Stanford OHS

[rainbird2]

Has anyone had a student attend high school and graduate from Stanford Online?  Or, is anyone currently enrolled?  My high schooler applied this year and was accepted. 

The application process was close to natural childbirth.  

 

[Lanny]

Possibly if you Search with Google, limiting your search to WTM, you can find some old posts from a few years back, about the Stanford school. I remember reading about it at least once, several  years ago or more,  but that had more to do with the Social aspects of them having a Prom on one side of the country one year and on the other side of the country the next year.  Something like that. Also. you should try searching with the Search here on WTM, but a lot of people report that doesn't work for them. But give it a try, with your Search Terms.

My DD is an alumna of Texas Tech University High School (and their Middle School) and is now in her 4th semester at UNC ("Carolina")     (TTU-K12 formerly known as TTUISD)

Good luck with your search for information about the Stanford Online school!

[Not_a_Number]

I believe @daijobu has kids who took some classes but weren't attending full-time? 

[Farrar]

Congrats! 

I've had clients attend. It is - hands down - the best there is out there in online schools. Now, that said, the price tag is high and there are a lot of amazing courses out there for a lot less, so it doesn't make sense for all students, even those who can get in.

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Farrar said:

Congrats! 

I've had clients attend. It is - hands down - the best there is out there in online schools. Now, that said, the price tag is high and there are a lot of amazing courses out there for a lot less, so it doesn't make sense for all students, even those who can get in.

What makes it the best? We've definitely looked at it as an option. 

[Farrar]

11 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

What makes it the best? We've definitely looked at it as an option. 

Well, in terms of quality full online schools, there's not like there's a ton of competition. Most of them are basically K12 or FLVS style options, no matter what they say. That, or they're strongly Christian like WHA so that's fine, but just in a different category in my mind. So, like, is it better than Laurel Springs? Um, yes. The other contenders in my mind would be things like Dwight Global or Davidson - but Davidson is much harder to get into.

In terms of individual classes... it's really good, but I do think one could approximate much of the experience of taking classes there by choosing the right courses from other top providers. But they have some offerings that are much more unique and the kids in the course will be engaged in the material, wanting the challenge for the most part - that's a big draw for many people. Again, you can find those things in other places, but it can be harder.

ETA: I'm singing their praises, but it's not an option I considered even once for my own kids, so I feel like that's an important point to make. Nor is it one that I recommend a ton to people. It's definitely right for some in some situations.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Farrar

[Not_a_Number]

11 minutes ago, Farrar said:

Nor is it one that I recommend a ton to people. It's definitely right for some in some situations.

What situations would you say it's right for? And why don't you usually recommend it? 

Thanks so much for your input! I hope you don't mind the interrogation. I'm definitely thinking way ahead here 😉 . 

[Roadrunner]

1 hour ago, Not_a_Number said:

What situations would you say it's right for? And why don't you usually recommend it? 

Thanks so much for your input! I hope you don't mind the interrogation. I'm definitely thinking way ahead here 😉 . 

It is for gifted high performing kids. I hear wonderful reviews about professors. Courses have live component. Workload is significant but not busywork. They have very high level courses if you end up needing them. And they have clubs, which keep kids engaged. I would absolutely keep it on a short list for your DD. 
I regret not applying when time was right. We couldn’t have afforded it though. 

[Not_a_Number]

8 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

It is for gifted high performing kids. I hear wonderful reviews about professors. Courses have live component. Workload is significant but not busywork. They have very high level courses if you end up needing them. And they have clubs, which keep kids engaged. I would absolutely keep it on a short list for your DD. 
I regret not applying when time was right. We couldn’t have afforded it though. 

Thank you! That's helpful. It's definitely on our list... gathering info right now 🙂 . I like to gather info!! 

[Farrar]

Seconding what Roadrunner said. They don't give tons of aid, so family has to be able to afford it. The classes are very much high powered in terms of work load and expectations. I don't feel like they're for "gifted" kids as much as academically advanced kids who like school. They're definitely more likely to be a fit for gifted kids, though.

