Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do they teach?

Your student can apply to attend a Governor's School for a month that has the subjects they are interested. There are:
Agriculture (Virginia Tech): 100 slots
Science, Math, and Technology (Lynchburg): 160 slots
Humanities (Radford):150 slots
Medicine & Health Sciences (VCU): 26 slots
Engineering (CNU & NASA) :12 slots
Marine Science (CNU & VIMS): 6 slots
Visual and Performing Arts (Radford): 250 (Separate allocations based on discipline)

There are also World Language Academies @ Washington & Lee in Japanese, German, Spanish, French, and Latin.

Just to confirm my understanding, there are only 26 Medicine & Health Sciences slots available state-wide? Does anyone have a sense of how many apply?

Yes, there are only 26 slots available; I'm not sure how many people apply but it's UBER-Competitive for these slots. One student we knew didn't get into the health one her sophomore year, but made it into the agriculture gov school the year later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do they teach?

Your student can apply to attend a Governor's School for a month that has the subjects they are interested. There are:
Agriculture (Virginia Tech): 100 slots
Science, Math, and Technology (Lynchburg): 160 slots
Humanities (Radford):150 slots
Medicine & Health Sciences (VCU): 26 slots
Engineering (CNU & NASA) :12 slots
Marine Science (CNU & VIMS): 6 slots
Visual and Performing Arts (Radford): 250 (Separate allocations based on discipline)

There are also World Language Academies @ Washington & Lee in Japanese, German, Spanish, French, and Latin.

Just to confirm my understanding, there are only 26 Medicine & Health Sciences slots available state-wide? Does anyone have a sense of how many apply?

Incredibly competitive to actually be selected to attend one, as 16:58 described. Two of my DCs attended one of the language summer Governor Academies. When my DCs applied there were over 450 students nominated from which only 40 students were selected to attend. Both began the process of applying very reluctantly once they were nominated, thinking it would be a boring way to spend part of their summer. Both absolutely loved it within a day or two of arriving and still describe it a few years later as one of the best experiences of their lives and stay in touch with the friends they made. Both DCs were accepted by William & Mary and UVA, as were virtually all of their Governor's Academy peers. And yes, other colleges they applied to out of state and interviewed with absolutely knew what it was and how selective it is. The thing is, it is so competitive to begin with that most of the kids who are chosen would probably have been accepted at these colleges/universities regardless so who knows what the impact really is on that. But from everything I've heard and seen, everyone who attends one loves it and describes it as having a big impact on their lives at that age.

Anonymous wrote:The Governor's Schools are great. It's not going to get you into a top 5 college, but that shouldn't be the point.

Actually, as far as summer programs go, it is right behind TASP, RSI and the others, and will help your application to competitive schools more than other summer programs, especially of the P2P variety.

But I agree that it alone won't get you into HYPSM etc. But if you are on the fence there...

The Governor's Schools are great. It's not going to get you into a top 5 college, but that shouldn't be the point. It's about having a fun independent summer away from parents, meeting new friends from across your state, and enjoying a solid academic program. Since they are free, they are infinitely better than the expensive summer pre-college programs at top tier colleges. Those are simply revenue generators that some parents and kids think give the student a leg up in admissions. Pro tip: If your child might run in to stiff competition, apply to the agriculture program. Same great experience, same listing on the resume, much easier to get in.

Anonymous wrote:These sound amazing. Can non- VA residents apply?

No, they are only for residents of VA.

Yes, Governor's Schools are amazing. I'm sad that we don't have them in Maryland.

I think you can only apply to your own state's governor school.

These sound amazing. Can non- VA residents apply?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a big deal for in-state Virginia colleges. That's all.

Any student who has done it will be able to explain it to colleges unfamiliar with it. The colleges will understand what it is and why it's desirable.

Also: The world is bigger than you think. Colleges actually have heard of some programs that aren't just based in the state where the colleges themselves are located--imagine that!

Hmm. Usually it's the other way around. Colleges haven't heard of programs that parents think they should have heard of... Please don't get your hopes up.

Actually, governors programs exist in many states. So a college may not be familiar with a specific governors program of a different state, but they would be familiar with the governors program as a whole.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a big deal for in-state Virginia colleges. That's all.

Any student who has done it will be able to explain it to colleges unfamiliar with it. The colleges will understand what it is and why it's desirable.

Also: The world is bigger than you think. Colleges actually have heard of some programs that aren't just based in the state where the colleges themselves are located--imagine that!

Hmm. Usually it's the other way around. Colleges haven't heard of programs that parents think they should have heard of... Please don't get your hopes up.

Anonymous wrote:It's a big deal for in-state Virginia colleges. That's all.

Any student who has done it will be able to explain it to colleges unfamiliar with it. The colleges will understand what it is and why it's desirable.

Also: The world is bigger than you think. Colleges actually have heard of some programs that aren't just based in the state where the colleges themselves are located--imagine that!

It's a big deal for in-state Virginia colleges. That's all.

The language academies are great - a real boost to becoming fluent to have to speak, read, and write only the language for 4 weeks. And the teachers they brought in for those were great (mostly native speakers, college professors and students). A wonderful experience for our DC.

Participated in the 90's and it was the highlight of my HS experience. So glad it's still going! Perhaps not a huge college plus outside of VA but definitely great for in-state chances.