ARHS Alumni Voices

Recent ARHS Alumni in college were surveyed in January 2010 a series of questions about how ARHS prepared them for college.  Here are their responses...

 

As a college student looking back, what would you say about how well ARHS prepared you for college-level work?

 

[Tufts University]

One of my first impressions my freshman year at college was, "Wow! This workload is a lot easier than high school!" High school had been academically rigorous, and in comparison, college (with its twice weekly classes and fewer nightly assignments) felt entirely manageable. Furthermore, much as I anticipated being outdone by all the other smart kids at Tufts, the very first English class I took, I felt at home. At Tufts, a huge part of your grade in many English classes is based on participation, and this was something that years of English and social studies classes at ARHS had prepared me for. I ended up by accident in a senior seminar English course as a freshman, but after I got over my initial intimidation, I realized that I could hold my own. I was accustomed to a fairly high level of discourse in language arts and history class in high school, and I was used to teachers expecting you to participate and voice your impressions and ideas. 40% class participation grade was one of the greatest things to happen to my GPA in college. Likewise, I felt that my writing skills, honed by years of strong-minded history teachers, compared well with other students in my classes, and my first semester I was nominated for a non-fiction writing award.

 

[Brown University]

I felt extremely well prepared to perform at a high level at Brown University. My research and writing skills are at the higher end of my class, and I feel empowered to pursue my areas of interest, and to engage my professors and fellow students in thoughtful academic discussion. In building these skills, the most instrumental set of classes for me was the dance program.

 

[Haverford College]

I feel that ARHS prepared me extremely well for my undergraduate career at Haverford College. I began my freshman year at Haverford already with three credits and having fulfilled the language requirement by having taken AP Spanish (and the accompanying exam) at ARHS. ARHS also gave me the opportunity to take a class at Hampshire College (for free) and another at UMass, and the credits transferred to Haverford. This allowed me to experience the rigor of college-level work long before I became an undergrad, an opportunity which I am incredibly grateful to have had. The classes at ARHS itself also, I feel, prepared me for Haverford, in particular the amount of writing I did in high school. I wrote a 20 page final paper for Honors Economics, and several 12 page papers for AP English - when upon matriculation, a good number of my peers at Haverford had never written more than five pages at once. I am extremely grateful to have attended a school like ARHS - for FREE - that at once challenged and prepared me for my future education.

 

[Harvard University]

Multivariate calculus at Harvard is taught for physicists and covers regular multivariable in half the semester and spends the rest of the time working on vector calculus, calculating flux integrals, or integrating the work done by force fields (like magnets) on particles in motion over parameterized surfaces. I have showed my final to friends who have taken multivariable classes at other colleges and succeeded, but could barely answer any questions on our test.     

 

The professor aimed to make the average a B in the class with test averages running in the high seventies and homework making up the difference. Needless to say, kids in my class were unprepared for the difficulty of the tests and did get Cs on the midterms and final. The average grade on Test 1 was 79%, Test 2 87%, and the average on the Final was 76%. Everyone signed up for this class had taken AP calculus, and many had already done multivariable calculus in high school, but even that preparation didn't help very much. I saw valedictorians from good high schools give up and stop studying hard, settling for mediocre grades in the class.     

 

I think it was due to outstanding psychological preparation by Ms. Oakes in the Math department at our high school, that I was able to battle back after a C on the first test and make straight As, finishing with an A minus in the class, and straight As in Biology and Economics, well above the average grades across the board. Her preparation not only covered all of the material I needed to get a 5 on the AP test, but trained me to be tough in the face of academic challenges, in a way that pampering home or private schooling might not.     

 

Also, Ms. Booth's national championship level coaching on the ultimate frisbee field was largely focused on mental toughness and I think that particular skill, developed on, and off the field, helped me fight back and come out on top by the end of the semester. I definitely know that my excellent high school preparation allowed me to succeed in very difficult courses, curved against kids, many of whom may be smarter than I am and from private schools. In particular, my mathematics preparation by Ms. Oakes and Mr. Hanson set me up for success in college level math.

 

[Gettysburg College]

Although college was somewhat difficult to adjust to, it was not because of the level of difficulty of the academics. I felt well prepared in both my writing and reading skills. I have found at college that many freshmen do not know how to write a proper essay with an intro, thesis, conclusion, and topic sentences. The hardest part of college has been time management. The difficulty of the work is not much harder, but the amount of work assigned is much greater.  

