<p>Some kids aren’t intellectuals and aren’t driven by academics. So? The world needs all types. No need to get snotty about it.</p>
<p>Thanks, Pizzagirl. We are in Mexico for 2 years because of my job. CC keeps me in touch with what’s going on in the US. D2 will be here in a week to start school. She will finish her high school here before heading back to the States. </p>
<p>Back to the thread. I kept on seeing this thread popping up. I was wondering what’s up with HPU anyway.</p>
<p>"Some kids aren’t intellectuals and aren’t driven by academics. So? The world needs all types. No need to get snotty about it. "</p>
<p>…if you’re responding to me you missed the point entirely. Didn’t mean everyone has to be intellectuals…meant that they shouldn’t blame the girls HS for her SAT scores!</p>
<p>Just received an email from HPU that 2011 will be their “last high-growth class”
Does that mean higher criteria in 2012?</p>
<p>Just returned from a campus visit to High Point University and was blown away with the quality of the facilities both academic and student life. Yes, the class entering in 2011 will be the last growth class. I was told that average SAT scores rose 20 points this year. 40 new faculty have been hired and many with top notch credentials to keep the faculty to student ratio at 1:14. I would not under estimate High Point as this will become a more selective school and increasing higher academic school in a very short time.</p>
<p>ABC 45, MY 48
Adult Center for Enrichment
Aerotek
Ajilon
Alamance Regional Medical Center
Amarr Garage Doors
America Works
American Junior Golf Association
APC, Inc.
Appalachian School of Pharmacy
Arlington County Police Department
Armored Protective Service, inc.
Asbury Automotive
AXA Advisors
Bankers Life and Casualty
BB&T
Becker Professional Education
Belk Department Stores
Best Buy
BMC Software
Boy Scouts of America
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point
Bright Horizons Family Solutions
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
cVent
Carolina Office Systems
Carolinas Healthcare System
Catawba County Government
Charlotte Fire Department
Charlotte Fire Department
Charlotte School of Law
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Citizen Schools
Clear Channel Communications
Coca-Cola Enterprises
Community Bible Church
Country Legends 98.3FM/Sports Talk 790 The Ball
Dallas Police Department
Drive Time
Duke Energy
Duke University, HR Recruitment
Durham Police Department
Eagle Eye Capital
East Carolina University
East Carolina University, College of Allied Health Sciences
Eliada Homes
Elsewhere Artist Collaborative
Entercom Communications
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
Federal Air Marshall Service
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Fidelity Bank
Fidelity Investments
First Investors Corporation
First Tennessee Bank
Food Lion LLC
FOX 8 WGHP
Frito Lay
Furniture land South
Gardner Webb University
Gastonia Police Department
Girl Scouts of America
Goodyear Clark Auto & Tire
Graphik Dimensions Ltd.
Greensboro Children’s Museum
Greensboro Police Department
Greenville Police Department
Guilford Child Development
Hewitt Associates
High Point University Norcross Graduate School
Internal Revenue Service
Interpol
iSurity, Inc.
Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
Kincaid Furniture/La-Z-Boy Inc
Krispy-Kreme
LabCorp
Lincoln Financial Group
Lowes Home Improvement
Mary Kay
McNeill Lehman
Media Fit
Meredith College, Graduate Programs
Methodist University
Montgomery County Public Schools
Mountain State University
NASA Langley Research Center
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Nationwide Insurance
NC Division of Disability Determination Services
New England Wildlife Center
North Carolina Zoo Society
Novant Health
Oak Hollow Benefits Group
Office of State Personnel Temporary Solutions
Oregon Department of Transportation
Paychex
Paycom
Peace Corps
Peebles
Powhatan County Public Schools
PRG Real Estate Management, Inc.
Prince Georges County Public Schools
Prudential Financial
Raleigh Police Department
Reading Connections
Rhino Graphica/Brave DBE
Richmont Graduate University
Rivers Correctional Institution
RLF Communications, Inc.
Robert Half International
Sageworks, Inc.
Savannah College of Art & Design
Scoggins Management Group
Sherman College of Chiropractic
Sherwin-Williams
Social Security Administration
Southern Teachers Agency
Sports Endeavors, Inc.
State Employees Credit Union
Stealth Components
T2 Products
Tek Systems
The Berry Company
Time Warner Cable
Total Body Therapy & Wellness
Travel and Teach Recruiting Inc.
