Youth Should Never Be A Barrier To Learning.
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The Early Entrance Experience
Testimonials From Those Who Have Lived It
This page contains observations and remarks regarding the
Program for the Exceptionally Gifted
Comments below are sorted with most recent submissions first.
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So. I'm not exactly clear what LFT stands for, but I remember the big three from my one year at PEG. ['91/'92] I'd have to agree with the many who commented about the PEG administration and staff as to their relative irrelevence and incompetence. But overall, when I think of PEG, I rarely think of them. I have no idea how things have changed since I left, one reason being that they don't have the greatest communication system in place for those that have been a part of the program. One thing is certain, whether you were there for a year or all four or more or less -- once a PEG, always a PEG.
The experience was great in many ways: living away from home and beginning independence; meeting girls my own age who were actual peers -- from all over the country; actually skipping the crap of high school and moving straight into college. I'd do it again, no question. What I'd do different? Stay at MBC or transfer to another school away from home. I came home to go to college in my own town. [money issues] Since I was only 14, with [admittedly] limited social ability to deal with some of the more eccentric college professors, I was completely intimidated by a few teachers during registration. I proceeded to barely speak to anyone on campus for the next two years -- this resulted in my attending class, leaving immediately to go to the library or go wait on the bench for my mom to come pick me up [since I wasn't 16 yet]. PEG [and perhaps transferring somewhere where cars are unnecessary] takes care of some of the awkwardness of day-to-day living that can arise as a very young college student. [In addition, once you've adjusted to living away from home, it's kinda weird reintegrating back into the old life. I felt it big time.] That year remains one of the defining years of my life -- certainly in the area of my professional and educational development. It was also the most fun year of college for me until my last, when I was closer to the age of the students in the college I transferred to [and therefore less afraid of them]. The most important thing to know when considering PEG is: yourself. Can you handle being away from home? Can you handle being with people who may be light years different from you? Can you handle making the decision to stick to whatever standards you have for yourself when no one else is there to enforce them? [When I was there, we also had to handle sharing 2 phones with 12 girls on a hall. Cell phones have changed all that.] For the most part, everything else can be gotten over -- whether it be grades, social skills, or the occasional disciplinary action. Don't be afraid to go -- I recommend it to everyone who meets the requirements. [I happen to view high school and a royal waste of time.] Enjoy! |
- Jeanette G, Former Student (Class of 1995) |
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Having read all of the reviews on this site, I am quite appalled by many of the comments. Most of the comments are from recent graduates who may not actually be able enough to see the benefits that PEG can offer to their career.
I went to PEG in 1994 and stayed for one year. After that year, I transferred to New York University and graduated from the Stern School of Business. My first job out of college was for a Top Tier Investment Bank and I can assure you that the FACT that I graduated 4 years early is exactly what landed me the job. After having worked at the bank for a number of years, I am now the head of financial research at another finance firm, a public speaker and a published author of 3 financial books. None of this would have been possibly without PEG. Why? Graduating 4 Years Early Makes You Stand Out In a world where tens of thousands of college students graduate each year, PEG makes you special and being special differentiates you from every other college graduate that is looking for job at the same time that you are. Recruiters receive thousands of resumes from equally qualified students. They are looking for leaders and are looking for people who are not scared to break out of the mold. Seeing **Graduated College at the age of 18** prominently displayed on your resume speaks leaps and bounds for your intelligence and at bare minimum makes you someone they want to talk to. Graduating 4 Years Early Gives You the Flexibility to Make Mistakes Switching jobs and switching careers is something that many college students and adults do (hence the mid life crisis). This choice is scary and frustrating for everyone who does it, but graduating college at 18, you have the time and flexibility to make mistakes. I have many friends who I graduated college with. I was 18, they were 22. We all worked for 4 years and switched jobs. At 22, I was not scared to take a different more risky, but eventually more fruitful opportunity because I knew that even if I failed, I still had plenty of time. At 26, my friends were much more scared to make the shift, leaving many of them stuck in unsatisfying jobs to this day. Going to PEG was one the best decisions I have ever made and it is a decision that I encourage everyone that is given the opportunity to consider. |
- Kathy, Former Student (Class of 1998) |
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I attended PEG in 1990-91, and had no business being there (as many of you may remember). I was 12, and got free tuition, not because of any need (which I did demonstrate), but because I was a guinea pig. Celeste and company wanted to test the lower age limit for acceptance. Needless to say I was a psychological mess (OCD, self-destructive behaviors that were referred to by the FU C&M, ended up with a diagnosis as bipolar II). Seeing my shrink outside of school wasn't enough; I was forced to see the joke of a therapist at MBC's health center. The staff was horrible, with the exception of Joyce: the RAs didn't much care, Marcy was evil, and Alison and Celeste were more concerned with their careers and marketing the program than with the current students.
Of course teenage girls can be nasty. They're hormonal, away from their parents (most for the first time), and have little clue as to their identity and direction in life at that age. I did make some friends, and learned a little more how to deal with people, but you know what? That's what high school was for. And college. And life in general. Mostly what I learned was that I was not ready, and the staff should have seen that WAY BEFORE they admitted me. And tons of us spent time getting WASTED. And making out in the woods behind those jokey boys' school dances with total losers. And stealing. And writing nasty stuff about each other. And gossiping and ratting people out. I think back about PEG, and I'm happy I left. The weird thing is, I've kind of forgotten about it--often I hear about PEG, and I think "oh, wait! I went there." To my fellow PEGs at the time, sorry for being an a-hole. I was 12, immature and ignorant. Good luck to those of you who choose to attend PEG. I hope you and your family understand what you're getting into, and what your future may hold for you. I also hope that the staff has improved (experienced and QUALIFIED), unlike in my days. |
- NM, Former Student |
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As a recent graduate of the PEG program and Mary Baldwin College, I'd like to say a few words about not only the program but the college at large.