 

[Northeastern University]

I can't thank ARHS enough for preparing me for college work. The basic skills that they drilled into my head year after year, such as time management skills, how to complete a research paper, and how to be a tolerant and open minded student, were absolutely crucial to my success thus far at Northeastern. For example, in freshman year writing I often had no corrections to make on my first draft essays, unlike my new peers who did not go to ARHS.

 

[Cornell University]

ARHS gave me a love for a broader range of studies than most students at Cornell.  The AP classes at ARHS had similar expectations for papers as my current professors, and thus there was not a shock from a drastic increase in difficulty,

 

[University of Vermont]

I feel very prepared for the kind of writing that I am doing in college this year.  The social studies department especially did an excellent job in preparing me for college-level essays and research.  I am also benefiting greatly from the wood technology department, because I am going into the field of forestry, and I have a good understanding of the basics of forestry.  

 

[UMass Amherst]

When I first entered college I realized that the work I was asked to do my freshman year was similar to my senior year in high school. I am a Communication Disorders Major and I was confident in my reading and writing skills. I also felt that my critical thinking skills were very developed in comparison to my peers. Throughout my high school career I took honors courses (2) every trimester and was involved in extracurricular activities. My teachers were dedicated and supported me throughout my time at ARHS.  

 

[Marquette University]

Yes, I haven't had any trouble at all adjusting, and compared to some friends, the workload hasn't been a big deal for me 

 

[Dartmouth College]

I felt extremely well prepared for Dartmouth College.  In particular, I believe my writing skills were superior to my peers at school solely due to training/courses in high school.  In science preparation was strong compared to incoming freshman.

 

[Williams College]

ARHS prepared me well for Williams College. I feel as though I was just as well prepared as many of the prep school kids that also attend Williams

 

[College of the Atlantic]

The writing that I did at ARHS in English courses and Social Studies courses especially was invaluable to the work that I do at College of the Atlantic. Nearly every class that I take at COA involves writing. I feel much better prepared than the majority of my peers and work as a writing tutor and a TA in introductory writing classes. Teachers like Mr. Leutz and Ms. Johnson prepared me to do research and write argumentatively about history. Ms. Hwang-Carlos gave me the freedom to write creatively and explore different genres like zuihitsu, a Japanese genre that is sort of a combination of poetry and prose. I am working on an independent study at COA on nature writing in zuihitsu this term, going on my own outings and creating polished pieces with the help of one of our faculty who teaches writing.     

 

Taking honors and AP classes at ARHS also prepared me for the sheer amount of work that I would have in college. I got used to spending the majority of my time on schoolwork and having to plan ahead and prioritize when time got tight at the end of the trimester. That is definitely the reality for me at College of the Atlantic now.     

 

And last, I would say that ARHS prepared me to take risks and be open to a wide variety of paths—both in college and after. I had the opportunity to take many different classes in different subjects, academic and elective, that made me realize how many possibilities there are for future study in college and after college. I got used to hanging out with other students who were both a skilled computer programmer and a star in the school chorale. I got used to having classes with people with all different color skin.  I got used to diversity in every respect, which what I have found to be most important at College of the Atlantic where the path is what each student creates for his or her self. At ARHS I was exposed to so many different possibilities that at College of the Atlantic I can creatively create a future for myself.

 

[Wheaton College]

ARHS helped me to not just learn, but to think deeply about what I learned. In math classes, the teachers push for understanding the ideas, more than simply using formulas. In economics the teacher presented numerous materials from views ranging from Karl Marx to Milton Friedman, encouraging us to appreciate the merits of diverging ideas. The emphasis on critical thinking at ARHS is a great help now in college.

 

[Lawrence University, transferring to Oberlin]

Extremely well. I find my basic understanding of how to write an analytical essay greatly exceeds my peers in college. Professors are consistently surprised with the level of detail and care I put into social science papers and my analysis is far better structured than others in my classes.  

 

[Oberlin College]

As a graduate of ARHS, I found that it prepared me extremely well for the workload at Oberlin. I took a particularly hard course called Politics 105 American Government in which we learned about how American government works and in the end we applied the concepts to the Obama Administration and evaluated how well they are doing on several points. I ended up doing very well in the class because of how well rounded and elite my high school education had been. Most of the students in the class had some trouble writing the long papers but I felt that I knew exactly how to approach it.

 

[Pitzer College]

Very well. My freshman writing seminar was a breeze, a lot of my peers struggled and frequently asked me for help. I learned in High School that good grades require work, dedication and motivation, and that definitely carried through to my college work ethic as well.  

 

[Holyoke Community College]

I was definitely prepared well in how to write an essay (however, the eternal bane of writer's block cannot be taught away).  Not taking everything at face value, asking questions, gaining a decent understanding of US history, and learning about a diverse array of topics were all noted.    Mathwise, I took a statistics course in the spring of 2008, after a five-year gap, and I had no problem.  