Travelers Insurance
Trone, Inc.
Tyco Electronics
U.S. Chinese Culture Center
UNC Charlotte Graduate School
UNC-TV
United States Department of State
United States Probation Office, Western District of NC
United States Secret Service
University of Kentucky
US Army Recruiting
US Census Bureau
US Coast Guard
US Customs and Border Protection
USDA Wildlife Services
Verizon Wireless
Virginia State University
Waddell & Reed
Waffle House, Inc.
Wake County Public Schools
Walgreens
WebVisible
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
West End Ministries
Winthrop University, Graduate School
WNC Magazine
Woodmen of the World
World Relief North Carolina
WSOC-TV
YMCA of High Point</p>
<p>East Carolina University
Wake Forest University, Physician Assistant Program
California University of Pennsylvania
Campbell University, School of Pharmacy
Medical University of South Carolina
North Carolina State University
Wagner College
Clemson University, School of Material Science
Duke University, School of Engineering
Tulane University
Boston University
College of Charleston
University of Miami FL, School of Law
Belmont University, Occupational Therapy
University of Missouri, Physical Therapy
University of North CarolinaGreensboro
High Point University
Salisbury University
University of North Texas, Dept. of History
Wake Forest University, School of Divinity
University of North CarolinaGreensboro, Public Administration
University of Northern Colorado
University of West Florida, I/O Psychology
Vanderbilt University, School of Divinity
Elon University, School of Law
University of South Florida
Indiana University, School of Law
St. Thomas University
Virginia Commonwealth University</p>
<p>Tiger Controls, Greensboro, NC
Bellomy Research, Winston-Salem, NC
HPU - Admissions, High Point, NC
LabCorp, Burlington, NC
Spectrum Laboratories, Greensboro, NC
Standard Register, Dayton, OH
Phoenix Pump, Inc., Greensboro, NC
Tek Systems, Greensboro, NC
D&S Life Agency, Inc., Roanoke, VA
LF Stores, Greenwich, CT
Roundy’s Supermarkets, Milwaukee, WI
Michael Kors, New York, NY
D&S Life Agency, Roanoke, VA
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC
Strictly, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Outcome, Cambridge, MA
Charlotte Russe, Hagerstown, MD
HPU - Institutional Advancement, High Point, NC
Mongoose Atlantic, New York, NY
Southwest Elementary School, Greensboro, NC
Klaussner Home Furnishings, Asheboro, NC
Healthtrax Fitness/Wellness Center, East Longmeadow, MA
DownTown Fitness, Greensboro, NC
Abercrombie & Fitch, Winston-Salem, NC
Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney, Miami, FL
New Vision, Washington, DC
Quixote Group, Greensboro, NC
GTCC - HR Department, Jamestown, NC
W-S/Forsyth County Schools Winston-Salem, NC
FedEx, Greensboro, NC
City of High Point, High Point, NC
Wyle Labs, Patuxent River, MD
Clear Channel Radio, Greensboro, NC
BB&T LDP, Winston-Salem, NC
HTP Meds, Ashaway, RI
Surya, Inc., Calhoun, GA
Teach for America, Phoenix, AZ
Campus Crusade for Christ, Central Asia
Zap Fitness, Blowing Rock, NC
City of Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem, NC
Senator Kay Hagan, Greensboro, NC
HPU Student Life, High Point, NC
Fairfax County Government, Fairfax, VA
Pasco County Public Schools, Land O Lakes, FL
Archdale/Trinity Middle School, Trinity, NC
University of Michigan Athletics, Ann Arbor, MI
Drive Time, Greensboro, NC
High Point Central High School, High Point, NC
HiToms Baseball, Thomasville, NC
Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, VA
Krispy Kreme - Winston-Salem, NC</p>
<p>I posted this earlier, but for some unexplained reason it was deleted from the thread.</p>
<p>[High</a> Point University 2010](<a href=“http://www.highpoint.edu/admissions/index.cfm?DeptCategory=10&PageID=2371]High”>http://www.highpoint.edu/admissions/index.cfm?DeptCategory=10&PageID=2371)</p>
<p>Acceptance Rate: 67.7%</p>
<p>Mid-range SAT scores for entering freshmen: 990-1180
Mean SAT score (CR & Math) for entering freshmen: 1089
Mean ACT Composite score for entering freshmen: 24</p>
<p>Bernard Robinson & Company, Greensboro, NC
Maryland State Comptroller’s Office, Baltimore, MD
Carolina Container, High Point, NC
Smith Leonard, High Point, NC
Juki Automation Systems, Raleigh, NC
Markovitz, Starkman & Langston, CPAs, Philadelphia, PA
Laureate Education Inc., Baltimore, MD
Richard Childress Racing , Welcome, NC
Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC
Philadelphia Independence, Philadelphia, PA
UNC Chapel Hill, Neurobiology, Chapel Hill, NC
University of Georgia - Microbiology, Athens, GA
bioMerieux, Durham, NC
DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), Washington, DC
WFU Department of Cardiology, Winston-Salem, NC
WFU Baptist Medical Center, Plastic Surgery, Winston-Salem, NC
NC Aquarium, Kure Beach, NC
