My sophomore son has been encouraged to apply to a public high school STEM/career tech type program that is suppose to be top in the nation (I’m assuming for public schools-this is all new to me). It emphasizes engineering, manufacturing and robotics with classes in college level calculus and physics.
The program is around 50% public school enrollment so he can still do some homeschooling courses. (He’s dual enrolled between p.s. and homeschool) He’s not sure what he what he wants to go into or where he wants to go to college, but aviation, aeronautical engineering, biochemistry, physics, mechanical engineering and football coaching are his interests.
I know many of these programs are geared to sending kids right into the workforce after high school. How would selective colleges like Hillsdale and Grove City or the Air Force Academy look at such a program for the junior and senior high school years? I know I would need to make sure he’s not getting cut short in the Language Arts.
Thanks!!
I also left out selective Northwestern. He’s super interested in that one.
Do you mean something like TJ in Virginia?
Can you see what a typical student 's schedule looks like?
It doesn’t sound like the school prepares students for the workforce if they take advanced math and science - vocational /carerr school would have classes that aren’t necessarily college preparatory. Asked on what you shard it sounds like the school prepares for elite colleges.
Grove city and Hillsdale are good schools, but not in the same league as Northwestern.
Do you have a Fiske guide or Princeton review 's best colleges?
TJHSST is basically a very intense college level STEM education at the high school level. Lots of APs, research, etc. That said, going to a place like that is no guarantee of acceptance at top national or even state flagships. The OP will need to look at her son’s ECs, interests, passions, community service and see what those schools expect from an applicant.
Thank you both. I took a brief look at TJ. It’s not in that league and it’s a two year program, but I agree this is a college prep, vs workforce program the more I look into it. And yes, I know there’s a difference between the colleges mentioned. It’s just that these are the ones he’s interested in at the time.
Also, I don’t want him to get pigeonholed if he wants a more LAC college after focusing on STEM in h.s.
Anybody else have input on these types of programs?
IMO, I’d support it. I’m of the opinion that it’s good to pick up useful skills regardless of college admissions prospects. But you could also ask this question to the colleges. They usually list what requirements they expect, and the elites like Northwestern want kids to take the most challenging curriculum at their school and do well in it.