If you’re a high school student, you’re probably thinking about whether or not you should go to college after you graduate. This subject can be a stressful one for students, since many colleges are hard to get into and demand much more study and skill from students than high schools typically do.
But do charter schools do a better job of preparing students for college than public schools? Let’s talk about it.
After completing high school, it is often the default assumption for most students that they will go off to college and continue their education. Many students have college in mind even early on in high course work. As modern education changes, charter schools are receiving more attention from parents, students, and teachers. Many are unsure how graduating from a charter school might impact their chances of enrolling in college compared to a traditional high school.
Charter Schools Enhancing College Prep
Charter schools stand out because they can focus on getting students ready for college. They can pick and choose their educational programs and curricula to meet college standards, something that regular public schools may not always do. This means they can offer advanced placement classes, college-level courses, and specialized programs in fields like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) that might not be available elsewhere. Each charter school is governed by its own specific “charter,” which dictates how the school will be run. This means that some schools can put greater focus on higher education.
Innovative Teaching Methods
Many charter schools are at the forefront of teaching innovation. They use new teaching methods that suit different learning styles, like project-based learning and inquiry-based teaching. These methods help students actually learn and remember important concepts, as opposed to cramming for a test.
When it comes to getting into college, the playing field is more level than you might think. Colleges and universities receive applications from students all across the country and even from around the world. The backgrounds of the applicants come from schools both large and small, well-known and obscure. Because of this diversity, colleges have to find a way to standardize the admissions and enrollment process. They primarily focus on measurements like GPA and test scores to evaluate applicants. This means that the size or reputation of your high school often matters less than your personal academic achievements. The fact that a student attends a charter school doesn’t typically have a negative impact on the admissions process.
Focus on Academics
If colleges don’t focus on which school you graduate from, then what do they focus on? Often, it is your grades and your test scores (like those on the SAT) that have a bigger impact on college admissions. This is where the high school you attend can make a difference. Charter schools like Career Prep, in particular, are focused on creating a more individualized and personalized learning environment. We are specifically geared towards overcoming the challenges that prevent students from attending and succeeding in school.
Schools like Career Prep that can provide more one-on-one attention to students can greatly increase their chances of being accepted to the college they want. This personalized attention and tutoring often lead to better grades and higher test scores instead of leaving it to the student to fend for themselves. We act as mentors and guides for students to help them navigate high school academics but also the college admissions process as needed. This way, we help them take their accomplishments in high school and continue them on to college.
Scholarship Opportunities
Some students believe that there are more scholarship opportunities for those who attend traditional high schools. However, this is not necessarily true. The most common type of scholarship that new college students earn is academic-based scholarships. These are based on your prior academic performance and are dependent on your academic success during college. These academic scholarships are based on your academics, not on the school you attended.
There are some scholarships that are based on certain extracurricular activities like athletic scholarships or leadership scholarships. These are based on your skill in a particular area. The percentage of students who earn athletic scholarships is very small at both traditional and charter high schools. You could have a better chance of an athletic scholarship at a larger traditional school only because it allows you to showcase your skills more publicly than at a charter school, but it still requires you to be exceptional in your specific skill. The majority of students are more likely to earn scholarships based on their grades and test scores, which can be improved greatly by attending a school like Career Prep that is tailored towards your success and overcoming your specific challenges.
Tailoring our Application
One important element to college admission success is understanding the specific criteria of the colleges you are interested in. Each organization will be a little different in what they are looking for in an ideal applicant. Some colleges are state-funded organizations that have open enrollment, which means as long as your grades meet a minimum standard, you are automatically admitted upon applying. Some colleges that are private have more specific criteria.
For example, the University of Dayton is a private Catholic university which does not accept every applicant, and they have a specific religious context to their values. This might impact how they conduct the admissions process.
In contrast, The Ohio State University at Lima is an open enrollment college, which means that any Ohio resident who has graduated from high school and has not attended any other post-secondary school will be admitted.
It will be crucial to tailor your applications to the different schools and to ensure that you adjust your approach to the criteria and requirements that each school prefers.
Career Prep High School is dedicated to ensuring that students have every resource available to excel academically, even if they have struggled in traditional high school in the past or have some life circumstance that prevents them from committing as much time to school as they would normally. Once students are approaching graduation, we work with them to apply to colleges and give them the best possible chances of being accepted.