I was also struck by the incredible talent of the school, which has been ranked among the best public schools in America. Awards ranged from entrepreneurship competition prizes to scholarships offered by Vinson & Elkins LLP and the Marine Corps. There was also special recognition for the top-ranked junior golfer in the entire country, the best tennis team in the state, All-State Orchestra members, a long list of National Merit scholars and finalists, and many other distinctions in academics, athletics, and the arts. The principal also announced that this year's 500-some seniors have reported over $10,000,000 in college scholarships—and I'm certain most of them are merit-based rather than need-based—of which students plan to use around $3,000,000.
Not surprisingly, the school's college matriculation statistics are impressive, with a handful of students who head to the Ivy League each year, a fair number at schools such as Stanford, Duke, and Vanderbilt, and large groups at great in-state options, including Texas, A&M, and Rice.
Maybe I shouldn't have left for boarding school?
