<p>"On the other hand we’re happy in our current neighborhood and it’s got some big advantages, such as great public transportation, walking distance to the specialist my son sees for his chronic medical conditions, and walking distance to my elderly mom who has health needs and sometimes needs support. School B would mean moving to a new neighborhood which is a big step. It would also be a hard step to undo if it didn’t work out, as we had to wait a long time to get into the affordable apartment complex where we live now. "</p>
<p>IMHO, this is a big piece of the puzzle here. He’s part of a family, and what happens in the family affects him. How much strain will it be on you to move, be far away from your mother, get him a whole new medical plan, new friends, new neighborhood, new school? What will it be like if your mother needs help and you have to travel to see her? Is your son close to his grandma? How will he feel about not being able to see her as often? Will the move mean new jobs? Will this affect the family economically? Will there be a bigger need for a car- which means higher gas bills. Will your S need (or want) a car when he is 16- which means another car? How does he feel about moving, making new friends? How does he feel about the difference in diversity in the schools? Is he committed to the arts or still trying to find his niche? </p>
<p>I understand that one of your concerns for him is the pressure and competition at his school. Somewhere, every person encounters this- if not in high school, in college, or the workforce. At the other school, there may not be as much academic competition, but there will probably be some kids who are extremely gifted in the arts and that is a type of competition too. The focus here on CC is college acceptance, but it also comes down to self acceptance, which is a tough task in high school. If your S is in the middle of the class at school A academically- then the college that matches him is the best school for him. There is another side of this puzzle too, and that is test scores and the level of rigor at the school. Colleges know the schools the applicants come from. A student may be in the middle of the class at school A, yet have higher standardized test scores and a more rigorous curriculum than the top student at school B.</p>