But there are classes that give as much quality teacher feedback - Blue Tent or Integritas, for example. And classes that have lively and challenging discussions - like the new CTY live classes. And classes that are as nichely academic, like the One Schoolhouse classes. And classes that are thorough and academic, like PAH courses. And sometimes dual enrollment can be as good. I guess I'm just saying... they're definitely worth it for the right situation, but families who can't swing it can look for other options and families who don't have kids who need that level of challenge aren't missing out on anything.

[MamaSprout]

We've gotten lots of mail from them, but never pursued it. The year dd could have qualified for the big scholarship (7th grade by age), was around the time her health problems started that we didn't get untangled until half way through 8th grade. 

We probably wouldn't have gone for it. Our state's gifted boarding school costs less per semester than one class costs at SOHS.

I know what you mean about application process, though. Dd applied to early college boarding high school and I was like, "Okay, why don't you just go to college now because that's basically the paperwork we just did."

ETA- if you don't get any BTDT response here, send me a PM. 

Edited March 6, 2021 by MamaSprout

[Roadrunner]

12 minutes ago, Farrar said:

Seconding what Roadrunner said. They don't give tons of aid, so family has to be able to afford it. The classes are very much high powered in terms of work load and expectations. I don't feel like they're for "gifted" kids as much as academically advanced kids who like school. They're definitely more likely to be a fit for gifted kids, though.

But there are classes that give as much quality teacher feedback - Blue Tent or Integritas, for example. And classes that have lively and challenging discussions - like the new CTY live classes. And classes that are as nichely academic, like the One Schoolhouse classes. And classes that are thorough and academic, like PAH courses. And sometimes dual enrollment can be as good. I guess I'm just saying... they're definitely worth it for the right situation, but families who can't swing it can look for other options and families who don't have kids who need that level of challenge aren't missing out on anything.

Well, we decided we couldn’t swing it, didn’t apply, and went the other way as you described. Now we regret it. OHS would have given my kid exactly the level of academics he needs, and most of all, it would have given him the community, which he lacks. Now we live in a rural area, so in person opportunities are very limited. We thought maybe DE would work, but with Covid, in person courses have become a true mark of privilege. In CA only some private schools have managed to have anything in person. While UCs and CSUs open their doors in the Fall, community colleges which serve the most disadvantaged population (those who can’t afford to be at a four year school and those who needed a second chance) will remain online. There is nobody to advocate for those students. Most Teachers online aren’t teaching but linking free available videos and assuming the students will self study. It’s a disaster. My DS’s teacher last March completely disappeared as the course went online. 
Yes, individual excellent courses exist at Bluetent (you have seen me rave about calculus there) and elsewhere, but it gives my DS a very fragmented experience. OHS with its weekly clubs, and its community, and it’s excellent teaching, and a great peer group would have been absolutely perfect. I really messed up there. 😞 

Edited March 6, 2021 by Roadrunner

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, Roadrunner said:

OHS with its weekly clubs, and its community, and it’s excellent teaching, and a great peer group would have been absolutely perfect. I really messed up there. 😞 

For us, the cohesiveness of the community is what appeals. I'm sorry you feel like you messed up, though! You weren't really supposed to be able to predict a pandemic 😉 . 

[Farrar]

16 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Well, we decided we couldn’t swing it, didn’t apply, and went the other way as you described. Now we regret it. OHS would have given my kid exactly the level of academics he needs, and most of all, it would have given him the community, which he lacks. Now we live in a rural area, so in person opportunities are very limited. We thought maybe DE would work, but with Covid, in person courses have become a true mark of privilege. In CA only some private schools have managed to have anything in person. While UCs and CSUs open their doors in the Fall, community colleges which serve the most disadvantaged population (those who can’t afford to be at a four year school and those who needed a second chance) will remain online. There is nobody to advocate for those students. Most Teachers online aren’t teaching but linking free available videos and assuming the students will self study. It’s a disaster. My DS’s teacher last March completely disappeared as the course went online. 
Yes, individual excellent courses exist at Bluetent (you have seen me rave about calculus there) and elsewhere, but it gives my DS a very fragmented experience. OHS with its weekly clubs, and its community, and it’s excellent teaching, and a great peer group would have been absolutely perfect. I really messed up there. 😞 

We've had two radically different experiences at two community colleges with Covid. One went online and the profs disappeared and the workload went poof. The other doubled down on being present, showing up, in class online stuff. It's been... interesting.

