[JoeAltmaier]

My brother-in-law mentioned his OK primary-secondary schools didn't prepare him for college. "Oh, how long did it take you to catch up?" I asked. "About a year!" he exclaimed.

Hm. So a primary-secondary education can be recapitulated in 1 year when you're 18 years old. Then why the heck do we make such a big deal out of it? Why torment the kids with all that artificial stress?

I suggest - take control of your child's education. Make your family projects More important that busy-work homework. Take the heat for them from the teachers, and spend your emotional capitol teaching your kids some self-reliance, common sense and kindness.

Got three Eagle Scouts this way: Sgt Al, CMU grad-school graduate Joseph (1st job: working at a Mt View startup), and young Andrew auditioning at Julliard. A shed full of home-made trebuchets, chain and plate mail; a yard full of vines and trees; a watch tower 2 stories tall with gun slits and camo netting. They did all that. The schools had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Anyway a little off-topic but sure I agree, 'boot camp' at 18 will do more to prepare your well-rounded kid than 18 years of stressing over grades.

[wisty]

I don't think it can be recapitulated unless you already have a good foundation. But a good foundation doesn't require stress or grades or tonnes of homework.