<p>In the midst of doing the PFS, I am beginning to rethink the BS option. I know that no one out there has a crystal ball but I would appreciate some feedback. My son, age 17 (18 in August) is eager to go to a particular BS due to its' proximity to family and his belief that he will play hockey at a higher level. Son is currently at a very large suburban HS in his junior year struggling with Spanish 2 and Algebra 2 (was about a 3.0 student 9th and 10th). Son is bright but not into doing more than he has to to get by. He thinks that the structure of prep school, the small classes and support will help motivate him. He's not unhappy at school but he is not thrilled. He has toured the prep school and knows the area very well. He would go as a repeat junior. Then I started thinking about the whole picture...the hockey piece is likely a dream for him, sure he may play JV at the prep but he comes to the sport kind of late to really make it far...could he hack it academically...should I use his entire college savings to fund 2 years of BS? I really don't aspire to send him to Harvard as I just want him to find his place in the world through whatever positive means he can. I don't mean to sound negative...he's a mature kid, not into partying, loves hockey, dreams big and loves the area where the BS is located. There would be lots of family there for him (we would be a plane ride away). I have not encouraged or discouraged him...he has taken the intitiative to fill out the application, gets recs etc...(that is a big deal for a minimalist like him!!!). I would appreciate hearing from a few wiser, more experienced voices...thanks.</p>
<p>I would let him go. He sounds motivated and excited about a new adventure. He also sounds like a positive, active kid. High school is a time when the brain is active and ready for stimulation. Give him this gift!</p>
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should I use his entire college savings to fund 2 years of BS?
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What happens when he's ready to go to college?</p>
<p>Exactly...he's an only child so we don't have a bunch of others to worry about. But I'm not sure what we would do beyond applying for financial aid and using a home equity line of credit. I guess part of the thought process is that he might be a a better student at a BS and therefore have a few more college options than he would have coming out of his current HS. A few more options might mean a few financial aid packages to consider. Or he might be limited to only applying in-state. I am stressing to him his need to get a very serious job this spring and summer...</p>
<p>My suggestion is that you go ahead with the applications. You have until April 10th to get your signed contract to the boarding school. This gives you more time to consider what you are doing. </p>
<p>When you go to revisit day, make an appointment with someone from college advising. Ask about merit aid, financial aid, etc. so that you can understand what might happen for your son if you do not have significant savings for college. You might talk to the hockey coach as well.</p>
<p>Despite the gloom and doom of our personal economy, I hit send on the PFS with my best estimates. My son is almost done with his essay and I expect to have everything in the mail on Monday...Now I guess it's just a waiting game. I know we are taking a chance with applying to just one school and my son, god love him, is just an average student with less than spectacular everything. I hope that the school sees the potential. The more I think about keeping him here with 800 others in his class alone, the more I hope that the BS says yes. In the end, this could be life changing for him. Thanks to all for the advice and I wish everyone luck!!</p>
<p>Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>If he gets in I would get him in a math class at maybe a local community college. So he can catch up a little, thats what I may do. While I'm a little ahead, I'm not 3 math classes ahead and that seems to be where eveyone is</p>
<p>Not everyone is 3 classes ahead at all in math. The "average" prep school 9th grader will be taking geometry. Some will be more advanced in Alg 2 and a few higher than that. Some will be lower, taking Algebra 1. All the top schools offer Algebra 1. They wouldn't offer it if they felt every kid needed to be advanced in math.</p>
<p>Ya I understand, I don't think they NEED to be there. But it just seems like it would be helpful to get a little "ahead" in math and essentially catch up to a lot of people. I have a feeling everyones going to be ahead of me in math if I go to boarding school without taking some extra classes.</p>
<p>But if you don't have some advanced math under your belt at the start of HS, it is hard to progress to the more advanced math in Junior and Senior years. He'll be tagged by the school as an under achiever/low level guy. The college counseling office will pigeon hole him for mid-to low level colleges.</p>
<p>If the school offers many higher levels of math, but your child only went through pre-calc, he'll look like a slouch on college admissions. Colleges base their impressions on the difficulty of course load taken, vs, the availability of course at the high school. The adcoms don't care about his grammer school only offering pre-algebra; they only care about Senior accomplishments.</p>
<p>Yes, that does mean that the six asian kids who are taking Multi variable will make your normal, just-taking-calc-senior-year kid look bad. If your student will only be taking regular math, think twice about sending him to a school with lots and lots of offerings of upper-level math that he doesn't gave a chance of taking.</p>
<p>Well, as the mom of a math kid, I'll actually speak up for the non-math kids. Yes - if you are aiming at a Ivy sort of school, not getting through calculus will be a minor minus. But , that's far from true at the vast majority of decent colleges. And - it will also depend alot on what your son is interested in.<br>
That being said, if he has only done alg. 1 , alg 2 (rather than the alg 1, geo, alg 2 track some schools have), a bit of extra math work would probably be wise. And, don't be afraid to talk to the school about this issue!</p>