As part of IEA’s Finding the Right Fit: Choosing a High School as a Gifted Student series, IEA students share how they discovered their best fit high school, what they learned along the way, and the advice they believe families would like to know.
From public and private schools to magnet programs, boarding schools, and more, each gifted learner’s path looks different. Through their reflections, our students offer guidance and encouragement for families exploring high school options.
Shaurya – Public School
Name of School: Pasadena High School
IEA Program: EXPLORE
Homestate: CA
Did you consider any other high schools seriously? If so, which ones?
Stanford Online High School
What type of support and learning environment were you looking for when choosing a high school?
When choosing a high school, we were looking for a school that could give me the freedom to explore various courses and programs without limitations such as my grade level. Also, we were looking for schools that had teachers that could push me far and support me for whatever I wanted to do.
What were your top 3 reasons for choosing your school?
- Math Academy accelerated program
- Able to do AP courses as early as Freshman and Sophomore years
- Access to various programs such as Summer Research Connections at Caltech
What do you enjoy most about your high school?
I enjoy how everyone in my school is unique and diverse, so it is a lot easier to make more friends with the people in my school and get to know each other. My school has a very friendly environment.
Tell us about a proud or memorable moment you’ve had at this school.
In 9th grade, I participated in the LACOE Math Field Day competition. During this competition, I was grouped with 3 of my close friends to compete against many of the different schools and school districts within Los Angeles County. We competed in two different competitions, and we earned silver medals in both. It was a very exciting moment for me to be on stage claiming my medals, and I felt very proud in that moment.
How has this school supported your needs as a gifted student?
This school allows me to dive deep into various topics that I am interested in, and there is no restriction on courses that I want to take such as APs. Additionally, the teachers and staff support me and my various accomplishments such as when I performed well and earned an honorable mention in the US Physics Olympiad.
Are there any ways you wish your school could better support you? If you’ve looked for help elsewhere, what programs or services have you found helpful?
One issue that I’ve faced is that my school does not currently offer high level APs including the AP Physics C, because there is not enough interest in these course. They do not offer testing for these classes either. I was able to self study the AP Physics Cs last year, and I found Ribet Academy helpful for taking these AP exams that are not offered in my school.
Another thing is that my school only offers 7 periods, with music being the only option for a 0th or 8th period, which presents some challenges for the course scheduling. For instance, I’ve had to delay taking AP Cybersecurity to make my 10th grade schedule work out.
Do you have any tips or advice for gifted 8th graders who are deciding where to go to high school?
Pick a school that will support you based on what you want to do. For instance, if you really want to play sports in high school, you should pick a school that offers a good sports program, while if you want to get an admission to a really good college by merit, you should pick a school that offers difficult courses such as APs, as well as programs that prepare you for college. These schools should primarily have courses or programs that will challenge and push you in your areas of interests.
Do you have any tips to share with incoming 9th graders to help them start the year off right?
Make sure you start off strong by keeping good studying habits such as taking good notes in class, submitting your homework by the due date, and preparing well before tests. These study habits can really make or break your next couple years of high school, so it’s important to build these habits at the start.
Also make sure to join clubs that are in your school. These clubs can help you make friends with others that share common interests with you. For instance, chess club will help you make friends with people that enjoy chess.
Finally, do not be afraid to ask for help to a teacher when you need help. If you think you are struggling in a class, the last thing you should do is sit quietly and wait until everything just comes to you. It won’t. Instead, ask the teacher questions to clear up your confusions, and maybe even ask for after school tutoring with the teacher. This will show them that you care about their class and want to learn, and that you are a diligent student.
This story is part of IEA’s Finding the Right Fit: Choosing a High School as a Gifted Student series on finding the right high school. By sharing their experiences, our students hope to support other gifted students and families on the same journey.