For prospective students and families considering this program, here's a quick summary of my opinion: It is very, very far from perfect. However, the chances that you will benefit from it in some way are very good. Here's a more in-depth testimonial: I definitely think that PEG is an amazing idea and one of the defining experiences of my life. I think the concept - that, with a little help smart, mature young women can strike out on their own at an abnormally young age - can and does work in the majority of situations. I think that, if nothing else, the experience of meeting, living with and learning about other exceptionally intelligent women is so overwhelmingly positive that the low points of the program are eclipsed. As stated, the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted was at the time of my enrollment a deeply flawed institution, hosted by a college (Mary Baldwin) that was similarly situated. When I began the program in 1999, I quickly learned that the picture my family and I were painted of PEG and the college in general was extremely inaccurate. The reality was that the program was largely staffed by apathetic, distant young adults who had no professional or personal interest in gifted education much less training in it. These staff members, also lacking any reasonably adequate knowledge of adolescent psychology, had extremely toxic relationships with virtually the entire population of the PEG dorm and relied on favoritism and rumors rather than personal observation to identify problems. (Incidentally, the turnover rate of PEG staff is extremely high.) The members of the directorial staff, who operate with very little oversight from the college, were even more unqualified for their positions than their lower-level staff. Not a single person working in the building had a degree in gifted education, with the exception of the executive director, who obtained the degree under pressure from the college after she had been in her position for several years. The rules system was, in a word, ludicrous. In an effort to keep this short, I will pinpoint the biggest issue with the rules system: it was designed and worded so as to place the entire burden of identifying and addressing problematic behavior on the students. This put teenaged girls, many of whom despite their advanced intelligence were given to gossipy and overdramatic behavior, in the position of making decisions that could cost other students their health, safety or college careers. For the better or for worse, however, this entire structure only affects PEG students for the first two years at Mary Baldwin. After PEGs are no longer required to live in the supervised dorm, they are treated as normal members of the MBC student body. While this might seem positive for students weary of the toxic PEG environment, the complete lack of specialized guidance for PEG upperclassmen can and often does lead to problems when students begin applying for jobs or graduate schools. Another point where the inadequacies of PEG and Mary Baldwin intersect is the total lack of consideration made for students from lower economic strata. Like many colleges today, particularly private institutions, MBC is a school developed with only the needs of privileged students in mind. Instructors tend toward assigning excessive “busy work,” spend class time reviewing homework instead of lecturing, and expect students to attend many out-of-class events; this combination can prove impossible for students who must work full-time jobs to support themselves. While such students don’t typically enroll at MBC, the needs of those who do are ignored. When those less-privileged students are also PEGs, the problem is even greater; the program discourages students from getting even part-time jobs and offers no need-based grants in its considerable arsenal of scholarships. What is most troublesome about all of this is that PEG continues to be woefully underdeveloped despite very, very generous monetary contributions from various benefactors. If PEG’s directors or MBC itself were committed to developing a more suitable program model, to contracting adolescent psychologists and gifted education professionals to advise on the program, and to hiring better qualified staff, they would be more than financially capable of doing so. Ask the average PEG alumna about the program and she’s likely to identify similar failings, but she will also likely tell you that she would do it all again if given the opportunity. That is certainly the case for me. You may be asking how, if all of these problems exist, the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted could possibly be a positive experience. The saving grace of the program is this: the incredible virtue of simply putting gifted teenage girls in a college-level, all-female educational environment where they live with other gifted teenage girls. The experience of having true peers – other girls of the same age, intelligence and maturity – is incredibly valuable for young women, and for typical PEG students the program is their first and only experience of meeting true peers. The support system that PEG students build amongst themselves is incredibly powerful and tends to last well into adulthood and across many miles. Gifted young women are amazing, powerful people, and the fact that 30-35 such girls every year enter a badly underdeveloped program like PEG and manage to create magic amongst themselves is proof of that power. By entering the PEG program, you’ll be given the opportunity to bond with young women as exceptional and amazing as yourself, at the cost of enduring a certain amount of very bad program management. Is it worth it? Absolutely. |
- Sage, Student (Class of 2003) |
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I graduated from PEG/MBC long ago, so I find that my feelings regarding the program and the college have mellowed. With distance, I find some things easier to understand. The staff, who tend to feature prominently in the litany of injustices rattled off by other posters, were good practice for handling every asinine, insecure boss I ever had in the working world. Quite frankly, they were immature at best and badly trained by their supervisors, and I have some measure of sympathy for them now. I guess the real question is whether I would attend MBC through PEG again. Absolutely. I can't provide a loving testimonial to all things PEG, because I don't care for their particular flavor of Kool-Aid, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to strike out on their own, make their own rules, and live their own life. I had the unique privilege of doing exactly as I pleased for four years, in a supportive, close-knit academic environment. If you are independent, you are emotionally ready to take responsibility for yourself, and you have self-discipline, then you will do well at MBC. P.S. I still have my copy of the PEG Handbook. With great pleasure, I systematically broke every single rule in the book and never got caught. Just smile, look sweet, and keep a low profile, and you're golden. |
- Carolina , Graduate (Class of 1998) |
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I was not mature enough. I think a lot of parents of gifted children assume that cleverness is the same as common sense; I think they assume that eagerness is the same as life experience. I was a naive person who had never been around drugs and psychological illness before. I also had no academic self-discipline. I lasted less than a semester at PEG, went home to Hicksville High School, and spent the next two years in an emotional hole - like many gifted people, I'd never before failed at anything. Luckily, my junior year, my parents moved the whole family to a county with a good school system. A decent high school with good AP classes was more challenging than the classes I took at Mary Baldwin. Problem solved. (I only took freshman classes at MBC, so this might be an unfair generalization.) I think transferring to a good school system might be a better first choice, personally and academically, for moderately gifted people in bad public schools. Now I'm at a residential college at a mid-level state university, and I'm profoundly happy with where I am. I am majoring in Latin American Studies, in the personal mentorship of competant, well-published professors. I am challenged and engaged by the coursework, I've already been offered jobs in my field after graduation, and I have time to hike, write, volunteer, get involved in local politics, and work at a job I find rewarding. I am glad I went this route and took my time. I say this to confirm what many other PEGs have said - if you would not be comfortable with attending any other small college at fourteen to sixteen, if you are not prepared to discipline yourself to study and go to class, if you haven't learned to preserve your own emotional stability and to stay out of drama - think hard about whether Mary Baldwin is the right place. If you are driven and want to establish yourself in your field early - like some of the wonderful, together girls in my class - PEG might still be your answer. It's just not the only answer. |
