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Now that middle school is coming to an end and students know where they will be attending high school next year, there is a little preparation that can be done this summer to help facilitate a comfortable, successful move to a new school this September. Fear, stress, and anxiety don’t have to be stumbling blocks even if they can’t be entirely removed.
Which brings me to my first point:
As the head of a high school, I read and write more than my fair share of letters of recommendation and I have frequently found myself asking if what I’m composing, or what I’m reviewing, carries enough importance to merit the amount of time and energy that goes into it.
Now that we’re getting close to the end of the academic year, there are parents and students coming to the conclusion that they need to start thinking about summer classes for high school students in NYC. Whether it’s summer high school science programs or summer math classes for high school students, finding the optimal setting takes advance planning and now is probably a good time to start looking.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re searching for summer classes in NYC:
High school years are some of the most influential ones in a person’s life. Children make that transition from being a child to a young adult, and the process of pulling away from parents and establishing independence and a personal identity moves into full swing. The culture and environment during this pivotal period plays a major influence in the direction a person’s life will take when turning 18 years old. How do you know if you are choosing the right high school?
As families feel the economic squeeze more and more, financial aid will become increasingly more important when selecting a private high school. Paying tuition on top of trying to save for college can put a huge strain on the family budget. The simple solution is seeking a high school scholarship. Simple, yes; but not easy--it takes a lot of planning. There are two main sources of funding for scholarships for high school students--the school itself as well as national and regional scholarship and voucher programs.
Just as in almost every other field, there is competition among schools. While we like to take the lofty attitude that we are above that, the reality is that with a limited population and many seats to fill, all schools need to be sensitive to attracting potential new members to their student body. To do that, a multitude of devices are employed such as attractive tuition fees and weakened curricula--often at the expense of quality of education when the goal is a solid college preparatory program.
With the new school year beginning, students and their parents are once again concerned with issues of bullying in school. As a headmaster, it’s not unusual for a parent (and sometimes even a student) to subtly ask about the level of bullying when interviewing at a new school.
I always answer with confidence: the degree of bullying at our school is almost non-existent. Predictably, the look of calm relief that washes across the faces in the room is measurable.
Are you starting to look for a school next year? Just like the college admission game, getting into a private high school in Manhattan can be a strategizing and stressful experience. Although there isn’t a report like the one U.S. News & World Report publishes so parents can see top ranking schools, there is an unspoken hierarchy passed among parents and other education professionals as to which schools are “the best.”
Do you ever feel like you just don’t fit in at your school? Mean kids, exclusive cliques, lunchroom gossip, bullying in the halls, unfriendly teachers, no one listens to you and no one cares? Most teenagers feel that way at one time or another, but when the atmosphere at school becomes so oppressive that it’s keeping you from performing at your best, it’s time for a change.
