MULTIPLY YOUR POTENTIAL
Why should you attend the Jackson River Governor's School?
(Admission FAQs)
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It's a challenge.
Are Governor's School courses more difficult than regular high school?
Yes! But they're worth the extra effort because you will learn more
and do more. For example, science classes have a weekly lab.
It prepares you to take
college level courses.
Governor's School courses are taught by college professors in a college
environment. When you leave the Governor's School, you will have a very
good idea of how college classes differ from high school classes, and
know how to adapt--in fact, you will already have a lot of the "freshman
shock" behind you!
It teaches you how to study.
At the Governor's School you cannot get by with a quick scan of the
textbook and parroting back answers found in the book. You will have
to think independently and apply what you are learning to new situations.
There is social
interaction at the Governor's School!
You will meet like-minded students from other high schools and get to
expand your circle of friends. Band, cross-county, and soccer are some
of the extracurricular activities that many Governor's School students
have in common. Just about every high school sport is represented by
a Governor's School student, including football, basketball, wrestling,
and cheerleading.
A good foundation in math
and science is important preparation for college.
Students who take advanced math and science in high school do much better
in college regardless of what they study in college. Even English and
history majors' college achievement correlates with how much math and
science they took in high schoool.
The other reasons
It looks good on your college application.
Virginia Governor's Schools are recognized nationally as unique opportunities
for outstanding high school students to expand their education.
Dual-enrollment
Advanced preparation may let you complete college in three years, or
have the opportunity to double-major, or skip large lower-level courses
and take more focused higher-level courses.
More questions:
Will attending the Governor's School ruin my GPA?
While the Governor's School does not inflate grades--we do give C's and D's--most students do as well at the Governor's School as they do in their home high schools. Approximately 75-80% of our grades are A's and B's. Many low grades are due to incomplete assignments.
Since you have the opportunity to take additional dual enrollment courses that may not be offered in your high school, your class rank will not be hurt, either, as these are "weighted" grades for class rank purposes. In Spring 2001, of the five high schools sending seniors to the Governor's School, we had 4 valedictorians, and 1 salutatorian. In Spring 2002, of the five high schools represented in the senior class, we had 3 valedictorians and 3 salutatorians. In the first five years, over 15 Governor's School students have been either valedictorian or salutatorian of their high school class.
Can I still participate in high school sports?
You are still eligible to participate in high school sports through your home high school. Participation in varsity sports requires good time management skills--as it does regardless of whether or not you are at the Governor's School.
How much homework does the Governor's School require?
Governor's School classes are dual-enrollment classes. These courses will require more homework than the regular "on-grade" high school course. However, we believe we work "smarter" and eliminate much of the "busywork" you may find in high school classes.
You should plan to keep up with homework on a daily basis. It is very easy in college-level courses to procrastinate and find you have 10 weeks worth of work to do in the last week of the course! We do not recommend this method!
Will attending the Governor's School hurt my chances of getting into my first choice college?
No one can guarantee admission to a given college, but attending the Governor's School is evidence of taking the "most challenging curriculum available" that most colleges say they are looking for. The vast majority of Governor's School students get into their first-choice college.
Over the past six years, Governor's School graduates have entered the following colleges:
Bridgewater College
Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
College of William & Mary (4)
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (3)
Dartmouth College
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Ferrum College
James Madison University (4)
Liberty University
Lynchburg College
North Carolina State University (2)
Oberlin College
Pennsylvania State Univeristy--Behrend College (Erie)
Roanoke College (6)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
U.S. Naval Academy (2)
U.S. Air Force Academy
University of Virginia (14)
Virginia Miliary Institute
Virginia Tech (13)
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
West Virginia University (2)
Details--Class of
2006
Details--Class
of 2005
Details--Class of 2004
Details--Class of 2003
Details--Class of 2002
Details--Class of 2001