Evening star., 1960-07-03
BY DIR. BENJAMIN FINE
North American Newsnaper Alliance

QUESTION: I am attending
q vocational high school in New
York. I expect to graduate mex
June. What are my chances oi
getting into college? Do col.
leges accept students from vo.
cational schools?
ANSWER: If you have taker
a typical vocational or indus
trial program the chances oi
getting into college are slim
You probably lack some Of the
basic courses. such as geometry
a, foreign language. or science
Most vocational schools do moi
offer these courses. However
If you really want to continue
with your education. it is moi
too late to begin now.
Take as many college courses
as you can. You may have tc
take a fifth year in high school
to pick up the subjects you
missed in the last three years
I have seen students get into
college after making up their
deficits by taking a post-grad-
uate high school year. 1t is
worth while.
QUESTION: I will be a high
school senior this fall. I have
heard people say that it will be
difficult to get into college.
want to apply to more thar
one. How many schools should
I apply to, in order to be cer-
tain of getting accepted by at
least one.
ANSWER: The question OF
multiple choice troubles both
students and colleges. Most
high school guidance counselors
limit you in the number of ap-
pllcatlonS you can send out
The number ranges from three
to five. Unless you are abso-
lutely certain of getting ac-
cepted, I would recommend thai
you apply to five colleges.
But be judicious in your ap-
plications. I have seen students
with 80 average and college
scores above 900 turned down
at Radcliffe. Smith, Wellesley
and Bryn Mawr. You should
have at least one insurance
college-that is, a college where
your chances of getting ac-
cepted are almost certain. But
despite good marks, if you ap-
ply only to top-notch institu-
tions, you may find yourself
left out by all of them.
Some colleges now have early
admission policies. They &C.
cept students on the basis o1
their first three years of high
school. You may only apply tc
one college, under this arrange
ment, and are asked to notify
the college of your intentions
as soon as you get your ac-
ceptance. Normally, though
the student, to be safe, should
apply to more than one college
QUESTION. I belong to g
citizens committee for better
schools. Some of us have tried
to get the school board to in
troduce a new course in high
school science. but the board
says that we shouldn't inter-
fere with school matters. What
rights do parents and citizens
have? Don't the schools belong
to the taxpayers2
ANSWER: You have opened
up a whole realm of educa-
tional problems. Where does
the parents responsibility be-
gin and the superintendent
end? What role should a PTA
or a citizens committee play in
getting better schools?
Generally, the citizens groups
and the school boards get along
nicely together. But here and
there friction does arise. I
think the parent has a definite
responsibility to keep informed
as to what the schools are
doing. But a line must be
drawn. I would favor a par
ents' group suggesting that a
new course be offered in math
or science; but the professional
educators, the teachers and ad-
miniStrators. should then de-
termine how the course should
be taught.
In other words, the know