<p>This topic was discussed before at this forum, but I wanted to ask question since those discussions are old (~5 years ago) and a lot may changed
How good is Stanford OHS as a preparatory school for college?
How good it is as a high school and how good it is to take some classes (still getting high school degree in another school)?
How advanced classes are? how good are teachers?
is graduation of the OHS help to get admitted to colleges?
how good are academic disciplines there? how competitive is it?
Thank you</p>
<p>The school has an impressive college matriculation list and impressive mean SAT scores.
<a href=“http://ohs.stanford.edu/OHS_School_Profile.pdf[/url]”>http://ohs.stanford.edu/OHS_School_Profile.pdf</a></p>
<p>Considering that the tuition is quite expensive, I am having a hard time thinking of scenarios of why this would be preferable to a conventional school setting.
[Stanford</a> University Online High School](<a href=“http://ohs.stanford.edu/admissions/tuition.html]Stanford”>http://ohs.stanford.edu/admissions/tuition.html)</p>
<p>While I do not have personal experience with the program, it has an excellent reputation. It seems to attract a fair number of competitive athletes who need some flexibility with travel as well as home schoolers. I also think it may offer more opportunity for advanced courses without all the bureaucracy one faces in the public and private systems. It is an appealing option for the right student.</p>
<p>How good is it if a student want extra academic activities to add to his school?
Say if one want to add extra classes because the number of disciplines taken in school is restricted (for example, to take more APs)?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Do you mean: Will you be better PREPARED for college?
- or –
Do you mean: Will it increase your chances of GETTING INTO a selective college?</p>
<p>Better academic preparation will always help you in college. </p>
<p>If you are doing it for the 2nd reason, then I don’t think it’s worth it. Colleges can see from your high school’s profile what the most advanced course offerings are, so they are not going to penalize you for the fact that your school doesn’t offer certain AP Courses.</p>
<p>Selective colleges generally will rate you on 2 dimensions: academic achievement and personal achievement. Personal achievement includes EC’s, leadership, community service, athletics, character. You need to spend time developing these things too, to be an attractive candidate. Selective colleges do not look kindly upon students that have a high academic achievement but low personal achievement. Will you have time to develop these activities if you enroll in OHS courses?</p>
<p>
I don’t think you get a diploma from the school for just having taken a few courses.</p>
<p>more opportunity for advanced courses </p>
<p>is it good as an extra activity to school to get more classes?
How advanced and well taught is cirruculum?
of college consider it as an advantage</p>
<p>My impression as a parent who has yet to get one child in college, is that extra-curricular studying does not impress selective colleges, unless the extra-curricular studying pays off with a big win in a prestigious competition like Intel or Siemens. The schools will likely sum up that all the extra-curricular studying at the expense of non-academic pursuits makes you a very one-dimensional person.</p>
<p>FYI, here is a real-life example of how some college AO’s at UC Berkeley view candidates:
[Who</a> Was Good Enough? | Secrets Of The Sat | FRONTLINE | PBS](<a href=“http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/who/]Who”>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/who/)</p>
<p>look in particular at the AO’s comments about the third candidate
</p>
<p>If you want to do the SOHS courses for love of learning, then go for it. </p>
<p>If you are doing it to get into Stanford, then it does not seem like a good investment of time and money unless the SOHS course can guarantee you a semi-finalist win at Intel or Siemens, or something comparably high-profile.</p>
<p>My son is a full time student at the OHS. It’s been the best academic experience of his life (and he also spent several years at a highly regarded private school). The faculty is incredible–the teachers are exremely invested in seeing that their students LEARN and LEARN and stretch themselves as far as they can–as opposed to other schools my kids have attended where the emphasis was on grades and assessments. The online format allows for a really efficient use of time (lectures are pre-recorded so class time can be spent entirely on discussion and Q&A, and classes meet 2x a week which gives a lot of time for study, HW and extra-currics). We couldn’t be happier with the program. Not sure yet how it will affect his college applications (although they seem to be doing well as a school), but he’ll certainly have an “interesting” story to tell–something a little different. Maybe it will set him apart a little. Who knows–guess we’ll find out soon enough.</p>
<p>OHS has been a welcomed academic gut check for DD. Engagement in one’s own learning and education is paramount. Very productive use of time for lectures, problem sets, projects, programs, quizzes, and exams. No unnecessary waste.</p>
<p>If she sticks with the program for the next several years, she will blossom intellectually and will be able to blossom at university wherever she chooses to go.</p>