Dynamic Dental Care, Carolina Beach, NC
Department of Defense, Washington, DC
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Raleigh/Durham, NC
The Bank of New York (Mellon), New York, NY
CSC, Falls Church, VA
Scribe Software, Bedford, NH
Clear Channel Radio, Hartford, CT
Force 8 Marine LLC, Norwalk, CT
Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks, Greensboro, NC
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Annapolis, MD
Washington Nationals Baseball Club, Washington, DC
Team in Training, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
City of Burlington, Burlington, NC
Michael Kors, New York, NY
Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman, High Point, NC
Sparflex of California, Ukiah, CA
Mandalay Vision, New York, NY
Wells Fargo, Winston-Salem, NC
Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, CA
High Point University, High Point, NC
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Siemens Corporation, Melbourne, FL
The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH
UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
WFU Medical School, Winston-Salem, NC
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
Greensboro Children’s Museum , Greensboro, NC
Alpha Broadcasting, Portland, OR
McNeill-Lehman, High Point, NC
Qorvis Communications, Washington, DC
FOX 8 WGHP, High Point, NC
LIFT, Washington, DC
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greensboro, NC
WTVI (PBS affiliate), Charlotte, NC
Trea Day Management and Publicity, Atlanta, GA
Mandalay Vision, New York, NY
High Point Enterprise, High Point, NC
Studio B, Greensboro, NC
American Heart Association, Greensboro, NC
Dancing in the Streets, New York, NY
Candia Woods Golf Links, Candia, NH
United Way of Central Virginia, Lynchburg, VA
Entercom Communication 102JAMZ, Greensboro, NC
General Electric (Middle River), Baltimore, MD
Bella Public Relations, New York, NY
Atlantic Coast Conference, Greensboro, NC
City of Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem, NC
NBC 30, West Hartford, CT
Joseph David Advertising, St. Simons Island, GA
MTV Networks/TV Land Digital, New York, NY
American Red Cross, High Point, NC
Citadel Broadcasting Company, North Charleston, SC
Divine + Powers Communication Group, Philadelphia, PA
Macro Integration Services, Greensboro, NC
Springboard Networks, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Assurance Group, Thomasville, NC
Nags Head Police Department, Nags Head, NC
NC State Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh, NC
MetLife, Rockville, MD
BB&T, Mocksville, NC
Ledford Middle School, Thomasville, NC
Jamestown Elementary School, Jamestown, NC
Southwest Elementary School, High Point, NC
Montlieu Elementary School, High Point, NC
Oak Hill Elementary School, High Point, NC
Parkview Elementary School, High Point, NC
Shadybrook Elementary School, High Point, NC
Ferndale Middle School, High Point, NC
High Point Central High School, High Point, NC
Penn Griffin School for the Arts, High Point, NC
T.W. Andrews, High Point, NC
Pilot Elementary School, Greensboro, NC
Southern Guilford Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Southwest Elementary School, High Point, NC
Triangle Lake Elementary School, High Point, NC
Old Town Elementary School, Winston-Salem, NC
Speas Elementary School, Winston-Salem, NC
Union Cross Elementary School, Kernersville, NC
South Fork Elementary School , Winston-Salem, NC
Union Cross Elementary School, Kernersville, NC
Early Childhood Development Center, Asheboro, NC
Pickett Primary School, Lexington, NC
Charles England Intermediate School, Lexington, NC
Pickett Primary School, Lexington, NC
Denton Elementary School, Denton, NC
Friedberg Elementary School, Winston-Salem, NC
Pilot Elementary School Thomasville, NC
Reeds Elementary School Lexington, NC
Silver Valley Elementary School Lexington, NC
Wallburg Elementary School Winston-Salem, NC
Welcome Elementary School Lexington, NC
Ledford High School Thomasville, NC
North Davidson High School Lexington, NC
North Davidson High School Lexington, NC
North Davidson High School Lexington, NC
Trindale Elementay School Archdale, NC
Braxton Craven Middle School Trinity, NC
Seagrove Elementary School Seagrove, NC
Seagrove Elementary School Seagrove, NC
Grays Chapel Elementary School Franklinville, NC
Ramseur Elementary School Ramseur, NC
Franklinville Elementary School Franklinville, NC
Archdale Elementary School Archdale, NC
Fairgrove Elementary School Thomasville, NC
Welcome Elementary School Lexington, NC
Churchland Elementary School Lexington, NC
Cornatzer Elementary School Mocksville, NC
Montlieu Elementary School High Point, NC
Johnson Street Global High Point, NC
Pilot Elementary School Greensboro, NC
Claxton Elementary School Greensboro, NC
Southern Middle School Greensboro, NC
Ferndale Middle School High Point, NC