- Claire M., Former Student (Class of 2003) |
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I attended PEG from August of 1999 until May of 2000. I skipped three years of school to attend. Retrospectively, I can see where PEG both hindered and to a lesser degree helped me. I think that it was probably one of the worst decisions I ever made, because I made it that way. I simply was not ready for college emotionally. Back then, I did not understand this, and I thought I was at the peak of maturity. If I had not lacked the fundamental aspects of growing up that one can only attain from life experiences and social interaction with all types of people (something I am only beginning to understand), I think that my time in college would not have left me with the anxious nightmares that still haunt me of Bailey Hall from time to time. I have suppressed a lot of memories from PEG because I am ashamed of how it turned out, I guess. It seems to be set apart from the chronological order of my life. Most of my memories of the place are quick snapshots mixed with a flash of unease. As more and more time passes, I remember a few bits here and there but these new memories are unfeeling and are as if they happened to someone in a movie than actually to me. I did not know myself well enough at that age to determine my life's path. I had a medical career goal in mind that I think was based more on society's ideal than my own. I never considered any other option of what I wanted out of life. I thought that my self worth was based on my educational / eventual career success. I had no notion of what life truly is about, and I feel that PEG was not the place to discover my true self or tap into my natural talents, because the program was not set up to really care about me as an individual. In PEG, I was passive rebellious. We were not allowed televisions or to utilize the community room amenities during "Must See TV" hours, so I smuggled in a TV tuner card for my computer. Our online use was monitored (or so I heard), so I used a dial-up ISP (to the annoyance of my roommate). We had to flip a clipboard when we left for class each morning, I purposely left mine reversed because I hated it. After study hours we were not allowed to leave Bailey without special permission, so I just snuck out the window, even after they bolted them down when someone squealed. Outwardly, I was cheery and nice, which is a useful skill that I learned there that can help one get away with a lot of things in life. I think a strong mentor that actually cared about nurturing gifted young women and more thoughtfulness given by the staff to even the small issues might have made PEG more beneficial to all of its members. The rules of Bailey Hall were strict if you followed them, the weekly goal-setting meetings were uncomfortable to say the least, and the air of fear that you were next to go did not make for a very comfortable environment for the growth and development of young minds. I can thank PEG for allowing me an atmosphere to explore a dark and depressed side of myself that I hope I will never see again. I think without that experience I might not be as positive of a person that I am now, because having lived in that dorm has showed me that my current life is very blessed. My only advice is just make sure that you truly love yourself and always follow your heart (do I daresay more than your mind!?!) if you decide to attend. |
- Heather Pelaez, Student (Class of 2003) |
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I had first heard about the PEG program back in 1997, on an episode of the now-defunct ABC newsmagazine Turning Point. At the time, I was 11 and I couldn't fathom the idea of attending college early. I had already set myself in for academic drudgery until 2003 (the year I was supposed to graduate from high school). However, a little letter came in the mail in August of 2000. I was ready to start my sophomore year of high school and I already had senioritis. I basically was sleeping through class and putting little effort into my work but getting high scores. My disdain towards the material taught and the general atmosphere of the school in general was not in any way fostering my intellect. So I gave PEG a chance. It was the best decision I ever made, and looking back on it, I would do it all over again. As an "older" PEG student (I had just turned 16 when I started), I had gone through some high school. Many of the girls have not, and the experience seems like it would be very different in that case. Success at PEG isn't deemed solely by your I.Q. score, but by a variety of factors, as has been previously reiterated here many times. PEG is for the proactive individual, who gives herself the opportunity to explore and experience opprtunity whenever it presents itself. It works best for the girl who doesn't want to be spoon-fed in any sense, because PEG does not have the strongest infrastructure. The balance of trying to give a group of minors some degree of independence while trying to not get sued by x party in our sue-happy society proves to be difficult to navigate. The leadership is all right, but could be better. I often felt that the staff didn't really know how to deal with the special issues that manifest themselves when a group of adolescent girls are entering a world that society has reserved for their older silbings. I found the faculty, however, to be incredibly supportive and for the most part full of wisdom and knowledge. Some of these professors could teach anywhere, but choose Baldwin for the environment. To this day, I maintain contact and friendships with the faculty, who I view as the strong parental-esque guidances that PEG staff graciously failed at being. The town of Staunton is small and there is very little to do. As a native New Yorker acclamated to both suburban and urban life, the rural nature of Staunton was incredibly jarring and it ultimately was one of the key factors as to why I chose to transfer. I got involved with numerous activities and that helped keep me busy, but I missed the excitement of urban life, which suited my fast paced nature. I also discovered that while Mary Baldwin is particulalrly strong is some fields, the field I had chosen was somewhat weak, due to its distance away from a media center (New York, Los Angeles) I transferred to the University of Southern California (which ironically enough also has an early entrance honors program) and am now currently pursuing a BA in Communication from the Annenberg School. At 19, I feel infintely older than many of my peers, who are presently freshmen and sophomores in college. I will gradaute this May, one month shy of my 20th birthday, and then I will probably have to get over the "Gary Coleman" syndrome. For the future potential PEG, I ask that you question whether you are ready to take on this challenge. It is a challenge, but a worthy one that can be rewarding in the end. |
- Sandy Sathapornwongkul, Student (Class of 2005) |
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Howdy PEG Alums, PEG prospects, & their families. Well, it's been rather interesting reading all of the testimonials regarding PEG... First, a little about me... I am Chicana and came from a low-income background and was the first in my family to graduate college. I started PEG in '92 at the age of 15 and graduated from MBC in '96. I majored in Art History and Historic Preservation. From'97-'98, I went to the "other side", joining the PEG staff as the Resident Assistant of Admissions; in this capacity, I worked with both PEG Admissions and Residential supervision/support of PEG students. I later pursued graduate studies in Art History at Arizona State University (ASU). While at ASU, I became involved in outreach, recruitment, and retention of college students. So, I switched gears to education, earning a M.Ed. in Higher Education- Policy & Leadership. I currently serve as the Retention Specialist of the Upward Bound Program of ASU; Upward Bound serves local high school students who are low-income and will be the first generation to attend college. It's an awesome program and career of being able to help and assist students through the entire pipeline of high school, college, grad school, and beyond. Looking back, I'm ok with my experience in PEG. If you would've asked me as a student, however, I would've told a much different story... such as the testimonials of the current PEGs. PEG isn't perfect, nor do I think it ever will be. There is a plethora of issues, problems, & adjustments a PEG can and/or will experience; fellow PEGs will serve as an invaluable resource in addressing these issues--- this will most likely be the first time that a PEG will have a peer who truly understands and relates! PEGs are not perfect and will make mistakes! This will be a time of academic AND personal development/exploration and yes, even many mistakes/failures. It is therefore essential that a PEG student has