I am seeing that top students gets merit based scholarships. But many of the good students fall in the bucket where they are probably above 80-85% students but does not fall into the top 2-3% bucket who get scholarships. Now Many of these students will end up into good colleges paying high tution inspite of being good. Not only that many of these students take college class while in high school. At least we can make efforts that these students do not have to pay for colleges while in high school as high school is supposed to be free for all the kids. Also it is not that colleges are not going to get money for the credits these students will get for the classes they are taking in high school. Colleges are going to earn more from these students as these students will be taking higher level classes in college. The colleges can have their own assessment to make sure that they qualify - no problem for that.
Note: The pct are approx. But if the college confidential administrators or parents who have better statistics can jump in and put more accurate numbers. The goal here is that high school students do not have to pay for colleges. We want the monster(college tution) not to touch the high schoolers.
Sorry - But do you know how much professor earns(I am talking about tenure system faculty and not fixed term faculty). And the student taking this class would be no less capable than the professor. It would be an opportunity for a professor to attract a kid to do research under him.
Remember we are talking about good kids not paying for college in high school. These students are going to pay to these colleges for their undergraduate degree.
Do you think that the colleges are so expensive because they have huge maintenance costs? I do not think so. The expenses you are talking about is fraction of what the colleges are earning from student tuition.
Why should your kid be sitting in a college classroom for free, while a tuition paying college student gets shut out of that class because it’s over-enrolled?
Show me a high performing HS kid who can’t find a college with a merit scholarship? Unless the parents won’t let the kid leave the state (it happens) or won’t consider a Catholic college (it happens) or the kid won’t consider a single sex college (it happens), put up a kids stats and the crowd on CC would be delighted to make a list of Merit colleges that kid can get into and thrive.
The problem is with the B minus students who need merit aid, not the top students. You’ve got the model all wrong.
And as a tuition paying parent, I would have had a problem with my kid having trouble registering for classes because the “free” HS kids were taking up the seats.
Do you want to pay for five years to get a BA because a local HS kid took your kids spot- for free? Didn’t think so.
You don’t seem to have much understanding of the college system in the US.
Many scholarships are available for strong students. If your child is a National Merit Finalist they can probably attend college for free, and even if not, they should be able to get a large scholarship. So rather than posting rants on this forum perhaps you should go research the many opportunities out there.
I don’t think you have made a case here. High school students go to high schools. If they go to colleges, then they should pay like everyone else. They are not a special class.
Wouldn’t it be better that the seat would be occupied by american citizen good kid contributing to the system and America rather than that seat being taken by international student who would be paying more than double for that seat. In my opinion the high school student seat should not interfere with the college student seat if the education boards are doing good job. Also high school students would be taking only few classes that they are good at and not all the classes. So I do not see a concern.
“And the student taking this class would be no less capable than the professor. It would be an opportunity for a professor to attract a kid to do research under him”
The student would be no less capable than the professor? What are you talking about?
US students are guaranteed a free public high school education. They are not guaranteed a free college education while high school age.
If you think your kid is potentially one of the top math students in the US, or internationally, you probably need advice from professors in the field as to how to proceed. Some parents of this type student have posted on this board from time to time and maybe they will show up on this thread. It is my impression these students may be identified pretty early on through national math competitions. “No less capable than the professor” means what? That the student has the achievements of the professor, or the potential for those achievements? Sometimes it is difficult to gauge how many students there are with seeming potential in various fields. It is unrealistic to think we can provide free college classes for all of them, even if that would be the case in a perfect world.
“Do you think that the colleges are so expensive because they have huge maintenance costs? I do not think so. The expenses you are talking about is fraction of what the colleges are earning from student tuition.”
Who is going to pay for these free high school student seats? Full pay students are already being overcharged to subsidize financial aid. Enough is enough.
And I think your perception that undergraduate students are a great resource for professor’s research is a bit wrong. Those students are taken as part of the teaching mission.
Answer to Mathyone - I believe the National Merit Scholarship is $2500. Let me know if I am making any mistake But there are good scholarships offered by colleges but they are when you are doing your bachelors.
You aren’t going to be able to change the system in time for your child. Lots of parents with kids in the top 15% would like guaranteed free tuition. Such a thing doesn’t exist for the top 1%. The goals you are working towards are unrealistic at the present time. It would be better to be realistic about what opportunities may be available to your child and focus on those. imho.
Of course, if your purpose is just to fuss about the flaws in the system, please go right ahead. I agree there are lots of flaws. But I don’t see any possibility of correcting them in time for your child to benefit.
Answer to Sylvan 8798 - " High school students go to high schools. If they go to colleges, then they should pay like everyone else." Do you mean to say that high school should not learn even when they are capable of learning and we should not move to 22nd century. In that case we would have not reached even to moon. Do you know that there are good kids and when these good kids go to colleges, it is the professors learning from the students many times. These students are so good that colleges are getting money for the contributions they are making to college. Many of the scientists had tough time and their contributions were not recognised until many years later. We human beings are bragging that we are so developed. But in reality we need to develop so much. America’s education system is good. This is about making system better.
"Do you know that there are good kids and when these good kids go to colleges, it is the professors learning from the students many times. These students are so good that colleges are getting money for the contributions they are making to college. "
Oh please. Really, your kid is likely not the world-changing genius you think.
^I think there is always that possibility and that not all potentially world-changing geniuses have savvy parents. That is a case where this board can be really helpful.
I also think it is difficult to understand national and international talent when your frame of reference is very local.