Milton Academy

                                          "Dare to be  true."

So my parents are doing this thing where in the beginning of summer right before my senior year of secondary school, they talk to me about my future. Surprisingly, I agree with their mindset, but it's not that hard to understand. In five years I am expected to have been accepted into a major college, so from now on it means I have to move carefully. Even if it means wasting my summer studying and working hard to meet criterias, because I couldn't care less what it takes to make my parents proud of me. They deserve to be happy, and I do too.

Naturally when this conversation started (two days after school ended for me), the topic of PREP SCHOOLS surfaced, and when you bring up prep school, you're talking BIG . I'm not kidding, if you compare it to my public high school, you just made NSHS (public high) look like poop on the bottom of your shoe. Or the bird poop to your windshield; unfortunate and lowly and slow (last one just made no sense but idgaf). My dad suggested I take a look at Milton Academy, which is not very far from my house, probably almost an hour. It's different from when people talk about private school; this one's a boarding school with its own chapel, so I will be isolated for four years straight from my family and friends (excepting holidays and some weekends. Oh...and summer). I have a big decision to make, whether I apply for full scholarship there or not. It's my choice what I want to do, as long as I make up my mind before I enter eighth grade so I can get a headstart on qualification. Sadly, making up my mind isn't the easiest thing to do, considering what's been going on in my life. I'm making a list of pros and cons so it's easier for me to decide, but you don't have to read. It's mostly packed with information about the school.

Pros:

• The Boarding Life; starting the ninth grade at Milton means I have to live...the boarding life. This aspect is a pro and a con. The pro side is that it will teach me a bigger sense of responsibility and independence from my parents. Although there will be host parents and House Leaders and roommates possibly from higher classes (because my research says they organize based on personality not grade/class), I will not be with my parents 24/7, who would usually be the ones to remind me to do everything. This could be fun, since they also have lots of dorm activities.
• Academics & Curriculum; in a Forbes article that I found, they ranked prep schools across America and listed the Top 20, Milton being #16. Sure it's not in the top half, but considering it actually made Top 20 it's worth considering. From all the friends I've had that go to/went to a prep school, they say the school is basically getting you used to college format, and classes are of higher levels than AP. My SATs will go by like a breeze then! I hope /slapped
• Athletics; from what i've heard, they have pretty good teams, which I'm looking forward to. But the athletics have something to do with a scandal that tarnished Milton's polished reputation.
• Social and Moral Benefits; I'm an awkward person; anyone who knows me knows that. That means my roomies will have to deal with a turtle for at least a month, because I'm DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO APPLY FOR A SINGLE, if I do. Nuh-huh. But in the end I know I'll probably make really good friends there and maybe meet someone who'll change my life. All the alumni interviewed have said that the dormers always grow close with each other so that even if you aren't best friends with someone, you'll still get to know a lot about them. This is going to be a bit hard for me, because I don't move on very easily, but it would be a shame to pass up an opportunity like this. Also, it's been very clear that Milton is not just academic and accomplished; it's influential to everyone that attends. People who graduate are people who have become tolerant, out-going, confident, accomplished, curious, hard-working and willing to stay true to themselves in their years at Milton. Those are the types of qualities I lack, and being a student at this academy could change me for the better.
• Accomplishments; they have famous alumni and at least 26% graduate and are accepted into a college on the same year (no gap years). Alumni include brothers from the political Kennedy family, Deval Patrick, Richard C. Perry, Robert E. Sherwood, Sherrod E. Skinner, Jr., Linwood Clark, and more. On their website I found that from the 2010-2012 graduates alone, 29 were accepted into Harvard, 21 to BC, 20 to Tufts, 15 to NYU, 13 to Cornell, 7 to CMU, 5 to Princeton, 5 to BU, 4 to Stanford, and 1 to Berklee (my 2nd dream college next to Juilliard). This data seems promising :D

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now on to the cons. :|

Cons:

• My Sanity; OTL I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD TAKE THEIR LESSONS. Higher than AP? MANG I AIN'T EVEN ON AP YET. maybe that's why I'll be studying harder this year But seriously, if I was having a hard time studying or managing my time with homework, that could ruin everything for me...they have counselors, but I don't trust them. Really, the people in MA aren't always the most sensible.
• The Boarding Life; as I said, this could be good, and bad at the same time. I don't get homesick a lot, but I can't be away from my parents for too long. I could handle a month...but ten? I don't know... and also, I know not everyone is a perfect person, some can be quite moody. What if they judge me for being me? I can handle teasing, but not bullying. I'd probably suicide if that happened, not joking. I'm not a stable person, but I realize being naive and insecure could get in the way of my own future, so I guess this would be overruled and I'd have to act a different persona if I get apply and get accepted. There's no point continuing this con.
• That Scandal; it's sad that I judged this school this way, but I couldn't help it. I don't need to go into detail about what happened, but it's...ah never mind. If I happened to make you curious, look up "Milton Academy scandal". it inspired the movie Restless s, in case you might've watched it. This ordeal has, though, put a damper on my happy thoughts about joining this school. What if it reoccurs when I'm in it, and I end up being a part of it? I'm officially scared of joining any of their teams, but this school is the only I *can* choose if I make up my mind. Whatever, I guess the past is the past.
• My Recent (Non-existent) Social Life; I have friends outside of school, and also in school. If I leave, they'll think I really moved to Nevada (lol prank), or that I decided to "give into my mom and get home-schooled". (Mom, if you're reading this, I meant no offense. But you shouldn't even BE reading this...so um) I'd rarely get to see my friends from youth in church, and we're already starting to drift apart as it is (believe me, I noticed, don't know if you did if you're reading this). i'm trying to keep them close, because right now they are the only ones who realize when I'm "going the wrong way" and can turn me around. None of my other friends can do that, I realize. I'd also rarely get to be with my parents, which I think helps me in some ways and will break me down in others. Then right after I graduate there would only be one summer to meet up with my friends before we move on to college. And there would go my life.

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AND THAT, DEAR READERS, IS WHY THIS LITTLE GIRL IS CONFUSED ABOUT LIFE IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO MUCH HASSLE WAEYOOOO EOTTOKHAEYO?!?! /_\ TT-TT