The community thing... Yeah. I think these are challenges for a lot of students homeschooling. We didn't face that exactly, but we know many who have.

[Roadrunner]

4 minutes ago, Farrar said:

We've had two radically different experiences at two community colleges with Covid. One went online and the profs disappeared and the workload went poof. The other doubled down on being present, showing up, in class online stuff. It's been... interesting.

The community thing... Yeah. I think these are challenges for a lot of students homeschooling. We didn't face that exactly, but we know many who have.

It’s so bad here that I am trying to persuade DS to apply a year early to colleges. He is terrified and refuses to even consider it. 

[daijobu]

No, my student did not attend full time, did not graduate, and is not currently attending.

[MamaSprout]

54 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Well, we decided we couldn’t swing it, didn’t apply, and went the other way as you described. Now we regret it. OHS would have given my kid exactly the level of academics he needs, and most of all, it would have given him the community, which he lacks. Now we live in a rural area, so in person opportunities are very limited. We thought maybe DE would work, but with Covid, in person courses have become a true mark of privilege. In CA only some private schools have managed to have anything in person. While UCs and CSUs open their doors in the Fall, community colleges which serve the most disadvantaged population (those who can’t afford to be at a four year school and those who needed a second chance) will remain online. There is nobody to advocate for those students. Most Teachers online aren’t teaching but linking free available videos and assuming the students will self study. It’s a disaster. My DS’s teacher last March completely disappeared as the course went online. 
Yes, individual excellent courses exist at Bluetent (you have seen me rave about calculus there) and elsewhere, but it gives my DS a very fragmented experience. OHS with its weekly clubs, and its community, and it’s excellent teaching, and a great peer group would have been absolutely perfect. I really messed up there. 😞 

This is basically us, but dd just doesn’t like online classes well enough for it to have worked for her. We are lucky that our DE option is a private school that has run some level of face to face classes all year, and will be pretty close to normal this fall.

ETA- the community thing has been  a huge problem. Dd is applying for jobs right now, so hopefully that will help.

Edited March 6, 2021 by MamaSprout

[Not_a_Number]

26 minutes ago, daijobu said:

No, my student did not attend full time, did not graduate, and is not currently attending.

Yeah, you don't fit the description, I just thought you might have more input than me 😉 . 

[mathnerd]

@Arcadiamight have some inputs as I remember her son took some classes there a while ago.

[Arcadia]

14 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

@Arcadiamight have some inputs as I remember her son took some classes there a while ago.

My son took from continuing studies, not OHS.

@daijobu daughter took some OHS classes 

[Swimmer1112]

8 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:

What situations would you say it's right for? And why don't you usually recommend it? 

Thanks so much for your input! I hope you don't mind the interrogation. I'm definitely thinking way ahead here 😉 . 

SOHS attracts a lot of international students, who want to attend US colleges. A couple my Chinese friends had their kids attend, hoping it will give them an edge when applying to colleges. It is gear towards gifted students, but the heavy work load gives kids who are good at school an advantage. 

[Roadrunner]

9 hours ago, Farrar said:

Well, in terms of quality full online schools, there's not like there's a ton of competition. Most of them are basically K12 or FLVS style options, no matter what they say. That, or they're strongly Christian like WHA so that's fine, but just in a different category in my mind. So, like, is it better than Laurel Springs? Um, yes. The other contenders in my mind would be things like Dwight Global or Davidson - but Davidson is much harder to get into.