 

 

What important aspects of the ARHS experience do you worry might be lost for future students due to budget cuts?

 

[Haverford]

While the basic classes - math, science, English - are obviously important to overall education, the classes that I most remember and value from ARHS are those that are likely to - and have been - cut. Taking Child Study at the preschool, photography in the incredible darkroom, and other electives were all really special and a welcome break from tedious cookie-cutter curriculum designed to help us pass a test.  

 

[Harvard University]

I was always too academically focused to take a lot of art electives, for example, doubling up on AP sciences junior year, but i do know that a lot of those electives, including the music program are threatened by budget cuts and that those are some of the classes that were most enjoyed by many of my peers, who would tell me how they looked forward to those relaxing and alternative learning parts of the day. I think it is important for a lot of people to engage the mind in ways other than pure academics in the school setting. Budget cuts would surely limit those classes that are not required by federal and state mandate first, so art classes would be hit very hard, and I know from conversations with my friends, that those classes would be sorely missed.    

 

Also, cutting teachers must lead to an increase in class size, which lowers the efficacy of any high school teaching method, since teachers are expected to engage one on one with students who have questions or need help on assignments. I had two brilliant teachers, Mr. Shaw in AP Environmental Science, and Mr. Fricke in Economics, who were able to meet together after school with me, several times to discuss extra-curricular reading I was doing my senior year that pertained to their areas of expertise. Our conversations were invaluable to my learning process and I gained a lot through those conversations, especially an understanding of international issues that I otherwise would not have been possible to reach until taking seminar courses later in college and probably doing a lot more reading outside of school. I was especially impressed with how the teachers were able to make time to talk with me without cutting out other kids, and without limiting their time helping others. Budget cuts would decrease the size of the teaching staff, increase class sizes and increase the workload on the already overworked instructors. This would limit the kind of attention these teachers are able to give an especially interested student, or force them to prioritize who needs help the most.     People at Harvard are surprised to learn that we had three students from my one high school all accepted last year. However, I am aware that the reason for our success is largely tied up in the ability of our faculty to allow motivated students to create greater academic opportunities for themselves, and others. For example, the administration allowed me to create and take a modified upper level psychoanalysis and literature course from UMass with Ms. Booth of our English department. This class forever changed how I encounter texts, and more importantly, people in real life. It was also exactly the kind of intellectual curiosity that admissions officers guarding the gates of the most competitive institutions of higher learning are looking for. With less money, the kind of opportunities given to me would not be possible for future students, and a decline in our seniors' intellectual achievements and success rates in getting into competitive schools is sure to follow.

 

[Gettysburg College]

Looking back at ARHS I realize the amount of opportunities that were offered to us. No other student that I have spoken to at college was offered such a wide selection of classes, and therefore, they are unaware of what they are interested in. ARHS has a wide selection of languages which is becoming increasingly important in our interdependent world. ARHS social studies and English classes are strong and vast ranging from the Holocaust to gay and lesbian literature. Students at ARHS are able to select classes that they are interested in which allows them to be more confident in their likes and dislikes when entering college where they should focus on a more specific field. I found that ARHS helped me to discover myself, however I see many students at Gettysburg College who have no idea who they are.

 

[Northeastern University]

OPPORTUNITIES!! Whether it be clubs, classes, music/theater, child study, cooking, or athletics. All of these programs made prepared me to be a well rounded college student. Specifically, the decline of the athletic department has been devastating. I was a 2 sport athlete and captain 2 years in a row and saw the department go downhill from my freshman year, continuing after I left. There was more "drama" and unnecessary cuts with the department than school pride. I also participated in theater which was an amazing experience. It simply must stay intact. There is no high school theater program around like ARHS'.  

 

[Cornell University]

The extracurriculars like woodtech and foods allowed gave an important break to the general education classes, while providing a way to learn creativity and a time to refocus energy.  

 

[Pomona College]

I'm especially worried about electives.  My ceramics and clothing classes in particular were incredibly important to me and the idea of losing these is distressing.  I think it is really vital that nonacademic options are available to kids, because not everyone finds their calling in academics and without something else to hold onto, they will likely find themselves adrift.  These classes provided me with a much needed respite from certain ways of thinking and allowed me to develop my creative side.  Please hold onto them!  

 

[University of Vermont]

Students spend the majority of their day in school or doing school work, and I think that it is important to show them that what they are doing is worth something.  A town that is not willing to fund it's school is sending the message to its students that their education is not valuable.  I remember feeling a sense of abandonment when I heard about all of the cuts that were being made to the classes I thought were teaching me so much.  