Parkview Elementary School High Point, NC
Level Cross Elementary School Randalman, NC
Copeland Elementary School Dobson, NC
River Mill Academy Graham, NC
Courier Post Cherry Hill, NJ
Conde Nast New York, NY
Thomson Communication Middleton, MA
ORC International/Infogroup Princeton, NJ
University of Connecticut, Dept. of Kinesiology Storrs, CT
Provident State Bank Preston, MD
Morgan Stanley Miami, FL
Merrill Lynch High Point, NC
Congressman Leonard Lance Westfield, NJ/Washington, DC
BB&T Raleigh, NC
TSP Capital Management Group Summit, NJ
Citi Smith Barney Greensboro, NC
Jefferies New York, NY
Wells Fargo Advisors High Point, NC
Medical Mutual of Ohio Cleveland, OH
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Richmond, VA
High Point Museum High Point, NC
American Furniture Hall of Fame High Point, NC
Pearson Co. High Point, NC
Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman High Point, NC
Sherwin-Williams White Plains, NY
Kanawha Pastoral Counseling Charleston, WV
NC State Treasurer’s Communications Raleigh, NC
South Moon Under Berlin, MD
US District & Bankruptcy Court Washington, DC
Congressional Camp Falls Church, VA
Paladin Furniture Hiddenite, NC
Senior Focused Relocation Dallas, TX
The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls Meredith, NH
American Premium Beverage Colfax, NC
Party on the Plank High Point, NC
Quixote Group Greensboro, NC
Tom A. Finch YMCA Thomasville, NC
Norwegian Cruise Line Miami, FL
Shaw Publishing Co./The Kane County Chronicle St. Charles, IL
WFU School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC
Trees NC Asheboro, NC
Special Olympics of NC Greensboro, NC
Kay Chemical/Ecolab Greensboro, NC
Police Athletic League Brick, NJ
Partners Ending Homelessness Jamestown, NC
Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club High Point, NC
Inmar Winston-Salem, NC
Fairview Family Resource Center High Point, NC
O. Henry Hotel Greensboro, NC
Trump National Golf Club Potomac Falls, VA
Washington Kitchen Gallery Ijamsville, MD
Barbour Spangle Design Group High Point, NC
Keiser Associates New York, NY
Harrison’s Fine Furniture Westlake, OH
Center for Student Missions San Francisco, CA
Hard Rock Caf</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Considering the national average SAT score (which includes those students who don’t even go to college or go to community college) is 1017 for (CR+M), I would say that those stats are clearly nothing to brag about. It looks like nearly half the freshman class scored <em>below</em> the national average.</p>
<p>soze - not sure where you get “nearly half”. 1017 is a fairly long way from 1089. In fact, 1090 is the 63rd percentile <a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat_percentile_ranks_composite_cr_m.pdf[/url]”>http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat_percentile_ranks_composite_cr_m.pdf</a></p>
<p>So while I am not saying 1090 is spectacular by any means, it is a fair ways above having “nearly half” the class being below the national average. In fact, it is a lot closer to having (possibly) 2/3 of the class being above it. Hard to say since they don’t give a median score, but since the mean coincides with the middle of the 25-75% range, it is likely that the median is very close to 1090. Mathematicaly it isn’t valid to state that, but common sense and experience says it would be very surprising if there were that many with much higher scores pulling up the average so that there were far more below the average than expected, especially given the 25-75% spread.</p>
<p>
This is inaccurate. The averages are specifically stated to be for College Bound seniors, and in fact they just assume that everyone that takes the test is college bound, otherwise why take it? They don’t have two piles, one for those that go and one for those that don’t. How would they know?</p>
<p>I know of several students who took the SAT, applied to 4 year colleges, and ended up going to comm colleges. </p>
<p>Clearly there are many students who have no intention of applying and do not take the SAT (or ACT), but the population of test takers is still larger than the number who end up matriculating at a 4 year college. I do not know how much larger.</p>
<p>In case someone missed this in my post to another area:</p>
<p>There has been a fair amount of chatter on this site about High Point University regards to it’s academic reputation. My son attended and recently graduated from a well known prep. school (GPA was 85.5 (B) and SAT score for M and CR was 1240). He was accepted at a number of good LAC’s and State Schools. He has decided to attend High Point University and recenlty withdrew his acceptance to an LAC. </p>