In terms of individual classes... it's really good, but I do think one could approximate much of the experience of taking classes there by choosing the right courses from other top providers. But they have some offerings that are much more unique and the kids in the course will be engaged in the material, wanting the challenge for the most part - that's a big draw for many people. Again, you can find those things in other places, but it can be harder.

ETA: I'm singing their praises, but it's not an option I considered even once for my own kids, so I feel like that's an important point to make. Nor is it one that I recommend a ton to people. It's definitely right for some in some situations.

Do you know anybody who has taken AP English Language at CTY? 

[Farrar]

Just now, Roadrunner said:

Do you know anybody who has taken AP English Language at CTY? 

I actually don't. There are so many options for it that I think people are less likely to use it.

[Roadrunner]

Just now, Farrar said:

I actually don't. There are so many options for it that I think people are less likely to use it.

I can’t find a single person who has used them for AP English. I have tried asking everybody. 😂

[Farrar]

1 minute ago, Roadrunner said:

I can’t find a single person who has used them for AP English. I have tried asking everybody. 😂

I mean, there are so many other options, so I'm guessing that explains it? The two core groups who use CTY are homeschoolers and public schoolers who need enrichment. But like, any school with an AP program will have AP Lang. I'll bet it's the only AP exam at some schools or one of two or three at a lot of schools with smaller AP programs. Given how expensive it is to do a CTY course and given how many other options there are... I wonder that they even have it, honestly.

[Roadrunner]

4 minutes ago, Farrar said:

 

 

Just now, Farrar said:

I mean, there are so many other options, so I'm guessing that explains it? The two core groups who use CTY are homeschoolers and public schoolers who need enrichment. But like, any school with an AP program will have AP Lang. I'll bet it's the only AP exam at some schools or one of two or three at a lot of schools with smaller AP programs. Given how expensive it is to do a CTY course and given how many other options there are... I wonder that they even have it, honestly.

For people like me 😂.

I don’t like what I hear about PAH. I know people adore certain teachers there, but I have had enough conversations with parents IRL about those teachers to know we don’t want them.

Blutent AP English scares the life out of me. I remember reviews on massive number of hours. And I really don’t like moodle classroom. I also don’t like how fragmented their courses are (too many moving parts). 
 

I won’t touch any other provider (Silicon Valley High Schools and the likes) for AP courses.

So see, there is a place for CTY, if I could just find a review. 🤣

[Farrar]

7 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

 

For people like me 😂.

I don’t like what I hear about PAH. I know people adore certain teachers there, but I have had enough conversations with parents IRL about those teachers to know we don’t want them.

Blutent AP English scares the life out of me. I remember reviews on massive number of hours. And I really don’t like moodle classroom. I also don’t like how fragmented their courses are (too many moving parts). 
 

I won’t touch any other provider (Silicon Valley High Schools and the likes) for AP courses.

So see, there is a place for CTY, if I could just find a review. 🤣

My kid is taking the Lili Serbicki class at Aim in the fall. This will be the first (and apparently the only as he's a rising senior) time he'll have English not with me. We'd do dual enrollment, but this is much, much cheaper for us. I've got some good reviews on it. But... we chose it because it seems like it's not going to be an intensive AP. So that's probably not what you want.

The moving parts on Blue Tent are also not totally my cup of tea. I recommend them pretty often, but I think they're flawed. I like my own humanities class, lol, but I guess that's to be expected. I will say that some of the essays that I've read by kids who have gone through a number of levels at BT are genuinely impressive and I'm hard to impress with writing.

[Roadrunner]

2 minutes ago, Farrar said:

My kid is taking the Lili Serbicki class at Aim in the fall. This will be the first (and apparently the only as he's a rising senior) time he'll have English not with me. We'd do dual enrollment, but this is much, much cheaper for us. I've got some good reviews on it. But... we chose it because it seems like it's not going to be an intensive AP. So that's probably not what you want.

