When I was in middle school, I was encouraged to apply to a high school they considered to be very prestigious, Hunter College HS, the same school my sister attended. After visiting the school, I didn't hate it, but also wasn't sure that it was really the right fit for me. Nevertheless, after hearing the school praised so much, I decided to take the test (kind of like the NYC Specialized High School Admissions Test, except you had to take it in 6th grade).
I got in, and quickly found myself bored and uninterested. The school had a focus on liberal arts with strong art, theater and social studies programs, but I was always more of a math and science kid growing up. It also had about 200 students per grade, a lot less than I would prefer. In 10th grade, I told my parents that I wasn't happy there and wanted to transfer to a different high school. I knew they might end up being a little disappointed and that the school I would transfer to might not be as good, but I still felt like it was something I had to do for myself.
Within months of transferring, I knew I had made the right choice. My grades improved, I go more involved in clubs and sports, and was just a lot happier overall. This decision also helped spark a desire to continue my education through my undergraduate degree and likely even further down the road. I doubt I would have cared as much about academics as I do now had I stayed at my first high school.
I got in, and quickly found myself bored and uninterested. The school had a focus on liberal arts with strong art, theater and social studies programs, but I was always more of a math and science kid growing up. It also had about 200 students per grade, a lot less than I would prefer. In 10th grade, I told my parents that I wasn't happy there and wanted to transfer to a different high school. I knew they might end up being a little disappointed and that the school I would transfer to might not be as good, but I still felt like it was something I had to do for myself.
Within months of transferring, I knew I had made the right choice. My grades improved, I go more involved in clubs and sports, and was just a lot happier overall. This decision also helped spark a desire to continue my education through my undergraduate degree and likely even further down the road. I doubt I would have cared as much about academics as I do now had I stayed at my first high school.
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