We went down this road this year. We were faced with several excellent opportunities for Mr W and had to make a choice.
Is the curriculum explicitly accelerated? When you go into a 4th grade classroom, are the texts from the 5th and 6th grade?
Are there any kids working 4+ grades, ie a 9th grader taking calculus?
Are the GT kids you meet who are your kids age on his level in terms of alertness, vocabulary, and perceptiveness?
How many National Merit Finalists does the school have each year as a % of the student body? 30+ NMSF or > 10% is a great sign.
Any students doing dual entrollment as juniors and seniors?
How many students go to MIT or Caltech each year? Need at least one each year.
Does the school regularly place teams and individuals in local and state contests, ie AMC, Intel, DI, debate, chess, and music, and do they compete across the intellectual spectrum, or in just one area?
Is the school a strong community, or is the parent a bit actor? What do the online forums say about the school, ie citydata, urbanbaby, and yelp?
Are the teachers comfortable in their roles and will they speak freely to you?
What are the hidden costs, ie fees, after school costs, etc? How will the costs inflate over the next 12 years?
Is there another school that is flexible and less expensive and then can you use the money to do enrichment?
Would YOU have enjoyed going there when YOU were in middle school and HS?
Last edited by Austin; 03/09/12 02:57 PM.