The moving parts on Blue Tent are also not totally my cup of tea. I recommend them pretty often, but I think they're flawed. I like my own humanities class, lol, but I guess that's to be expected. I will say that some of the essays that I've read by kids who have gone through a number of levels at BT are genuinely impressive and I'm hard to impress with writing.

It’s also possible that the self selecting group of strong kids end up at BT since they are known for English. 

[Farrar]

1 minute ago, Roadrunner said:

It’s also possible that the self selecting group of strong kids end up at BT since they are known for English. 

To some extent, definitely. But there's also clearly some writing tricks that they've all learned in terms of how to craft complex sentences, take a pattern and vary it, etc. in ways that I don't see most kids doing that I'm pretty sure they're picking up from the BT feedback specifically.

[Roadrunner]

1 minute ago, Farrar said:

To some extent, definitely. But there's also clearly some writing tricks that they've all learned in terms of how to craft complex sentences, take a pattern and vary it, etc. in ways that I don't see most kids doing that I'm pretty sure they're picking up from the BT feedback specifically.

All the Killgalon we have done here.... 

 

[Farrar]

2 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

All the Killgalon we have done here.... 

 

Yes! I love Killgalon. 🙂

[Not_a_Number]

9 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

For people like me 😂.

I don’t like what I hear about PAH. I know people adore certain teachers there, but I have had enough conversations with parents IRL about those teachers to know we don’t want them.

What do you hear about PAH?

[Roadrunner]

2 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:

What do you hear about PAH?

I meant their AP English courses. I have talked to some parents and those aren’t exactly what we need. It’s hard for me to explain what I want, but I will know when I see it. 🙂 

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, Roadrunner said:

I meant their AP English courses. I have talked to some parents and those aren’t exactly what we need. It’s hard for me to explain what I want, but I will know when I see it. 🙂 

Oh, OK. I'm just curious what you've heard! 

[Roadrunner]

15 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Oh, OK. I'm just curious what you've heard! 

Oh, nothing bad. Just not what would work here - asynchronous, board participation requirements. Even assignments, we need more focused work. 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Roadrunner

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, Roadrunner said:

Oh, nothing bad. Just not what would work here - asynchronous, board participation requirements. Even assignments, we need more focused work. 

Oh, I see. Asynchronous does sound suboptimal. I can't imagine choosing that mode. 

[rainbird2]

On 3/6/2021 at 4:54 AM, Lanny said:

Possibly if you Search with Google, limiting your search to WTM, you can find some old posts from a few years back, about the Stanford school. I remember reading about it at least once, several  years ago or more,  but that had more to do with the Social aspects of them having a Prom on one side of the country one year and on the other side of the country the next year.  Something like that. Also. you should try searching with the Search here on WTM, but a lot of people report that doesn't work for them. But give it a try, with your Search Terms.

My DD is an alumna of Texas Tech University High School (and their Middle School) and is now in her 4th semester at UNC ("Carolina")     (TTU-K12 formerly known as TTUISD)

Good luck with your search for information about the Stanford Online school!

Hi Lanny, I did a Google/WTM search but I didn't get much from it.  I'm looking for experiences of high schoolers attending the school.  What were the classes like?  What about the work load?  How did they enjoy the clubs, and were there enough in person meet ups for them?  Is it possible for an online HS to build a community virtually (with some in person meet ups included)? Were the counselors helpful?  Did the high schoolers feel prepared for college, and how was the transition to college?

You may be able to answer some of those questions for me because your daughter went to an online HS and seems to be thriving at a great college.  Was the online HS experience sufficient at meeting her academic and social needs?  Were there specific clubs through TTUISD that she met with, or did she have an outside EC that satisfied her social needs?  Was there a true community through an online HS?  I know it probably wouldn't be the same as attending an acutal HS, but was it adequate?

[rainbird2]

21 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

It is for gifted high performing kids. I hear wonderful reviews about professors. Courses have live component. Workload is significant but not busywork. They have very high level courses if you end up needing them. And they have clubs, which keep kids engaged. I would absolutely keep it on a short list for your DD. 
I regret not applying when time was right. We couldn’t have afforded it though. 