above average MATURITY, RESILIENCE, INDEPENDENCE, HUMOR, and COPING ABILITIES. Just because someone has a genius IQ doesn't necessarily equate to an ideal PEG student. There needs to be a balance of intelligence with the previously mentioned qualities. Finally, the ideal PEG student should have a healthy support system from family- not too sheltered, pushy, "stage-mom-syndrome"ish, co-dependent, or who thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. The ideal family for a PEG is one who is supportive, listens, but is also willing to let that student "fall and pick themselves up." In PEG, I got into my fair share of trouble and even being put on probation. The weird thing with PEG is that we're put into a environment that expects us to be a mature "college" student--- but at the same time, we're put on "lock-down" with LOTS of rules and regulations that assume we're not mature and need someone and/or something to monitor us. Back then, it drove me crazy. As a professional in higher education, I can now see the need for these rules--- now that I understand the liability and implications of minors on a college campus. Conversely, as a professional in higher ed (& former PEG staff member), I also see that PEG has yet to come under professional leadership that's EFFECTIVE in acknowledging and addressing the "catch 22" of expectations versus rules and regulations; I also believe that an ideal PEG Administration/staff would be UNITED in their PASSION, SINCERITY, and COMPETENCY to effectively serve, guide and assist PEG students towards academic and personal success. As you can see, PEG peers will be an essential support system. They will become your best and lifelong friends... even after 8 years since graduation, living in separate states/across country & sometimes in different countries! You will also develop friendships with the "traditional" MBC students that will last a lifetime as well! Life after PEG is kind of weird. I call it the "child actor syndrome." It's kind of exciting (and sometimes annoying) being the "prodigy"... the one everyone "oohs and ahhs" over. You're like the cute "child star"...think Gary Coleman of Different Strokes. Then, you grow up and aren't so cute anymore... think Gary Coleman again. You kind of get a high of being the overachiever. Then, you kind of miss the attention. This reality usually hits around 21 when you no longer have to explain to work colleagues or fellow grad students that you can't grab a beer with them after work/school. The exciting and liberating thing though is that this seems to be the time of realizing who you are, what makes you happy, and what defines success for YOU! (check out AA's comments from PEG '92) Most of my fellow PEG alums have gone in winding, exploratory, & wonderful educational/career/personal paths after PEG/MBC. You just keep learning who you are.---and get a couple of laughs looking at the past. So, I hope this helps prospective PEG students and their families as well as any current PEGs or PEG alums I have yet to meet. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments! -or say hi if you ever come to Arizona! |
- Anita Blanco, PEG Alum & Former PEG Staff (Class of 1996) |
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Thanks for reading this. I hope it will serve you well! To begin, let me clarify: some of the girls, for reasons that no one really understood, weren't well-viewed by the staff, making their time at PEG harder. From what I've observed, parents can prevent this by being very involved (checking up, calling administration) and communicating with their daughters--much like any business, PEG wants to keep their investors happy. Finally, some of the more serious concerns voiced here are from the "old" administration, which has been changed (thanks to two women from whom you've heard). As for the current administration, I don't know--at least you have material for questions! I know that going to PEG was the best decision I've ever made, and I don't regret it in any way--moreover, I would encourage mature, gifted girls to research the opportunity for themselves. MBC-PEG has given every girl who attends a tremendous number of opportunities. I tried to take as many as I could. But here are some facts about me: Gates Millennium Scholarship, research assistant to the director of the National Cancer Institute, Phi Beta Kappa... all while at MBC. Since graduating: biochemist, started public health programs, and taught high school math. This fall, I'm going to Hopkins for my combined MD/MPH, all expenses paid by the highly competitive Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. As many of my "sisters" have testified, you will determine your own success in PEG-- will you be hardworking, responsible, and willing to seek out opportunities? If yes, then great! You will do well there! But... that can be said about anyone, anywhere. You're just lucky enough to have the opportunities earlier. The reasons I stayed at MBC in spite of having been accepted to Smith and Columbia: 1) Small classes: I had Immunology !one-on-one! with a Ph.D. in Immunology from Hopkins. 2) Professors care: there are so many professors who teach there because they want to focus on teaching. There is very little red tape, and profs will help you with anything, any time! 3) Relationships: both personal and professional. The latter follows from #1 and #2: you will form profound mentorships with the faculty. Another point made by our essays: before entering, make sure that you're ready to be on your own, and that you're ready to take full responsibility for your own well-being. PEG's here to help you, not to magically heal your life. From the people I've known (EVERY ONE of them great people), those who experienced personal difficulties while part of PEG had these difficulties before they got there, and continue to have them afterwards, no matter how long they were in the program. However, one quibble I've had with these essays-- and certainly a point with which you are concerned: how is the education? A nice way to answer this question would be to review a list of grads and their accomplishments (ask PEG to see this). Some students here have presented the school negatively, but what you believe is entirely your prerogative... people are flexible in their viewpoints, apparently, as shown by this pair of quotes: testimonial: "I have had many problems now that I am in grad school because I simply did not have a proper background in the material (math), and when I talked to one of my old professors about it he said 'I would have liked to teach you more, but it's not the Mary Baldwin way.'" -PEG grad Vs. alumnae/i speak: "At Mary Baldwin, I found that the math department was very personal. The professors all seemed very concerned and worked with me to make sure I had the requirements I needed for graduate school." -Same PEG grad To enter med school, you have to take a standardized test, so admission committees can compare your preparation to that of students from other schools. These so-called MCATs test your knowledge/aptitude in the "hard" sciences, verbal reasoning, and writing. I scored in the 90-95 percentile after having graduated from Mary Baldwin, and having taken a "practice course" for the test (side note: I recommend doing this, since the vast, vast majority of applicants and test-takers participate in a prep course). Certainly, if you are quite accelerated in your field already (and some people are before they get to PEG), then you'll need to transfer to a large school with large resources. So yes, MBC is a small liberal arts undergraduate college, but it is a very good school with strong programs (with the notable exceptions of physics and computer science), and they can equip you for graduate school (and heavily encourage it.) However, PEG's not very well known--but that's where you come in. You have to Make Sure that you're a good example of the PEG grad: that you excel at what you do, and that you always push for more. An UVa grad once told me "UVa is either the easiest or hardest school--it just depends on what you make it." PEG is just the same--take as many of the hardest courses that you can, work with professors that challenge you, be involved in campus activities, and you can do _____! You fill in the blank. |
- Giannina Garces, Alumna (Class of 2002) |
