The best education in the state of Alabama, hands down.
Grade inflation is real. Once you get the hang of a teacher's testing style, you'll realize you often don't really have to learn THAT much to get a B. Between drop tests and bonus points, I'm convinced the average GPA is pretty high.
So it's a public school, right? But the cost is still pretty steep: a chunk of your human decency. (I'm being dramatic, but still.) To mean that becoming the administration's favorite is *really* important as far as leadership positions, with leadership positions often correlating with acceptance to top schools. And it's not something everyone can do without fakin' it. The type of person who succeeds amongst the administration is one who doesn't rock the boat, and follows authority without question. High GPA and unwavering compliance can net you almost anything you want, as well as pretending to be happy all the time and nodding at everything the administration says. So everyone does so to the point where being unhappy is almost taboo and a sense of self is lost. Sometimes it feels like an authoritarian regime thinly veiled by an illusion of freedom. Like, y'know, a zoo. As time passes for the student, it becomes harder to believe the actions of the administration are really for their benefit rather than for the benefit of reputation and image. But if you decide not to think about it too hard and instead accept everything at face value, you'll be fine.
Alright younglings, let me learn you a little something about ASMS, and don't forget the words that you are reading. When I said this place will test you, I wasn't lying. Now I am almost 18 years old, and if there is one achievement that I am most proud of in those 18 years of life, it is my own bodily fluids integrity. I haven't shat my pants in all my years, and I haven't thrown up since the first grade (and that was a fluke). This place's food will test that. Now believe me when I tell you that you will never have worse poops than at this school. They will be loose, unsatisfying, and it will require many wipes until you are satisfied. That combined with the very low quality toilet paper will mean that after about 3-5 wipes you will start coming up with blood. So then you have to ask yourself: "Self, would I rather be walking around with an unclean ass or a bloody one?" Of course, like most germaphobes I had to opt for the latter. Another thing was that it seemed like the food had it to where if you had to go, it was like the dogs of hell beckoning Satan to come back home. I would have to drop what I was doing and attend to it, lest I break my streak. As far as the vomiting part, that can happen too. I've been close many times due to this food. In fact, I was fortunate to not be afflicted by the norovirus that cafeteria unleashed upon us early last year. All in all, you will not have a worse experience in that department anywhere else in your life. But I suppose I am young, and I may be proved incorrect in that assumption.
All in all it's a fine experience. Here you'll learn about yourself and what you want to be later in life. You will be tested in ways you've never been tested before, and I don't mean just academically. Unless you're willing to study all the time for every class, prepare to lose whatever confidence you have in your own academic abilities. Also, try not to express yourself unless you are a weirdo. They don't like that. It's a good place to go if you don't have a lot going for you in the school you're coming from. If that isn't the case, you'll probably find yourself leaving ASMS. I would go again.
Okay, the parents can come back now.
What I'm saying is too much pressure to be a happy buzzing bee means everyone is a faker when it comes to administration. Fact: Being a good liar is a virtue. But hey! Isn't that always a virtue? And this means all the students are closer together! And being aware of this means you're less likely to fall victim to it. Of course, this is all a matter of opinion, and from the perspective of your typical emotionally unstable teenager, so you should definitely take this with a grain of salt.
Had 2 children attend. This is one of the best schools in the South Eastern United States. A PUBLIC competitive entry high school, focused on preparing students for success in life. Opened up SO many doors for my kids. If you have a high performing student, and are tired of them having to "hide it" at the regular school, you should check it out. Yes, boarding school is hard (especially for Mama) but it really is great for the students.
All in all, 3/5. I'd do it over again.
But y'know, ASMS is what you make of it. The best kind of person for ASMS is someone who has a clear aspirations and/or is coming from a stank school. Bonus points if you're willing to play the game of impressing adults. You can recieve one of the best educations in the state at this school, but it's also probably a good thing the maximum sentence is 3 years. I'd give it 3.5/5 stars, and I'd do it again.
But I'd only do it one more time, and that's probably it.
That said, can the parents and adults please leave the room.
The teachers are amazing! And the camraderie amongst student is like, next-level. But also the Alabama School of Math and Science is a school-zoo hybrid where the appearance of the zoo matters a teensy bit more than the experience of the student-animals within it.
If your child think differently and has interest and excel in a wide variety of subject matter and you feel like all those interests need to be nurtured, ASMS is the place to send your kids. True, this is a boarding school, and I love it that the kids are taught how to do chores and other community service side by side pursuing excellence not only in science, math. arts, music, but also in terms of social life --leading to a successful confident members of the society.
Also there's a sizeable gender imbalance at ASMS. For my graduating class, it was almost 1 guy to 2 girls, but the average is probably closer to 3:4. With additions to the girl's dorm, I doubt this is changing soon. As a result, girls have to work harder to earn positions of leadership. Not to mention it's just weird.
They gone? OK.
Alabama School Of Math And Science is a US School based in Mobile, Alabama. Alabama School Of Math And Science is located at 1255 Dauphin St, Mobile, AL 36604, USA.
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