Myths of Alternative Schools

Alternative Schools are For Geniuses

• Students attend alternative schools in order to learn, exactly as students attend any other school. Alternative schools will typically accept students because their previous academic record indicates that they have the potential to be good scholars. Enrollment in alternative schools has nothing to do with a student being a genius. Academics agree that in an environment where teachers nurture students, the intrinsic genius of learners will surface, whether they are enrolled in an alternative school or not.

Attending an Alternative School Guarantees Admission to College

• Although alternative schools normally offer first-rate college preparation, college enrollment is related to the quality of a student's grades and not whether the student has attended an alternative school. A well-rounded dossier is also important when a student is trying to enroll in a college, regardless of the type of school he attended previously.

Alternative Schools are Very Expensive

• Although select alternative schools are expensive, most are not. Due to the generosity of their benefactors, a number of alternative schools do not charge tuition fees. Students whose grades qualify them for enrollment in an alternative school, but who are not in the financial position to pay tuition fees, can apply for financial aid. A number of alternative schools offer liberal aid packages to qualified students.

Alternative Schools are For Wealthy Children with Behavioral Problems

• Although a number of alternative schools' students do come from wealthy families, most alternative schools have very diverse student populations. Enrollment in an alternative school has everything to do with having the necessary grades and is not related to how wealthy the student's family happens to be. Any type of school can address behavior problems in students. Such students do not specifically need to be enrolled in an alternative school.

The Faculty of Alternative schools Have to Live on Campus

• Alternative schools that offer boarding facilities often require their junior faculty to function as dorm masters and to therefore live on campus. Senior faculty at alternative schools, however, are not required to live on campus.