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I first started PEG in 99-00. I was one of the few from my class to graduate. I would in no way say PEG is a 'great program'. However, I do feel there is a need for a program of it's sort. My parents were concerned that I, at 13 and already in 10th grade, would not graduate from highschool. I disagree with them there, but I do know I would have had extreme discipline problems and a bad GPA, simply due to boredom. So, as such, PEG was a 'saviour' for me. I am glad I went. PEG was the first time I felt I had a peer group of equals. There were many problems with PEG my freshman and sophmore years, however, these have changed and I do not feel competent to comment on the current ones. However, I do believe that Mary Baldwin is not the best college to have this program at. The students who truly need a gifted program of this sort will not find the classes challenging after the first semester, at the latest. I have had many problems now that I am in grad school because I simply did not have a proper background in the material (math), and when I talked to one of my old professors about it he said "I would have liked to teach you more, but it's not the Mary Baldwin way". That being said, Mary Baldwin does have some excellent departments, it's just that it is not consistent across the entire school (as is evidenced by the fact there is one Physics professor). As far as maturity issues go, my advice (mostly to parents, because it's hard to have an objective view of yourself) is that if you would not trust your daughter to take care of herself in a normal college environment, PEG is not the place for her. When you are in PEG, you are a college student, and you should be able to take on the responsibilities that entails. Mandatory study hours should not be needed because you should have the maturity to sit down and do your homework by yourself. Staff should not be acting as 24-7 babysitters, or substitute parents, because fundamentally you should be at a level to take care of yourself. If you attend PEG it will radically change your life. You are the one who decides if it is for the better or the worse. |
- Isabelle Stanton, Former Student (Class of 2003) |
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As a homeschooled 16 year old, entering PEG was a huge change. However, the homemaking and management skills I had learned by being homeschooled enabled me to succeed in an environment that lacked adult support, caring or supervision. While I am still on campus, I do not consider myself a PEG and try to associate with the current PEG administration and staff as little as possible. It is not an organization I am proud to be a part of, but it is a program that enabled me to begin college when I wanted to. As a freshman a dear friend of mine was ill enough to be hospitalized. When she returned home the doctor sent with her a note requesting that someone stay with her at all times. She was unable to move herself and drifted in and out of coherency. The staff members did not fulfill the doctor's request and as a result students ended up in the capacity of caregivers. Staff took active efforts to discourage us from attending our friend and it was not until parents and the doctor got involved that THE STUDENTS were allowed to continue providing care. The "24 hour supervision" that is touted so highly is provided by 20something graduate students who share an on duty cell phone. Day staff sit in an isolated office and read magazines, play online games and complain when we need rides to medical appointments or job interviews. While PEG may not be wonderful as a program, the Baldwin community is invaluable. Professors know you and support you. Many of them come to regard us as surrogate children and I will admit that my academic advisor has served more of a residential counselor position than any PEG residential staff. During the 2002-2003 school year the PEG administration threatened to expel myself and one other student when we requested that they enforce quiet hours and make an RA available in the dormitory. Both of these are precepts that are set out in the PEG handbook and in their parent seminars. Please, please think before you assume this is a wonderful program. If you think you can survive on your own, away from home, with next to no support then go for it. But if you want someone to hold your hand, if you can't use a washing machine, if you can't budget your time or motivate yourself save yourself the $25,000 and stay at home. |
- Megan Dzaack, Student (Class of 2005) |
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I'm currently a junior at Johns Hopkins, but I began my college experience in the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted. First of all, those who think that PEGs are unsuccessful are wrong. I know many of my classmates who were driven and are continuing on, whether at Mary Baldwin or elsewhere, in some pretty interesting fields. Second, I do agree the classes are declining. My year was the last year that PEG recieved information from talent searches. I was contacted by PEG, as were many of my friends. Those girls that entered in the year after me were all motivated, young girls, but there was a problem. They were too young. I had adjusted to life at Mary Baldwin and didn't quite feel like a child in the college environment. But living in a dorm with the Class of '06 made me feel like a babysitter. It was amazing how little they actually TRIED to fit in. I studied abroad in Scotland for the second half of my sophmore year. It was a wonderful experience. If you want to go to college early, don't be afraid to truly be in college. I went pubbing and clubbing almost every night I was abroad. My schedule is much busier and harder at Hopkins, so I can only make it out usually once a week. I'm not encouraging people to go out and get drunk, have sex, or do drugs all the time. That's not really mature either. But realize that you decided to enter into college, so you are a college student. Not a high schooler taking college classes. Grow up. When I went to Scotland and came here to JHU, no one assumed I was younger. I wasn't just acting older, I felt older. I don't think PEG can be improved further. It's a great Program, but lots of problems arise with what seems to be a "good idea." I think it was a great experience for me. I didn't have to avoid other PEGs, but I also didn't have to confine myself to the dorm. Most of the classes at Mary Baldwin weren't quite challenging, especially compared to my current university. I don't think PEG really prepared me in anyway for the level of work I'm encountering now. But I can say it gave me confidence to try. Who knows if I even would have attempted to apply to JHU if I had stayed in high school. I was already bored by my freshman year there. I probably would have just slacked off and wasted a couple years doing nothing. In response to this, people ask me if I think I missed out on anything. If I felt that I would have been better off getting to waste away years of my life taking basic classes that wouldn't have interested me. Don't ask me that question again. I was asked that once while I was wasted at a Scottish pub. I was also asked that while I was at the Public Health School working on my independent research project witht he Malaria Research Institute. I'm not saying that everyone who enters PEG will be so lucky as to do just what they want to do. I'm thrilled to be where I am, and doing what I'm doing. If you go into PEG, you need to want to be thrilled by something too. Not just wanting to get away from your high school, your parents, your town, etc. You need to be passionate about something. There should be that makes you get up in the morning and be excited to go to a class or be involved in some activity. It doesn't have to be academic. It just has to be. Ex-PEGs can "PEG bash" all they want. It's not a prefect program, but that shouldn't stop someone from making it into a great experience. It's been said before and I'll say it again- it's not for everyone. Before all the little girls in the country decide that they're brilliant and should be in college, they should take a step back and think. When you enter PEG, you are no longer the best. I never had that image of myself, and I definitely never felt that in PEG. All the girls are smart, some lacking social skills, but book-smart atleast. You won't be as special as you thought you were. It's just life. I can do a lot with my life, but I'll probably never win a Nobel Prize. It's just how it is. Deal with it, don't freak out. There's a line between genius and insanity. Some girls cross it. Some don't near it because they're not geniuses. I'm not. I'm just a motivated, hard working individual. Think about what you are really going for. No one has a "right" to be in college young. No one is so special they just "deserve" to go. But there are some people who have the reasons and the will. So do it. If you don't want to, or you think you may regret it, then don't. That simple. Mary Baldwin isn't the most difficult school, but it is still college. It is a completely different level and style of learning from high school. Some people may not be able to adjust. If the child is 13 years old and ACTS 13 years old, chances are she won't make it. If you think you can handle college, you better damn well act like it. |
- Izzi, Former Student (Class of 2005) |
