N.C. Governor's School Preparations and Alternatives

This video examines the North Carolina Governor's School program. It gives candidates an overview of the program's content, explains in detail how to prepare for the program, and discusses alternatives that may deliver more value to the student. Visit http://filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=896c688f5a63707bb399 to download the PowerPoint file. Visit http://rebirthofreason.com/Forum/Videos/0138.shtml to post lengthy comments.

Regarding roommates, get THE COLLEGE ROOMMATE FROM HELL by Linda Fiore to learn more about this crucial subject.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cult
• cultish
• mind
• control
• North
• Carolina
• Governor's
• School
• gifted
• students
• Ayn
• Rand
• sociology
• philosophy
• summer
• prepare
• alternative
• preparing
• Objectivism

[markthesharkk]

This is ridiculous.. You think this is a socialist experiment? Just because it's a program that tries to get pepole to question their views doesn't mean anything. In fact, I think it's an incredible program. Anything that gets people to back out and look at how they've been trained to think and live is insanely beneficial for any human. Controversial isn't bad, just because it doesn't match your views. This is incredibly ignorant. You have no value in any of your arguement...

[LutherSetzer]

@markthesharkk At whose expense? For what purpose? At what age is such "questioning" good? Who is to deal with the residual "questions" after the program finishes? These are all questions the program begs but evades answering.  Of course, undoubtedly the people behind this program want to shake beliefs opposing their agenda while concurrently introducing beliefs supporting their agenda. I hope you enjoy the Kool-Aid.

[chredon]

As for Mr. Setzer's opinion that dual enrollment (taking a couple of college courses for credit) is a superior use of your summer, he is incorrect. Ask any college admissions officer in any UNC system, private, or Ivy League university and they will tell you that attending GS is much more important on your application than having taken an entry-level philosophy course at your local community college. Creative thinkers are in demand. Anyone can take Psych 101.

[LutherSetzer]

@chredon I am skeptical of this claim given the wide range of qualifiers that admissions officers examine. Moreover, I think Ivy League schools are vastly overrated. A solid high school application ought to gain entry into a decent UNC program for one's career of choice. Getting as many of those college credits as possible in high school saves vast sums of time and money at UNC. This can in turn accelerate entry into an internship or cooperative education position, where the real value lies.

[astr0al3x]

Any government sponsored program that isolates a group of people from the outside world, (ie: no internet, photography or video taping) as is the case with some governor's schools should raise mental red flags and at the very least, prompt a person to ask hard questions about the purpose of said programs.

[superkatiehock]

I understand, but there's no way to truly know how any person will handle a situation until they've experienced it. Just because you had a terrible time and because I had a great time certainly will not depict the outcome of anyone else. The negative information was helpful (I was actually told some of these things before I went, yet they didn't affect my decision), just lay off on the repressed anger when trying to make an informing video.

[pococolo]

@markthesharkk That argument only works if students who start out as lib agnostics come home as converted conservative religious individuals in amounts about equal to those who start out with conservative, religious orientations who convert to agnostic libs. From what I've read, it's pretty much the latter and not the former. That at least suggests that indoctrination. Why does society need all these kids who have been "challenged?" We really need more doctors and engineers.

[AprilBurrows]

You guys...I am not paranoid. I am not necessarily conservative or liberal. And I'm not anti-educational programs. In fact I was Valedictorian of my high school. But having attend a Governor's School, I can verify that what Mr. Setzer alleges is the truth. And looking back on my high school career, I realize my summer would have been much better spent if I'd focused on things other than a camp full of elitist kids with radically liberal instructors.

[LutherSetzer]

@chredon Your argument underscores one of my criticisms of the program. It evades the hierarchical nature of knowledge. By jumping into relativity prior to taking trigonometry and mechanics, for example, the thrust of the theory drops context and becomes a floating abstraction. As for your point about epistemology, you need to watch the video again more closely. I said to use the MyPhilosophyKit Web site to prepare for epistemology discussions, MySocKit for sociology, etc.

[chredon]

@LutherSetzer: Somehow, I doubt an introductory math course would prepare me for discussions of Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity. I don't think Psych 101 would give me more insight into areas of epistemology or the goal of thought. I don't think Anthropology 101 would prepare me for discussions of the role of giftedness in modern society and the challenges faced by those who must walk that path. Nothing that you have said shows that you have any understanding of what GS was really about.

[chredon]

@LutherSetzer: My source for this information is Tom Ross, President of the University of North Carolina system, supported by observations from people I know in the Park Scholarship program at NCSU. Your skepticism is noted, and I'll give it all the credence it deserves. And while an Ivy League education may not be that much more informative than others, the prestige of an Ivy League degree and the contacts you make there are certainly more than worth the effort of trying to get in.

[LutherSetzer]

@chredon Those who choose to attend the program can at least benefit from the "preparations" portion of this video. I still stand by those recommendations. Waiting until arrival to engage the material represents a big mistake and deprives participants of considerable value they might otherwise garner from the program.