 

[UMass]

If budget cuts are to go through, students will lose the option of having a large selection of courses to choose from. Students may also be put in large classes, have less written work demanded of them and more worksheets to do.  

 

[Williams]

I worry the electives will get cut. I think courses other than basic academics help a student become all that they can be. It is important to exercise as many parts of the mind as possible.  

 

[College of the Atlantic]

I am particularly worried about two things due to budget cuts: the size of classes increasing and the loss of the classes that most interest and inspire students.     I know that the classes that I remember most from high school are the ones that I could interact one on one with the teacher at least some of the time. It makes a difference to a student if the teacher can get to know the student a little and work with them on how they learn the best. I thrived on meeting with teachers after school to work on a project or a piece of writing, extensive comments on essays, and feeling like I got to know the teacher over the course of 12 weeks and that they knew a good amount about who I was. This kind of teacher student relationship severely decreases as class size goes up. Large classes put a strain on the teacher and they have less energy to give to each individual student.      

 

The classes that most inspired me at ARHS were Painting, Stained Glass, International Relations, Honors Chemistry, and Contemporary World Literature. Out of these, two are art electives in danger of being cut and one is a social studies elective in danger of being cut. I cannot stress the importance of electives. Let me say that again. I cannot stress the importance of electives. Yes, as students we understand that a strong course of study in the traditional academic disciplines like English, history, the physical and biological sciences, and math is important to our education. But there is nothing like getting to go to the art studio and solder pieces of glass together after long period AP calculus. Stained glass works a different part of your brain. When I am doing art, I am completely in the moment and focused on something physical—as opposed to when I'm writing or reading or doing a math problem where it is all abstract. I think it is incredibly valuable to work the different parts of the brain.     

 

I talk to my friends at college and they say, "You have stained glass at your high school? You have steel drums? You have drum and dance classes?" I am proud to say that I go went to a high school that values learning that does not come out of a book or from a lecture. I hope that I can still continue to be proud of that.  

 

[Wheaton College]

The Russian language program was amazing, and immersed us in the language, the history, and the writing of the country. The Russian program is one of the experiences I am most grateful for from high school, and it is a vital asset to the school as a whole.  

 

[Lawrence University, transferring to Oberlin]

I am extremely worried about the small class sizes of the social studies department. I believe I learned how to craft an essay extremely well in those classes, and a large class size would hurt the deep levels of analysis we were able to do.   I also strongly believe most of the sense of community at ARHS comes from the performing arts department, and this strongly needs to be preserved. 

 

[Oberlin]

I worry that future students will miss out on the incredible diversity in classes that I experienced at ARHS, such as the incredible choices in literature and writing and the wind ensemble option that influenced me greatly. These classes opened my mind to many different ways of thinking, as well as giving me a break during the school day which allowed me to put more energy and concentration into my academic classes. I worry that students similar to me who do not have a disposition that allows us to concentrate on one thing for long periods of time will lose the diversity in classes from which I prospered.  

 

[Pitzer College]

I had a great time in High School because it was such a multi-faceted experience. Although it required a lot of work, it was fun because there were always characters like Mrs. Courtney, Mrs. Skelton, Mark Keenan Etc. walking around. It was fun because of the great electives we could take. There was a very distinct feeling that our school was special, that we were lucky, and that made us all appreciate the experience. In cutting getting rid of so many electives and arts, the quirky and fun character of ARHS is destroyed, kids will have nothing to look forward to in school.  

 

[Holyoke Community College]

Guidance and support staff for students who really need them.  I was unfortunate enough to have 9/11 happen during my time at ARHS, and those networks helped me stay relatively okay instead of becoming an unrecoverable trainwreck of a person mentally.  Just having someone you feel comfortable talking to is necessary, as I had wonderful experiences with a good number of people in the SPED/Guidance departments and frequently spent spare periods and lunches talking to them.    

 

Also, the arts and performing arts, especially the school musical.  As a theater major and former cellist who quite enjoys Broadway showtunes, I have personal connections to those programs, and my experience is that the staff are wonderful people who encourage their students to be their best while opening their eyes to history and culture in ways other classes just cannot.  Art classes, too, are electives that are more relaxing, and just having them as an option for students to have a calmer period in their days without a directed study is good.  These classes allow students to express themselves creatively, and were always favorites of mine.    Computer education courses, too, are on the line.  This is serious, as computing is a skill that is frequently heavily required for jobs.  Allowing these courses to stay easily gives ARHS grads an edge in the world even if they don't go on to college.  