| I'm almost out of here, and in all honesty, I cannot wait another second. Not because I am a PEG, but because I am fully ready to graduate. I've found in the past four years that everyone has a different experience and everyone has positive and negative things to say. I've been through the destruction of Bailey, the year in Kable, and the construction of the new PEG dorm. I think that the newer classes take a lot of things for granted. Firstly, their classes are not as elite as mine and the ones before mine. It's a fact. PEG stopped receiving information from gifted summer programs that they could use to recruit. Now, the people who are accepted, for the most part, contact the program themselves. Also, they are younger than the previous classes, and it shows. The Traditionals on campus have a harder and harder time relating to the PEGs because they cannot behave like adults. I know that I couldn't when I got here in 2000, but I've grown up, and I hope they do, too. Also, I think that PEG can be the beginning of something great for a person, or the beginning the end for them. The problem with this is that the program asks 16, 17, 18 years olds to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives, and that can be problematic. I think the PEG program would be well-served to allow themselves to be smaller and more elite. We do not need to take up all of that spanking new dorm, and we need to be more than girls who can make the grade. There is more to being a college student than that...even stuff that PEG doesn't want you to do. So do it, you only get to be in college once. Just because you are a PEG, doesn't mean you aren't a person. Get drunk, get laid, get the grades, and get out. You'll be happier if you do all the things you want to do, rather than the things you think you should do. Live your life...you only get one. |
- Almost Out, Student (Class of 2004) |
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I see many others from my class have done this before, and I am happy to see that the majority of them have had a wonderful experience so far. Please note that although I do not plan to say anything detrimental to the program all of what I type here are my opinions. They come from one individual person, and I should not influence your decision to come to PEG all that much. It is a wonderful program but you need to decide what is right for you. I enjoy PEG, it is a wonderful program, built to help gifted girls get ahead and become challenged. High school for me wasn't an option. Middle school was too much of a drag and there was no way I was going to consent to go to highschool. Plus my town wasn't exactly open minded, why spend money on the gifted program when the football team needs to get pizza every night of the week. Sorry if I sound bitter....But yes, high school was not going to meet my needs. Why should I allow myself to be shoved into a stuffy classroom forced to listen to a class ciricullum tailored to meet the needs of the SOL's that I had listened to the past four years? If there was a way out of that I sure as hell was going to take it. PEG offered that. They offered a chance to get out of the town and school system I was in and go to a real college and take real classes that mattered to me, that I was interested in, not that helped the school get funding. I mean isn't that what every smart girl wants??? I just wanted to be interested, to be engaged, to be happy with people like me, people who were my peers. It was a shock to the community I was in, I got many a question of, "Well aren't you going to miss your PROM???". It saddened me that that was the most important thing to the people around me, and truth be told I didnt think that Prom was that important, I mean it couldnt really be THAT different from the other dances we had. Now I know you are thinking, she is probably one of those ugly girls that lurks in the corner and wouldnt have gone to prom anyways. Go on admit it. Truth be told, I'm really not. I'm pretty normal, I had plenty of friends in school, but I just felt leaps and bounds ahead of them. I needed to be in an atmosphere where I could be understood. And PEG provided that. My roommate is one of the most interesting people I have ever met, she knows everything you could ever need to know about science, and I will be very dissapointed in her if she doesnt go on to do something amazing. Myself, I'm not really a science person, but more a social sciences. I suppose I plan to fit into the smart mold and go on to be a lawyer, but I am truely interested in that, I don't feel forced to do it. But I keep going off on tangents and I am going to run out of characters soon. The points I have made so far are: I wasn't being challenged in school and PEG offered a chance to take interesting challenging courses. And, I needed to make new friends who were like me and had the same problems. This is not to say you are going to enjoy each and every one of your classes, to say that would be a lie, some classes you just arent going to like, as I said before, I am not a science person and to meet gen. ed. requirements you must take some science courses. Those I did not enjoy so much, but they were better and more informative than any highschool biology class would have been. And I am very very happy with my political science classes, those are things you can get inflamed over. I am also not saying that when you come here you will instantly become friends with one and all other PEG students and you will grow in ways you have never experienced before because of them. You will grow, or at least I did, but it was because I learned how to distinguish between who were my friends, who weren't, and who were just "appearence friends". A lesson many many of my friends from home still havent learned. I think being in this environment has helped me develop these skills. But I know that when I came here I wasn't truely interested in whether or not I was going to grow in ways uncharted before. Truth be told I was kind of worried about missing my prom, not because it was supposed to be a monumental experience, but because that was supposed to be the time when I was becoming comfortable with boys, when I ruling the school and not being worried about anything important. That was supposed to be the fun stuff. What if I missed that at PEG? Would I not be allowed to have fun ever again? I did have fun, my freshman year and now in my sophomore year I continue to. We meet boys, we have fun, we go bowling, a lot of us attend our hometown homecomings and proms. We dont grow up, we live our lives, as slightly ahead of track teens. We make mistakes and we grow (why does that word keep popping up) because of them, just like every other teen, and for that matter adult does. Life is going to be a learning experience, no matter where you are or what you are doing. And I for one am very very happy I am learning here at PEG, with people who will be life long friends and interesting classes. So now that I have written about the two things I consider most important and I am nearly out of characters, I will leave you. I hope that I have provided some insight into some problems you might be facing in deciding whether to come or not, but as I said before, each person is different and each will have different experiences place yourself in the position and judge how you will act. I hope I havent bored you and I hope you can excuse my horrid spelling and typing skills. I try, I promise I do. Oh, and please dont let some of the scarier testimonies creep you out. Some people are going to be like that no matter where they are. And they should be ashamed of themselves, because not only do they make themselves look like freaks, but they put the program to shame needlessly. Maybe it isnt perfect, but it sure as hell isnt a prison or a depressing experience. It all depends on what the individual, you, makes of it. |
- A happy PEG, Student (Class of 2006) |
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I'm a sophomore PEG student, currently living in the PEG dorm. Everything said here is my opinion and the way I percieve things. Here at PEG we are in an interesting situation. We start out as high school freshmen, basically meaning we've recieved our acceptance, are eager to get started, and are ready to try to fit in. Then school work hits. For some of us it is easier than we expected, for some it is harder. Either way we're college students with the maturity levels of high school freshmen. Through our individual experiences, we grow. Some people see PEG as a way to do the stereotypical things college students do; drink, smoke, do drugs, and have sex. Please know that these things are illegal here. Other people see it as a time to do schoolwork and lock themselves in their rooms seeing only their roommates, study partners, teachers, and textbooks. Neither of these is really healthy, but the way PEG is designed, it encourages us to be bookworms, so some rebel and do the opposite. I'm glad I'm here, I couldn't imagine still living at home and going to high school even though I love my family. My first year I tried to be the bookworm type, but never could manage to spend all my time with my books. This year I've tried other images and have found one: myself. I've made friends, both PEGS and trad's (the name for traditional students) who have helped me explore options in life beyond the textbook and have helped