[ridicter]

Arkansas alum here too! Still some of my fondest years!

I think schools like this are _especially_ useful in rural/poor states like our own, where cultural and educational norms are a bit behind. Imagine going from a school where the highest level of math is trig and there are no comp sci courses to one where you can take differential equations, astrophysics, or robotics.

For me personally, it was validating to find a like-minded community where nerdiness is a virtue instead of a scourge.