DD is in a HG school like Hunter, 7-12 grades. The curriculum is accelerated but they try and get the kids thinking out of the box, problem solving. At the end, they are driven, ambitious, applying to the top schools. But it doesn't mean they don't have a show where they sing and act, or have school "clubs" and go off twice a year for a week of community building.
Teens can lose or gain 20 IQ points in these years of brain development. Last year, when DD started out and was used to the easy pace of public school, she was getting 3-4s. But then she realized that she had to apply herself if she wanted opportunities in the debate club and other stuff she wanted. That application was far reaching. All of sudden her focus was better, she desire to do better mushroomed in her school work and she ended the year 4s and 5s. She is now capable of getting 5s in her school work but still do debate, be part of the jazz dance in the show, be on the ski team, the track team. (All her choice -- the ski team gets 4 days per year just to go skiing) This school teaches her to manage her time, to push her brain to think better. Not to do the minimum, but to do her best. Takes more work than slacking. But she likes it. She really likes getting the 5s, being more creative, more industrious AND seeing the positive results. This all happened, not because of my nagging, (which I tried) but as a result of wanting to be on debate and knowing it was going to be competitive. She saw what she wanted and worked for it. And the work spilled over. I credit the level of the school. I do not believe she would have pushed herself in an easier school.
