So, you’re thinking about sending your child to an online high school. While that’s a great decision, as a parent, you are probably concerned about your child’s ability to still be competitive in the college application process. Do colleges and universities look down on cyber schooling? Is the cyber academic environment comparable to that of a traditional school setting? These are valid questions that many parents and students have when it comes to attending virtual charter schools in Pennsylvania, but rest assured, we’re here to help.
In some aspects, an online high school may seem too good to be true. With virtual schools, you have the flexibility to make your class schedule work around your other responsibilities. With this, comes the added responsibility of developing great time management, self-motivation, and critical thinking. Not being in a traditional setting for school helps students become more independent and rely more on their own abilities and talents than looking towards outside influences for help and validation. Cyber charter schools help students to foster pertinent skills at a young age that will be necessary to succeed in a collegiate environment. Those same aspects of cyber schools that make it seem fun and ideal are also the same reasons that make cyber schools an excellent preparatory setting for colleges.
While the college prep benefits for the student to attend a cyber school are prevalent, that still leaves us with the question, “How do colleges view cyber schools?” The answer is simple, they are judged just like a traditional school. This means, grades, extracurricular activities, test scores, and course load are all still factored into the college admissions process. As long as the program in which you enroll your child is approved by Pennsylvania Department of Education, colleges will give your application consideration regardless of having attended a traditional school or cyber charter school.
Choosing a highly ranked and qualified cyber charter high school, like 21CCCS, is a surefire way to stick out amongst the crowd. Not only does 21CCCS offer a challenging curriculum instructed by top-rated teachers, but in addressing the needs for extracurricular activities, also offers a variety of clubs and organizations that students can join. Attending a virtual cyber school in Pennsylvania doesn’t mean sitting on your couch all day and doing assignments in between your favorite TV shows. It’s about having the opportunity to challenge yourself through a cutting-edge education on a flexible schedule that works for you.
Despite common belief, cyber charter schools are not viewed differently in the eyes of college admissions. When it comes to the competitive nature of college admissions, cyber charter schools, like 21CCCS, still open the door for success.