Roadrunner, my high schooler applied for these reasons...community of high performing kids, wonderful professors, classes with live component, all of it.  What we are looking for most is that community of like-minded thinkers.  High schooler wants the clubs and the monthly in person meet-ups - we are close to the Bay Area.  I hope we found it at Stanford OHS. 

[rainbird2]

21 hours ago, MamaSprout said:

We've gotten lots of mail from them, but never pursued it. The year dd could have qualified for the big scholarship (7th grade by age), was around the time her health problems started that we didn't get untangled until half way through 8th grade. 

We probably wouldn't have gone for it. Our state's gifted boarding school costs less per semester than one class costs at SOHS.

I know what you mean about application process, though. Dd applied to early college boarding high school and I was like, "Okay, why don't you just go to college now because that's basically the paperwork we just did."

ETA- if you don't get any BTDT response here, send me a PM. 

There was one point in the process where I looked at DH and said, "I think I'm going to cry.  Please hold my hand...this hurts."  It was so unbelievably difficult!!  I guess that's a way for the school to weed out applicants??  I don't get it.  I told my high schooler that we should have just applied to Stanford.  We will apply to colleges way ahead of time and understand it will be a long, arduous process. 

I hope my high schooler thrives in the program and gets a diploma because I want my baby after all that, lol.

[rainbird2]

21 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Well, we decided we couldn’t swing it, didn’t apply, and went the other way as you described. Now we regret it. OHS would have given my kid exactly the level of academics he needs, and most of all, it would have given him the community, which he lacks. Now we live in a rural area, so in person opportunities are very limited. We thought maybe DE would work, but with Covid, in person courses have become a true mark of privilege. In CA only some private schools have managed to have anything in person. While UCs and CSUs open their doors in the Fall, community colleges which serve the most disadvantaged population (those who can’t afford to be at a four year school and those who needed a second chance) will remain online. There is nobody to advocate for those students. Most Teachers online aren’t teaching but linking free available videos and assuming the students will self study. It’s a disaster. My DS’s teacher last March completely disappeared as the course went online. 
Yes, individual excellent courses exist at Bluetent (you have seen me rave about calculus there) and elsewhere, but it gives my DS a very fragmented experience. OHS with its weekly clubs, and its community, and it’s excellent teaching, and a great peer group would have been absolutely perfect. I really messed up there. 😞 

Just wanted to say that I'm sorry, Roadrunner.  😞  We were trying to piecemeal classes for ds - AOPS, Memoria Press, DE - but it wasn't working.  The quality of teachers varied with each program, and we want something consistent and cohesive.  We had to drop the DE class because of the exact reasons you said.  We're in rural CA, too, and the CC situation in our area is not good, either.  Teachers just sent videos and said good luck.  No thanks. 

It was a real struggle, and my high schooler was really upset about it.  If he wasn't accepted to Stanford OHS, we said he would graduate early and  go to our local college. 

It's hard, but don't beat yourself up.  I hope you come up with a solution soon.

[rainbird2]

22 hours ago, daijobu said:

No, my student did not attend full time, did not graduate, and is not currently attending.

Daijobu, would you mind sharing your student's experiences?  What did your student like?  Dislike?

You have to forgive me...I'm not a regular on the board, so I don't know people that well.  But, I am assuming you are a teacher at AOPS?? My high schooler LOVES AOPS!  I wonder if you have taught ds before??  What classes do you normally teach?

Edited March 7, 2021 by rainbird2

[Roadrunner]

9 minutes ago, rainbird2 said:

Just wanted to say that I'm sorry, Roadrunner.  😞  We were trying to piecemeal classes for ds - AOPS, Memoria Press, DE - but it wasn't working.  The quality of teachers varied with each program, and we want something consistent and cohesive.  We had to drop the DE class because of the exact reasons you said.  We're in rural CA, too, and the CC situation in our area is not good, either.  Teachers just sent videos and said good luck.  No thanks. 

