If you are choosing the right high school in Salt Lake City for your teenager, you are probably stressed out because it can make or break your kid’s chances in the future, especially if he or she is pursuing an academic track like most people who end up finishing college and getting good jobs.
Notwithstanding the outliers who dropped out from school and became massive successes like Mark Zuckerberg or other tech titans, good high school education is still generally looked upon as a requirement for setting teenagers up for a fairly successful life.
Before your teenager becomes concerned with SAT scores and college entrance exams or interviews, here are some factors you need to check when you are choosing the high school for your teenage son or daughter.
Visit and Observe the School
You need to do your own due diligence, and this involves visiting and observing the school. If it’s allowed, sit in on one of the classes and check how the teacher is handling the class. Note that there may be some adjustments if you do observe. People are usually affected when they know that they are being watched, also known as the Hawthorne effect in observations. It will still give you a lot of clues of how the school operates and if the tuition fee you are about to shell out is truly worth it.
Check Out the Recent Alumni
This is something that you need to also check out. How did their high school graduates fare? Of course, it’s not to stereotype the school as a whole. But in general, check which colleges they ended up going and what careers were they immensely successful at. This will help you know some additional details if it’s a good fit for your teenager.
If at all possible, get feedback from their recent alumni and inform them about your teenager’s plan. Helpful folks will be more than happy to provide advice on how to adjust to their alma mater or if it’s even a good idea to consider it.
Check the Courses Offered
You also need to see if the courses offered are fit for your teenager’s natural inclinations. If you are with a teenager who likes a lot of math or science, it would make sense to go to a high school that specializes or celebrates that kind of skill. If you have a communicator or someone who will do excellently in the humanities, then a high school that focuses on arts and humanities may be more suitable.
School Policies
School policies on special topics like bullying, grade point average maintaining grades, and other protocols are important for parents to know. This way, you can guide your teenager if he or she is able to follow those rules. As a parent, you can also check if it’s too lenient, too strict, or just right for the type of education you’d like your teenage son or daughter to have.
School Philosophy
Ultimately, the school philosophy powers most of what’s being taught. Some schools go by the Montessori Method or progressive styles. More recently built schools swear by the Waldorf method. These philosophies in education system start all the way to preschool, so it might be best to match your son or daughter’s foundational education to their higher education needs in high school.
Take as much time as you need in this activity of evaluating the choice of school. It can have a lasting consequence of your child’s life, and it’s something that you can happily assist them with as they get closer to entering adulthood and responsibility.
