<p>I have heard that there's a small private college (not UT) in Austin, Texas with a wonderful creative writing program. I don't remember the name but I think it is Catholic.</p>
<p>Well all of a sudden I feel the need to explain that he does the work well when it's interesting and not as well when it's not, and that the lowest grade he has ever gotten in his life was a B+ on a recent school progress report which was meant to indicate how he is doing during his first quarter in high school. (The rest were A's.) Hence, his comment about the B+ being okay. Gosh, who knows how his grade will be in the end? And I also all of a sudden need to explain that he is already asking about colleges.</p>
<p>But I really shouldn't have to defend him or myself. I simply asked about small-class, competitive colleges that would be a good fit for him. Frankly, I'm amazed by the judgmental attitude of some here who somehow think they already know my son, and have decided he shouldn't be interested in colleges as a freshman, and have decided that he's "not going to cut it" at a college based on my one paragraph description. </p>
<p>I have a somewhat disabled daughter, so I tend to play down the acheivements of my other kids. I don't brag...ever, and I abhor bragging in general. You will just have to take what I'm saying about my child at face value (that is, that he's probably looking a a certain level of college, and what his acheivement level is likely to be) and let me worry about whether the school will be right for him in four years and whether that college will ultimately be one at which he can be successful. </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Ha - this is a forum and you'll get all sorts of advice of here - solicited or not. (You can even get advice about buying a vacuum cleaner!)</p>
<p>Anyway, if you want cold hard facts I'd suggest you buy the US News Premium online college service ($15/year) - lots of good stuff on there.</p>
<p>If you want "other imput" - well, you've come to the right place. ;) I certainly didn't mean to be judgemental, but rather to share personal experience about boys who tire of the college admissions process too soon. A lot of parents on here have been right where you are today.</p>
<p>I'm sorry if I came across as judgmental. Yes, I do not know your son. I was reacting to your own description of him.</p>
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(He likes to do the minimum possible and often ends up with a B+ when he could be getting an A.
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</p>
<p>This is what I reacted to, plus the suggestion that Chicago would be a good fit. Chicago, where fun comes to die?</p>
<p>But I agree with other posters. It's way too early to think about colleges now.</p>
<p>m&sdad:</p>
<p>We've always told our kids they should do the best they could, not what was the minimum requirement. But we were also blessed with some teachers who expected the same of our kids. Now that your S's teacher knows what he can do, perhaps the teacher will give him more challenging assignments. If not, you may have to create opportunities for him, such as enrolling him in competitions like National History Day or writing competitions, etc...</p>
<p>Marite, </p>
<p>I slacked off in high school (compared to the other "good students"), but I'm doing well at Chicago. There are kids here who worked obsessively in high school, and others who tended toward the minimim. <em>shrug</em></p>
<p>Anyway, just keep your eyes open for colleges that your friends' kids are looking at and that you hear about and see. Your son will likely develop a lot between now and junior and senior years, so don't invest too much in the college search now since everything you find out will probably change over time.</p>
<p>corranged:</p>
<p>I suspect that Chicago saw something in your application that suggested you would be able to handle the work and that you had something special.
I will repeat something I've posted before.</p>
<p>I overheard two admissions officers discussing an applicant who had "so-so"grades (according to their criteria; I do not know what those grades were) and perfect SATs. They agreed the applicant sounded like an underachiever and "we don't want students like that, do we? She won't be able to handle the workload." I'm assuming the student did not make it. This happened many years ago. Since then, I have read a lot of exchanges about gifted students. And one big issue is the habit of underachieving that can be very hard to shake off in college. It does not strike everyone. But why encourage it?</p>
<p>This would be true for a student who obviously neglected his work throughout high school, but saying a ninth grade boy wouldn't be right for a school because he's OK with a B+? I mean, ninth grade boys are famous for this! And they normally turn out fine for top schools regardless of a lack of grade obsession.</p>
<p>It's not the B+ that I responded to. I personally don't care about grades; I actually think that a B+ is a fine grade. It's "he likes to do the minimum" that bothers me. I know lots of boys like that. But they are not going to top schools.</p>
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Believe me - if you start too soon, you can drive him crazy and make him hate the whole thing by the time he needs to get fully engaged in the process.
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<p>I agree 100 percent with Weenie. I know you're trying to inspire him to do his best, but the effort may backfire. We started looking at colleges the summer after sophomore year, and D took an instant dislike to some, based on somewhat quirky and arbitrary reasons. Looking back now, I think she was just too young to be evaluating them. Of course, every kid will be different.</p>
<p>In addition, she fell in love with a subject she began to study in junior year in high school, and that totally changed her priorities in a college.</p>
<p>Instead, if I were you, I would just try to guide him to read interesting books, develop hobbies, do meaningful things over the summer as well as fun things, encourage extracurriculars, etc. And of course you can quietly gear up by doing research on the side that you'll enjoy. Just my two cents!</p>
<p>It is premature to think about college for a kid who is not even 15. Your effort will be better returned to ensure that your bright son develops a passion/interest. Getting into the right college will happen when his interests are better defined.</p>
<p>We were lucky because my son had a slightly older cousin and we went on college visits together (just a few) early on. IMO, it started making college an exciting reality for my son. We didn't start his own visits til Feb. of Jr. year, but he'd already taken some peaks at a few campuses by then. Dragging kids on visits is counter-productive, but taking them on visits if they're interested is time well spent.</p>
<p>I agree about Colleges That Change Lives. I think everyone should read it.</p>
<p>My son had 2 B pluses in his freshman year (he did take a harder math course and skip a year of French) but his motivation has grown as colleges become more real and less theoretical. We've made a list of "fits" at all different selectivity levels. I think it's going to work out fine for us and I'll bet it will for you too.</p>
<p>Have fun with your college visits. We've had a wonderful time.</p>