It was a real struggle, and my high schooler was really upset about it.  If he wasn't accepted to Stanford OHS, we said he would graduate early and  go to our local college. 

It's hard, but don't beat yourself up.  I hope you come up with a solution soon.

Would you mind sharing which grade he got accepted into? 

[Lanny]

51 minutes ago, rainbird2 said:

Hi Lanny, I did a Google/WTM search but I didn't get much from it.  I'm looking for experiences of high schoolers attending the school.  What were the classes like?  What about the work load?  How did they enjoy the clubs, and were there enough in person meet ups for them?  Is it possible for an online HS to build a community virtually (with some in person meet ups included)? Were the counselors helpful?  Did the high schoolers feel prepared for college, and how was the transition to college?

You may be able to answer some of those questions for me because your daughter went to an online HS and seems to be thriving at a great college.  Was the online HS experience sufficient at meeting her academic and social needs?  Were there specific clubs through TTUISD that she met with, or did she have an outside EC that satisfied her social needs?  Was there a true community through an online HS?  I know it probably wouldn't be the same as attending an acutal HS, but was it adequate?

When my DD was in TTUISD (now TTU-K12) there were no clubs that I am aware of except that when she was in Texas Tech University High School she was invited to apply for the National Honor Society and she did participate in some group activities for NHS.  Yes, thanks to the 7 years she spent in TTUISD, my DD is thriving in UNC and I thank God and TTUISD for that. She was well prepared.

Social needs are a big thing for home schooled and distance learning students and that probably will not be met by the school. I think one needs to find local activities because that is also an important part of life.

In my memory, there wasn't a community of students when my DD was a student there during those 7 school years. The administrators and some of the Instructors were awesome.  When DD needed Letters of Recommendation for her university applications, one of them literally brought tears to my eyes. The way that (Physics) Instructor wrote about my DD made me so proud to be her father. 

Please remember that when we were looking for an alternative for our DD that was during 2012 and she needed to begin in Middle School (6th grade) and there were far fewer places offering Middle School at that time.

I did look at Stanford OHS on their web site at that time, but they didn't offer Middle School and that is not within our very limited budget.  I can tell you from friends and relatives I have great respect for people who are graduates of the university and for a late uncle who was a Full Professor of Engineering there when he was very young.

What are the kids who are geniuses called?  Protege?  3 or 4 years ago, possibly more,  there was a boy who graduated from Texas Tech University High School when he was 12 years old if my memory is correct.  I think both of his parents were Aeronautical Engineers. They moved to New York and he began attending Cornell University.  Not sure of all of those things but basically that happened. IMO someone like him might benefit from being more challenged at Stanford OHS than in TTUISD (TTU-K12).

When I read what you wrote (quoted above) you seem to be very interested in the Social aspects of Online Schools and in general if I assume, that's where they are lacking a lot in what a student in a Brick and Mortar School has available to them for ECs. If you can get the Social stuff and ECs somewhere else, an Online school will be fine, IF the student has the Time Management skills and the Self Disciplinie required to be successful with Asynchronous courses. 

BTW, in this thread or another thread someone indicated a dislike for the "Moodle" LMS.  I remember when DD began in TTUISD (October 2012) they used Moodle. I think several years later they changed to a more elegant (?) LMS that they paid for. My DD  had a number of experiences with Online courses during her 7 school years in TTUISD.

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever anticipate the COVID-19 Pandemic and how that would affect my DD and millions of other college/university students.  My DD, because of her experiences in TTUISD was prepared well for when they switched to Online courses late in March of 2020.

There is another thread here very recently about studying textbooks from page one to the last page. When DD was in TTUISD they did that and I believe that is a big plus for any student who can do that, which would probably be impossible in a brick and mortar school.

Bottom Line: Social things and ECs will probably need to be done outside of the Online School unless one has mega bucks for the Stanford OHS.