me realize that the textbook is good friend to have. I set out this year knowing that next year I wouldn't be living in the PEG dorm and I didn't want to get out there on campus only knowing PEGS. I forced myself to get out of the dorm (and with the way the dorm is built, it is hard to get motivated to get on campus, even though it's a beautiful building) and found a group of girls in another dorm that I can hang out with. They're not all bookworms, though some are. The only generalization that can be made about them is that they're GOOD PEOPLE (yes, some people on campus are cool even if they're not PEGS) and they care about they're friends. Some of them smoke, most of them drink during parties, but they respect a no and have never given me either since I've never asked and have made it clear I don't want it. They'll also look out for me when it comes to men, giving advice, meeting/screening my dates, and telling drunk guys to keep their hands off. Now before I scare any parents, I would like to state again that this is MY experience. In the PEG dorm, there are rules about alcohol and smoking and guys, so a girl is protected in the dorm. Protection is good too, expecially if the girl isn't ready for some of the things that go on on campus. The girl does need to decide for herself when she's ready though, some are ready sooner than others. This is one of the only areas I can say I'm not completely satisfied with PEG. PEG prefers to err on the side of safety, which I understand completely. They're responsible for us and have to be protective, but they're not the pseudo-parents that some girls thought they would be. They take us on trips, keep the floors quiet (to a degree), and they keep our social lives in check. We're allowed to make any decisions we want about eating, schoolwork, and clubs (unless it gets back to them that we're missing all our classes and never eating) but we can't make our own decisions about curfew and who we ride with. Again, in their defense, it is for legal reasons, but it still bothers me that we're not allowed to until we're at large. Overall, I'm happy at Mary Baldwin. I don't want to leave and I'm satisfied with my experiences with PEG and I'm so appreciative that I was able to come here. I hated high school and I've learned a lot here about myself and in my classes. I've been able to do things in theatre that I would never have been able to do in high school (I'm a theatre major) and I've met people I would never have met otherwise. Some things have been sour, but that would have happened in high school too and it's mostly been sweet. I've gotten a jumpstart in my life and I'm grateful to PEG and my parents for trusting me on multiple occasions to learn from my mistakes and I have. For the first time ever, I'm comfortable in my own skin and I'm happy with who I am. I wouldn't have leanred that in high school because I would have been trying to keep quiet and fit in, two things I've never been good at because the people I was trying to fit in with weren't people I wanted to be. Thank you to PEG and staff (I'm sure you'll read this eventually) for inviting me here. I'll try to make you proud, even if I annoy you sometimes. If anyone has any questions, feel free to email me. |
- Cassie, Student (Class of 2006) |
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Here it is yall!! This is the hokie BS to start with. I lost my virginity-underage-in many ways to military delinquents to repay narcs at PEG -sup Skeeny?, started smoking, getting DRUNK off beer bought from doing trads' homework, smoking pot, mixing drugs and dating a freaking drummer-the poorest occupation excluding tommy lee but with rhythm! PEG was great when we werent getting caught. The girls you meet there (that bathe, aren?t Wicca and I wont be discrim further) share something with you that no one else in the world does so you are bonded like you wouldnt be elsewhere exc. prison or the army. (quote from mybud) The problem for a lot of us now-10 years post grad is that we arent special anymore. We arent famous though one of us will be one day if her musician gives her time to write abot this shit.Hope it is our expose of PEG. We arent rich or Presidents of companies... Im pissed at one PEG of my grade because she is ready to get married and have kids and she knows 3 languages, stayed in Japan alone 2 years, made it outta VA and used to quote Steinem and now it is all about Simon her beau who will not require her to work & will move her to France to birth. She is doing the best.sad eh.getting the old MRS. There were 4 of us in a clique. Ones who would have been all that in high school too. Athletes, boys, parties, normal shit. Ooops. Thank God we are reconnecting after a decade. BC only doctors and other PEGs can help save ourselves.Get this shit: No names: One of us is marrying someone twice her age for his $$ bc she is lonely now though not poor as a fucking brilliant lawyer. She worked at Taco Hell after PEG to escape her parents. Three of us self mutilate. One does the hair pull thing, one scratches bad enough to have tetnus shots, one cuts. One of us just found out our boyfriend is mental-he ate tylenol - a bottle (Pegs dont have that 6th since in that all girl environment about losers but I bet we would have claimed to have it then while those high school rednecks were really miles ahead of us.) 50% on antidepressants. 1 on xanaxes, migraine opiates and antianxiey stuff to stop hating herself for expecting grand BS from young expectations and too analytical brain. 1 is bullimic. 1 is manic, 1 is panic disorder, 1 is borderline personality.Most are depressed.Self hate for not being special sucks. Anyone ever researched [name removed]-the suicide? I bet Celeste the expert didn?t let that out. I may take advantage with the other I will convince and make a mint off this disastrous effect of early schooling by our dream of going on Oprah . You are like I woulda been. She is just bitter-not PEG quality-BS. Just wait... I am the shit cuz im in college and go out to eat on Pops credit card and I have wild lesbian acquaintances now-even witches and can sneak out and all that so cool, but after graduation when that support system is gone it really sucks. Everyone is ahead of you.Even in votech! 3 of us in therapy. We are vulnerable upon graduation and know we can handle it cuz we are smart...or not. Same with those home schooled freaks. Get ready. Im not bullshitting. Those high school years teach us to deal with the shitty stuff and choose what ya like.Type of guy, career, morals.At 29 I still dont know who I am but im not 1/2 who I was my senior year at PEG.-cant go undo dumb shit. Cant correct self destructive acts really. I love my PEG friends.U will luv yours too. treasure them bc that and debt are all u get though I do hope we are oddities. BUT the therapists and some smart docs know about it so it isnt rare. we were so advanced and cocky academically that socially we are falling behind every day there. Gotta go take my meds. FU C&M-the LFT.Hate u! If any PEG needs to write please do. Write someone else though-a therapist.Im too chicken now to admit to this though I swear on it. You arent alone!You wont need this advice for another 5 years so why am I writing? Your shrink will remind you. |
- FU CR&MM, Scared of me and Pissed at PEG admin at 30 years old. (Class of 2040) |
| I cannot say enough good things about PEG. Granted, I'm only a freshman, and I've only been here a short time, but PEG has given me so many more opportunities than high school could have offered. For gifted teenagers, high school is NOT a challenge, and they need something more. PEG is an excellent program, and if you have any questions, you can email me. |
- Amanda, Student (Class of 2007) |
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"PEG is what you make it." "Oh to peg or not to peg? That is the question." "You can't fit a square peg into a round acorn. However, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while." PEG is everything you want it to be, within certain moral and ethical standards. So the real question is, what are you looking for in an early entrance program? Find out, then come visit. See for yourself how exciting, creative, supporting, and challenging it is here. If PEG is right for you, and you are *mature* enough and *independent* enough and *responsible* enough to make PEG into something wonderful, it will be for you. The people who have had bad experiences have largely not fit the above criteria, or they have not *worked out* their *conflicts* with people. PEG can't do it for you--you have to make it a good experience. You have to be willing to *work with staff*, build *healthy relationships* and *character*, and be willing to *forgive* and move on. *The ones who make it and look back on PEG with fondness are the ones who are willing to commit ****mutually**** with staff, parents, and advisors to make PEG the best it can be. No one can do it for you.* I love PEG. It isn't perfect, but it is as great as the people in it, and there are some amazing people here. Special Kudos to Emma, M&O, and the *suspect*!! |
