<p>I’m considering TAMS as an option, and I wanted to get your perspective. Would going to TAMS really be that much better than getting a standard high school education, and how good does it look on a college application? I’m from Plano, if that helps.</p>
<p>[edit]
Sh1t! My title isn’t capitalized, and it won’t let me change it :(</p>
<p>i don't know too much about TAMS, but if it's like the illinois math and science academy, i wouldn't do it.<br>
about 5 of my friends decided to go to the one in illinois and they hate it now. the residential thing really makes it hard. the kids i know who went to imsa don't know anything about the world outside of their school.<br>
even if you think you'll keep up your friends from your old school, you're bound to lose touch with a lot of people.
consider that you could be #1 at a regular high school or just average at a school like TAMS.
unless the school you're at is really bad, you have nothing to worry about. if you're at home, you have access to a lot more opportunities. you can go where you want, when you want.<br>
i had to choose between imsa and my school and i stayed where i am b/c i would have had to give up some activities that i couldn't do if i went there. i'm so happy with the decision i made.<br>
hope this was helpful. :)</p>
<p>Jennylaw- 1) Where are you from?
2) Who do you know at IMSA?</p>
<p>The reason I ask is because I go there. I'm a rising senior. Please PM me, I'm merely a curious IMSA kid. </p>
<p>Illinois Math and Science Academy looks AMAZINGLY good on a college ap. So does TAMS. But that being said, it really does wind up screwing you over. </p>
<p>IMSA does give an advantage in college admissions. It lets people with 2.6 GPA's get into University of Illinois. It means you can have a couple B's and still get into Cornell. But the advantage the IMSA gives does not outweigh the what the classes do to your "rank" (comparison to your classmates) and your GPA (which gets killed). Kids who probably could have gone lower Ivies wind up at our big state school. 25% of all graduates go to U of I, that's ridiculous. Only 8% make it to the Ivies. I'm pretty sure that that's how it works at TAMS too (I've talked to some kids there). It really isn't in favor to go for the academic advantage.</p>
<p>IMSA classes happen to be largely the same as AP classes at suburban high schools, just with ridiculous grading. They're just as boring and unispiring, but the work is more similar to the kinds of assignments given in college (problem sets and a lot of reading). It's just this extra work really doesn't Now TAMS probably is different. I know its on the campus of a university in Texas, and from what I've heard the classes are actual university classes, which probably means that they're better than IMSA classes. But I could be wrong.</p>
<p>One advantage of TAMS is the study/time management skills you learn. You really learn how to handle more complex material, and how to actually get work done efficiently. This helps greatly with college. I can speak from experience here. I took 3 classes at Northwestern University this summer, and found them to be very easy. I got A's in all of them. I really think IMSA came through for me there.</p>
<p>Now, living on campus. IMSA fortunately is MUCH less strict than other math and science academies. I've heard alot from my old roomate, who visited the North Carolina school as part of a program where math and science academy kids visit each other schools and such (TAMS was there). He said that IMSA is definitely the most lenient. But even so, you still have to put up with bizarre rules and regulations. And socially, it's weird living away from home and on a campus. People behave very strangely... very off cultures develop. And there's nothing to do on IMSA's campus, and not much around it. If it's that way at TAMS, I wouldn't go. </p>
<p>That being said, there aren't many places where conversations start at 2 AM and last until class starts. Goofing off late at night is amazingly fun, but it only happens in a few of our halls, most are quite lame. If you're the type that likes to go shopping and like dating, TAMS isn't good. But if IMSA is any guide, if you like late night conversations, or shenanagins that go on around someone's house when the parents aren't home (no, not drinking or "explicit behavior" you dirty minds), then TAMS might be right for you. But socially, boarding schools are weird.</p>
<p>Oh, and by senior year, everyone's sick of each other. </p>
<p>So yeah, academically there's no real advantage (unless your school sucks). Socially, probably not.</p>
<p>PM me if you have any more questions/comments/concerns.</p>