<p>I would like to admit that I was a sceptic based on my preliminary research and reading posts on High Point on CC. My son and I took the time to call HP graduates, poll existing students, and meet with professors within the school. We also scheduled a meeting with our local school representative and technology dept… We did this to make sure we felt we had a solid understanding of the school and it’s philosophy for educating it’s students as well as the overall plan or mission for the schools future.</p>
<p>I can honsetly confirm that High Point University is not the same school is was 3-4 years ago, the investment in campus infastructure and cutting edge technology is second to none. The labs and classrooms are incredible, they have hired 40 new professors in the last two years. They have just completed a new communications and business school with land being cleared and developed for new fraternity housing with a completion date of late 2011. Future plans include a new science school to offer Nursing, PT, OT, and a PA program.</p>
<p>High Point also seems very commited to improving it’s academic standing, thonor student programs are thriving, 2010 freshman enrollement has increased to approx. 1020 students for the class of 2010. College Test Scores are up again by approx 50 pointsand the school charges a single comprehensive fee with no hidden costs.</p>
<p>Please note I have no connection to the school other than being a proud parent of a son who listened to his heart, did his research, and found a school that is a good fit. I am not trying to sell High Point, my post is to try to help parents who are on the fence about High Points reputation, do not listen to anyone elses opinions, go visit and see for yourself.</p>
<p>
OK, not sure how that affects anything we are talking about. If they took the SAT, they are counted in the statistics whether they go to a 4 year college, a community college, join the military, or just end up sitting on a couch. Everyone that takes the test and is a second semester junior or a first semester senior, College Board calls a College Bound Senior. Perhaps their choice of words is poor, but since the test is intended to be taken by those who are going to college, they make that assumption. That is the statistic soze was using as the average. If there is a statistic that is the average that only includes those that actually go to a 4 year college, I am not aware of it. It would be almost impossible to gather.</p>
<p>If they never took the SAT, then obviously they can’t be part of the statistics.</p>
<p>I think then what Soze said was accurate. the average SAT score against which HPU is being compared DOES included many who are going to Comm College, etc. </p>
<p>Though I would be more interested in seeing which other schools have similar average SATs. I am sure HPU is not alone in its SAT range.</p>
<p>MJP - There is nothing wrong with “selling” High Point. You know more than most, you have a very good impression of it so far, and the investment seems impressive indeed. Hopefully it lives up to you and your son’s expectations and you can continue to report good things about the school. While the academic stats are on the low side compared to many schools, if they continue to attract students like your son obviously that will change. These things don’t happen fast, it takes quite a few years to make that kind of progress and change a reputation. Your son may be part of a vanguard that is leading to a great future for the school. Best of luck to him. Excellent post, btw.</p>
<p>P.S. Just to be an annoying nit picker, I think it is “skeptic”.</p>
<p>
You are right, I misread it. My apologies to soze for that part, I somehow read it as saying it didn’t include those who go to community college or don’t go to college. I am right about the percentile, but I blew that one! Thanks for catching that.</p>
<p>If High Point has come up with a formula that can keep kids interested in college and not drop out, getting their degrees in 4 years, that is a very strong plus for that school. Most schools that have midrange test scores that are average are not that successful in that regard. </p>
<p>There was a thread about colleges for non academic kids, that at first seemed to be a contradiction. The fact of the matter is that many of our kids are not really interested in academics. The question becomes should they go to college? Then followed by the question of what they should do if they don’t go to college? Sometimes it is only the momentum of the college app movement senior year and peer pressure that even has some of these kids going off to college. Since many of these kids don’t have any other interests either, it becomes problematic as to what to do with them to give them that half step of independence. And yes, at the same time, getting a piece of paper that gives them a bit of a heads up in the job market, and even getting an education at all is a big plus too.</p>