 

 

Any other comments you would like to make about ARHS programs or staff?

 

[Haverford]

I'm still so grateful to the many teachers who prepared me - Ms. Hwang-Carlos and her support of the Women's Rights Club, Mr. Malone and his incredibly difficult econ class that ended up being SO IMPORTANT for my college education, Ms. Balzone (who has already been cut) and her support, my AP environmental science class, etc. etc. PLEEEEASE DO NOT MAKE CUTS TO EDUCATION - when I lived there, I felt like Amherst valued education above all else (5 colleges, anyone?) and I would hate to see that change for younger students.  

 

[Harvard University]

The flexibility, intelligence, and organization skills of many people especially Mr. Jackson, Mr. Bardsley, Ms. Ross, Ms. Mucci-Ramos, Ms. Balzano, Ms. Mafi, Ms. Oakes, Ms. Booth, Mr. Fricke, Mr. Shaw and Mr. Hanson, especially prepared me for acceptance and success at Harvard College.  

 

[Gettysburg College]

I felt very connected to many of the teachers at ARHS and felt that I could relate to them on a personal level. Most importantly I felt that the teachers at ARHS were interested in what they were teaching. They are passionate educators. This can only come from a school where the teachers are given the flexibility to teach what they are passionate about.  

 

[Northeastern University]

ARHS has more life-changing teachers than I believed possible, many of them better teachers than my college professors. Specifically Mike Malone, Tiina Booth, John Bechtold, Malia Hwang-Carlos, Mark Gerstein, and Chris Gould. The English and Social Studies departments have a lot to be proud of. They made me the student that I am. Thanks to them I got a my first 4.0 this past semester. Something I could've never dreamed of without them. Thank you ARHS.  

 

[Cornell]

Mr. Olson is the man!  I still miss woodshop.    Ms Oakes taught me to keep working on a project and never quit.  Like driving over roadkill.  I miss your analogies. :)  

 

[University of Vermont]

The technology department, especially wood technology, is a program that ARHS cannot afford to loose.  It gives students a way to explore possible options for what they can do after school.  High School is a time to explore academically, and if electives are cut, the exploration becomes severely limited.  

 

[UMass]

I felt that the small class sizes enabled my teachers to really get to know me. I always felt that I could ask my guidance counselor, or any of my teachers for extra help after school , and they were always available . Please do not cut the clothing program or foods. So many students, including myself, felt so very successful in these classes. These teachers always extended themselves to all students.  

 

[Marquette University]

I want to thank teachers in the Social Studies department for teaching me to properly write research papers (Especially Mr. Fricke, Mrs. Johnston and Mr. Leutz)  

 

[Dartmouth College]

Please do not increase fees for athletics.  Students learn more concerning hard work and time management through sports than in the classroom in my opinion.  By increasing fees, the school system places an unnecessary strain on families and will significantly affect student development negatively if participation decreases.  

 

[Wheaton College]

On the whole a lot of people there are simply passionate about what they are doing.  

 

[Lawrence University, transferring to Oberlin]

I felt that the vast majority of ARHS faculty operated at the college level. I think Bechtold and Tracy Vernon's ability to inspire students is unparalleled, and Mr. Grould, Mr. Fricka and Ms. Johnston prepared me extremely well for college level work  

 

[Holyoke Community College]

Many people don't know the true value of the SPED services.  They need to have a high ratio of teachers to students because no two SPED students are alike.  Two students might have the same medical diagnosis, but one might have trouble in class while the other has trouble with homework.  Because each student is so unique, people are required who know how to deal with each facet of each difficulty that is in the schools.    Again, the school musical.  Anita Cooper and John Bechtold work themselves to the bone each year for a result that has been consistently amazing, yet somehow manages to outdo itself in some way almost every year.  Of note is AIDA (2008), where the myriad challenges the students undertook were visible and audible, yet the performance was a soaring success in every way.    Sadly, most of my favorite staff members have moved on and/or retired, such as Evelyn Goldenberg, Carleme Ricceli, Carole Schweid, Chih-Wen Su, Patrick Smith, Na'imah Muhammad, Jane Findlay, and Dan Shafer, but Ericka Alschuler and Lisa Zephyr in Guidance, as well as secretaries Pam White and Cathy Tracy (the House Teddies), PE teachers Liz Skelton and Jane Ames, English teachers Ellen Reich, Bruce Penniman, Malia Hwang-Carlos, Sara Just, and John Bechtold, and SPED staff Dave Slovin and Terry Leatart, and naturally Maribeth Courtney and Anita Cooper (I think they're all still there).