Editorial_Page_
The Stentorian—March 27, 1987, Page Two,
Senior tells what brochures don’t
UNICORNS AND OTHER NCSSM MYTHS
By Mitch Sanders
As spring
approaches, nearly a
thousand sophomores all
across North Carolina are
experiencing what all of
us here have already
experienced- the process
of applying to the N.C.
School of Science and
Mathematics.
We all probably
remember that experience
quite well- trying to
decide whether or not to
enroll was in many cases
pretty difficult. With
Semifinalists Day and
other events coming up in
the next few weeks, we
should try to make each
applicant aware of the
facts. Not the facts in
the admissions brochures,
but the real facts.
There are several
myths about NCSSM that
need to be cleared up, so
that these students can
make the choice that is
best for them.
Myth //I - Attending
NCSSM will help you get
into college/get
scholarships.
In many cases this
is probably true. But we
must emphasize the fact
that in many cases the
opposite is unfortunately
true. A student with
excellent grades at his
home school may arrive at
NCSSM to see his grades
plummet- and who can be
sure that a "C" here
looks as good to a
college as an ”A"
somewhere else?
Getting adjusted to
NCSSM means that extra
curricular activities may
be curtailed, hurting a
student's college
prospects even more.
Then comes the issue of
scholarships.
Many scholarship
competitions allow each
school. Including NCSSM,
to nominate only a
handful to compete.
Let's face it - it's a
lot easier to be in the
top two or three at your
home school than it would
be here. With so many
"brilliant" people in one
school, it's difficult,
if not impossible, to
stand out.
The Scholarship
Nominating Committee
doesn't help at all.
This body, whose
membership remains
unknown (except for its
leader), examines
students to determine who
should be nominated for
what scholarship.
And though the
secret membership
prevents students from
"kissing up" to a
particular teacher, the
process is far from
objective. Every teacher
likes certain students
more than others, for
whatever reason. It is
impossible to ignore this
when making a decision.
So the student who "knows
the right people" usually
wins out over a student
who is equally (if not
more) qualified.
Ideally, the
Committee would know each
student equally well
(maybe none at all, as is
the case with college
admissions). As long as
THE STENTORIAN
Edltors-ln-Chief Kathy Anderson
Susan R. Wallace
News Editor Anne George
Editorial Editor ....... Steven Aldrich
Feature Editor Svatl Shodhan
Sports Editor Heath Graves
Copy Reader Jennifer Tripp
Photography Jeff Cope
Jennifer Larson
Distribution Managers .... Heather Kane
Katie Sherman
Advisor Sandy Gosnell
Staff: Danielle Bernard, Angela Blair, Johanna
Draper, Pete Eisenhower, MeShelle Hart,
Jennifer Larson, Rachel Ragsdale, Mitch
Sanders, David Steinmlller, Jana Watts
Thanks to Jim McDuffie for his help and support.
there is variation from
this ideal, the system
remains unfair.
We need to let
applicants know about
this. I wish I had known
it when I was applying.
Depending on the
situation, it may be in
their best interests to
stay at home.
Myth #2 - The
Residential Life
department helps students
in their new home.
At NCSSM there is
one R.A. for each 30-35
students. This looks
good, until we look a
little deeper into the
situation. From what
I've seen (I've lived in
three of the four male
dorms), the R.A.s help
the Individual student
very little. Sure, they
make sure that noise
guidelines are obeyed and
that all the furniture
remains free of mud, but
(this year especially)
the R.A.s seem distant.
Simply saying "My
door is always open"
isn't always enough.
Being a Residential
Advisor is an active, not
a passive job. From what
I've seen, no attempt has
been made by an R.A. to
become a friend to the
people on the hall. This
is too bad, because there
is a lot of potential for
a good relationship
between advisor and
advisees. The fact that
such a relationship
doesn't exist is an
indication that the
Residential Life Program
at NCSSM is not all it is
made out to be.
Myth #3 - The
administration and the
students work together to
promote their common
Interests.
The impression I got
when I visited NCSSM as a
semifinalist was one of
students and administra
tion working together to
make NCSSM a worthy
institution. But is that
the case? How many of Us
know Director Eilber, Dr.
Youngblood, Peggy Smith,
or any of the other
members of the adminis
tration? How often do
they ask us what we need?
They're so busy
taking care of the school
as a state institution
that they sometimes seem
to forget that the school
is more than just
buildings and state
allocations. The school
is here for us, the
students.
We should have at
least some say in how it
is run, or at least some
contact with the people
who are running it for
us. I don't see that
happening.
All I'm trying to
say is - let people know
about NCSSM. There is
more to this school than
what is presented in the
admissions brochures.
Each student has his own
opinions of the school.
These opinions are what
prospective students
should hear. We owe it
to the class of 1989 to
make sure that they each
have all the information
they need to make the
decision that is right
for them.