There were 2 or 3 other schools I looked at in 2012 and from the information available on their web sites and in what they sent to me, were, to use a polite word on a family oriented web site, EVASIVE about what they were offering.  Run, do not walk, from places like that who try to get you to sign up after you make an inquiry, without answering your questions,

[rainbird2]

10th grade. 

I had great ambitions to choose the best courses from here and there and make the best program for him, but 9th grade didn't work.  Well, it worked, but it wasn't sufficient.  Some of his classes were subpar, the CC is so unpredictable, and ds is wanting the like-minded community.  We weren't even thinking about Stanford or a complete online HS, but it's needed in our situation. 

I think some of you HS homeschool gurus (Farrar!) should have a semester long online class on navigating the complexities of homeschooling high school. There are too many options out there these days and it's overwhelming!! 

[Roadrunner]

1 minute ago, rainbird2 said:

10th grade. 

I had great ambitions to choose the best courses from here and there and make the best program for him, but 9th grade didn't work.  Well, it worked, but it wasn't sufficient.  Some of his classes were subpar, the CC is so unpredictable, and ds is wanting the like-minded community.  We weren't even thinking about Stanford or a complete online HS, but it's needed in our situation. 

I think some of you HS homeschool gurus (Farrar!) should have a semester long online class on navigating the complexities of homeschooling high school. There are too many options out there these days and it's overwhelming!! 

You could be describing us. I think you made a great choice. I wish we had done the same. Best of luck to your DS!

Edited March 7, 2021 by Roadrunner

[rainbird2]

Thanks, Lanny!!  DS has two great extracurriculars, so we are good there.  They were heavily sidelined because of the pandemic, but things will return to normal soon. 

The academic community is what ds really needs.  I think we will find it at Stanford OHS. 

 

 

[rainbird2]

8 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

You could be describing us. I think you made a great choice. I wish we had done the same. Best of luck to your DS!

Would it be possible to take one class with Stanford OHS so your ds would have access to the clubs and summer program at Stanford? 

 

[Not_a_Number]

1 hour ago, rainbird2 said:

Daijobu, would you mind sharing your student's experiences?  What did your student like?  Dislike?

You have to forgive me...I'm not a regular on the board, so I don't know people that well.  But, I am assuming you are a teacher at AOPS?? My high schooler LOVES AOPS!  I wonder if you have taught ds before??  What classes do you normally teach?

I'm the teacher at AoPS. I don't believe daijobu is 🙂 . 

[rainbird2]

Oops!!  I made a mistake there...typing while children are screaming at me.  My apologies!  😊

What do you teach at AoPS?  I have other kids who will be taking classes in the future.  Do you know anything about how math is taught at Stanford OHS?  My ds said he's reluctant to stop his classes at AoPS...he loves the program.  He made it to state level MathCounts Competition last year, but it was cancelled because of Covid.  He's still really upset about that.  He said AoPS adequately prepared him for the competition!

I'm hoping Stanford OHS can help him prepare for future math competitions because he is hooked and wants to continue.  We'll look for a math club.  I think he will continue with math contest prep at AoPS while attending Stanford OHS.

Now we want to know who you are!!  😁

Edited March 7, 2021 by rainbird2

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, rainbird2 said:

Oops!!  I made a mistake there...typing while children are screaming at me.  My apologies!  😊

What do you teach at AoPS?  I have other kids who will be taking classes in the future.  Do you know anything about how math is taught at Stanford OHS?  My ds said he's reluctant to stop his classes at AoPS...he loves the program.  He made it to state level MathCounts Competition last year, but it was cancelled because of Covid.  He's still really upset about that.  He said AoPS adequately prepared him for the competition!

I'm hoping Stanford OHS can help him prepare for future math competitions because he is hooked and wants to continue.  I think he will continue with math contest prep at AoPS while attending Stanford OHS.

Now we want to know who you are!!  😁

I'll PM you 🙂 . I've had issues with people knowing who I am publicly, unfortunately.