<p>I am writing this as a parent of non academic kids. When my kids were in high school, going to grad school, high academics, were not things they anticipated. We thought hard about giving each of them gap years, all for different reasons, and sent them off to college, again for different reasons. I think a college like Highpoint definitely has a place for students like my kids. It pretty much fulfills the reasons why I ended up sending them to college. </p>
<p>More of the expensive private schools that have a retention problem should be spending their money like Highpoint is to keep the kids in college. Would I prefer that my kids went to a school with accredited programs in their field of study? Of course. Would I prefer a more academically rigorous school? Sure. But above all of that, I want the kids to get out of the danged school in 4 years with a degree. Then 4years older and wiser with paper in hand, they can make their next steps. Dealing with college drop out and unhappiness and loss of directions which happens to ever so many young people these days is really a journey too many parents are suffering. And they are ever stressed out and pained about it. It’s not as though these kids come up with a good alternative to going to school.</p>
<p>Looking at the stats that Soze posted about the sciences programs at HP as opposed to Davidson, I want to make a few pointers. First of all Davidson is a top LAC. One of the most selective schools in the country. My understanding is that it has a very rigorous curriculum and the classes are tough, not only because of the level taught but because the students tend to be top students who are there. THe kids we know who go there, love the school, but they are all very well prepared prep school kids, and very smart to boot. Still, they feel the rigor is up there at the school, and there is an competitive edge to the academic environment. They are used to it, given their high school, but there are kids who have a hard time there because of it.</p>
<p>For a kid with lower stats, Davidson is not a possibility anyways, so to compare the schools is really not relevant. But kids who want to get into the health care field, may do much better in a school where the science departments are small, the atmosphere is nurturing and where learning the materials thoroughly and not giving up is the main goal. I’ve seen kids get this at some of the most unlikely colleges. I’ve seen very bright kids have their pre med dreams smashed at Cornell, Johns Hopkins and other rigorous schools where the departments, best in the world, by the way, tend to weed out rather than nurture. If a kid is interested in research, is truly top of his game in the sciences, well prepared and ready to work his tail off in a competitive environment, these top schools will serve him/her well. Otherwise going to a smaller school with more basic departments, in the natural sciences, smaller departments with intro science course having under 20 kids in them instead of a lecture hall of 200 with TAs doing most of the contact work, is going to give most kids a better chance of succeeding in getting into a health care field. </p>
<p>I went to a tough college with a rigorous science department, and many of the kids who were C’d out of the premed track would have done very well in less difficult schools and ended up as doctors instead of having to stash that dream at age 19. </p>
<p>My son left Cornell after a one hour visit in a rigorous class. He knew this was just not what he wanted. I was having ivy visions in the Hotel Stadler lobby when he came to me and said, “let’s go home.” The reality was that he did not want the rigor of a school like Cornell with the top level kids there. One sniff of that, and he knew to the marrow of his bones. He had spent 4 years with such kids at his prep school, and wanted a break. </p>
<p>Son did not go to High Point. Wasn’t even aware of the school–probably should have been on our list. He picked a small LAC that is hardly known at all here in the NE, and has people speechless when they ask him where he is going to college, as most kids who graduate from his prep school do go to schools with a big name recognition. His pediatrician out and out asked him what was wrong with him, not going to an ivy from there. But the lighter atmosphere, personal attention, smaller class, less rigor, etc of his little college has rejuvenated him greatly. Beyond my dreams. He has gone from the intro fun courses to ones of high rigor, and the profs are working directly with him. He has gotten an internship and a grant for a research project and won a major award and scholarship. He’s also one happy fellow who loves his school and is willing to do some tough work there. </p>
<p>I don’t know if HPU does the same with their kids, but if they come even close, it is worth the investment for some types of students.</p>