I haven't done anything IB yet, I'll probably end up at Graded.</p>
<p>No, actually my parents decided to stay and start something new hence some financial problems. Financial aid is probably not even in question, because they would have brought it up a long time ago since we were struggling to pay it... As the letter said, "I'm not welcome to attend second semester..." -_- Maybe because my grades weren't exceptional? (4 B's and 2 A's and 1 C!!!) And I realized that much that I learned was achieved by myself, there were just one or two teachers who really made me think...
For now, what I just need is to finish this junior year with some better grades on the transcript, take the 2 or 3 AP exams, and retake SAT...
I don't really care about the social school events, not that I'm unsocial. With the extra time, I could do volunteer work or part time job, take Mandarin at a local university here, maybe with my dad's connection I could help assist a Portuguese teacher here at the university at question... And with the money saved I could take some specialized computer courses at some institutions here that give certification.</p>
<p>About Graded or St. Paul's, I would go with Graded. It seems that St. Paul's people have to wear uniforms I think... -_- and then if you plan to attend college in America, why not just stay in the American curriculum?</p>
<p>Graded said that they won't consider taking me unless my parents come to Brazil and they don't take seniors. </p>
<p>I'm still waiting on St. Paul's.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn't know about that... so strict...
Good luck on contacting St. Paul's.</p>
<p>I do know a couple people who have started "homeschooling" their senior year.
you can actually just take most of your classes at a local CC or university.</p>
<p>How about Stanford's Epgy Online High School?
<a href="http://epgy.stanford.edu/ohs/%5B/url%5D">http://epgy.stanford.edu/ohs/</a></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>stop being a loser and go to high school like a normal kid</p>
<p>drop the job, u seem smart enough to get money</p>
<p>Do you go to Ramaz by any chance? I know some kids there.</p>
<p>How about an academic year in Israel?</p>
<p>Yeah, I go to Ramaz. </p>
<p>One of the reasons I'm trying to get out of it is to get away from all the Hebrew... I wouldn't go to Israel for a year if you paid me.</p>
<p>I only scanned your descriptions of Brazil, but I sense that excites you, even though it's dangerous. But it's new territory.</p>
<p>Since you're almost a senior at a top Jewish school, and you believe in your abilities to self-study, perhaps the administration would set up a program next year for you to have more free-study time during their school day. If you wrote a solid proposal, not just whining ('scuse me but that's how you sound here), they might prefer to have you graduate from their school than disappear with your tuition money for senior year. THen you'd have the diploma.</p>
<p>I deeply understand why your school is frustrating to you, because you can accomplish much of the curriculum more efficiently on your own. Instead, you're locked into many classroom hours each day. In a way, you long for what college will provide, namely, control over your own academic/working day. The question is whether you can stand it one more year. Really rough. Bard College (which might not be the right school for you, BTW) at least understood that for some kids, senior year is a wasteland. I wish there were more colleges that would consider early admits.</p>
<p>Bumping it up.</p>
<p>Oh- for anyone interested in an update, I switched schools!!! :) (to a private day school in the area--I really like it!)</p>
<p>which school, SAR?</p>