I joined Davidson Academy Online in its second year, having already exhausted every other school option in my area. From its start as a pilot project with an ambition to challenge the profoundly gifted, I’ve watched it grow into something exceptional. DAO rescued me from the boredom and misery of sitting through lessons on material I already knew. It has allowed me to take courses from Real Analysis to Classical Chinese, make wonderful friends, and grow academically and personally in ways I hadn’t thought possible.
In many ways, you are treated like a college student here at DAO. You are given a college schedule, you are (particularly in the upper-division courses) given college-level material, and many of your teachers have taught college courses in the past. Like most college students, you will probably struggle at times. It’s designed that way. Learning to manage yourself, recognize when you need help, and summon the courage to ask for it are some of the most important skills DAO teaches you.
You will (probably) not be the smartest person you know here. Even if you are, you will (probably) not be the top student in all of your classes. And even then, you will still have something to learn from every one of your peers. You’ll be surrounded by people whose brilliance inspires you to push yourself further. Remarkably, this does not make DAO’s environment competitive at all. People are driven because they seek to emulate the excellence they see around them. Your classmates—your friends—want you to succeed here. It’s why I’ve stayed for seven years.
To me, DAO’s greatest gift is its people. Few other environments can bring together so many individuals who are both kind and brilliant. I still keep in close contact with people who graduated DAO years ago. I can all but guarantee you will find an intellectual community here; I expect—and sincerely hope—you will also find friends.
– Laszlo, Davidson Academy Online Student
Adapted from a “Student to Student” profile originally shared in our newsletter. Subscribe >