- Unnamed (my parents were quite indecisive), Possibly PEG |
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This program takes quite a bit of maturity, independence, self-governance, and self-discipline. Unlike boarding schools throughout the nation, Mary Baldwin College's Program for the Exceptionally Gifted is not about reforming an individual, but giving them the platform from which to gracefully step into the real world. Although the Program does emphasize individuality and strength, it also has a backbone of caring staff who, like every other human being, are capable of mistakes. Gifted young women can be found everywhere, but because of inadequate schools and opportunities, many are unable to find that niche that they need or desire. When I was in the 8th grade, I received a postcard from PEG. I visited, investigated, and finally applied-- with my parents guiding me to make the decision that was right for me. It was incredibly difficult to choose between two worlds, one that was socially accepted and normal, the other remotely out of the question to so many. I decided to take the leap. I found my niche and I have been grateful ever since. This is not a College pushed or paid testimonial. This is from me: a real student who is graduating May 16th at the age of 18 with a double major in International Relations and Political Science, two political internships, an extended family of supporters, offers from Graduate schools and governmental organizations alike, and a bright future full of opportunities. I will say that, yes, COLLEGE is difficult. You learn so much from everything that you involve yourself in. Like any undergraduate, you will grow exponentially in your four years, building upon everything you have already learned and discovering bits of yourself that you would never have found if not for various opportunities. Please remember that this is your decision. If you decide to take the reigns of college early, you must "roll with the punches" and carry on, or return to something not necessarily better or worse, but suitable to YOU. Many of the negative testimonials are from students who have left for reasons unrelated to the Program or the College or were not necessarily ready for this Program. I have succeeded, and I am not alone. But, again, the Program isn't right for everyone and no one ever said it was. |
- Claire, Student (Class of 2004) |
| I regret it a lot now. I did graduate and somehow didn't get kicked out for being normal. I was there with the LFT (Celeste, Marcy, and Allison). No support, no understanding of the needs of teenage girls much less gifted teenage girls. I thought after our class when only 2 of us (the biggest hellraisers that eventually stopped getting ratted out by jealous not normal PEGs) graduated that they were only going to accept those with no social skills so they wouldnt have to worry about them wanting to do anything but study. PEGs dont really have to study at this college. I think High School would have been much more difficult academically and I would have also learned a lot of very important social, real life and emotional skills. Anyway-choosing a major at 16 is just ludicrous and no one at PEG knows how to pluck your brain or give a career assessment test so you just guess. More than likely you will get kicked out for doing something that other teenagers do daily or you will get off your ass and transfer and then have another chance to graduate. Went to grad school and make more than any of the LFT now. They are evil and I hope if the administrator is not educated in gifted ed that they at least have a heart and know how to give a pat on the back to you and teach you about life outside of the bubble. Human relations skills are more important to employers than your GPA and most PEGs have the social skills of newts. Remember, when you graduate at 18 unless you go straight to Grad school which I wouldnt recommend, you are going to need a job.Being 18 does not help unless you are working at McD or you hide at home designing websites.You should spend some time with some high school girls/guys learning how to take up for yourself,common sense,how not to date losers just bc you were deprived in PEG. You should decide during this time if you chose the right major or want to change to something different in grad school. I did a thousand more things than my current boyfriend but he is more in demand (makes more than me) than an econ major because he is a Master Electrician and not as many people go into the PAID FOR union or state skilled trades anymore bc their parents push them into college. Wish I would have known that. I could write a novel about the hell of PEG and how it should be run or else nixed. I could write about all of the unjust punishment you get and how the women that ran it were not supportive, not helpful, just there for the paycheck. A lot of bright, smart women were kicked out of school for BS reasons and that is unforgivable. I bet no PEG has donated to PEG. MBC but not PEG. Please email with specifics though the new girls could let you know if the new regime knows anything about teenagers esp gifted ones. I can let you know about my Masters degree in econ but how I flunked out emotionally for a long time - still behind those that went to high school and got more thick skinned for the world. Also I do feel burnt out and not many of my buddies are thrilled with working. We were just skipping high school, not trying to get into a career asap. I want to get out of the corporate world and do something fun now like be a bartender but is that ok for a PEG? |
- AA, Former Student (Class of 1993) |
| ok...im not here to "PEG-bash" or to make PEG seem like "the best program for highly gifted women" PEG has its upsides and its downsides. i have faced many problems with the program but i am still here. if it was that unenjoyable wouldn't i be gone already? PEG has been a good experience for me because i have met a variety of people who i would have never met had i stayed in my regular high school environment...because they are not the people i would have sought out. However, they have proven to be the best and most reliable friends i have had thus far. most of the problems i have experienced with PEG have been due to personality conflicts with the director. i feel she has proven to be inadequate at her job...the program is wonderful except for the flaws that are in her personality. In my experience i have found her unmotivated to help students who she feels aren't putting forth effort, whether she knows them or not. She has been quick to judge and slow to help. the staff otherwise is extremely helpful and caring, with exceptions of course. sometimes staff seems very uneager to give rides, but that has to do with schedule conflicts and such. All in all PEG is a good program for young girls. However you must have trust and strong belief in the capabilities of your daughter. You also must realize that the shortcomings of the head of staff may be the cause of problems facing a PEG student. well i guess thats all... ROCK ON! oh and if you have any questions...holla at me! |
- *chica bonita*, Student (Class of 2006) |
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I am a former PEG student - From the good old days when we were new to the campus and the first group had not yet graduated. We were an unknown quantity on a huge campus and pioneers in our own right. I know a lot has changed but it still sounds the same. We had the "stupid" rules - including one stating we had to go to breakfast - we still had classes in the dorm basement and the rule was designed to keep us from going to class in pajamas. We would sign out for breakfast and eat a granola bar on the steps. Never try to enforce a ridiculous rule on a gifted teenager. We will find a loophole. All told I enjoyed my years at PEG. It offered me an opportunity I would not have received at home and allowed me to get a jumpstart on my career. The four years PEG saved me have allowed me to accomplish so much and throughout I have used them one semester at a time - Whether I took 4 months to explore Europe or to help out a local theatre troupe. Every year has been a bonus. I now work on a Cruise Ship as an Entertainment Manager. In the end I found theatre the most challenging area. I am constantly challenged and never know what the next day will bring. Had I been asked to asses PEG back then I would have had few good things to say. It was once commented the students in my class 'were acting like teenagers'. We were teenagers and had so much more to learn. PEG opened the door for us to step through. We only had to seize the day and take our fill. PEG can only give you the shoes. The walking is your task. We were the first - the guinea PEGS - and yet we still came out OK. If you are a prospective student or parent please look into this program. Many told my family this was the wrong choice for my life. PEG is the reason I have my life. I love the way all has turned out. Hindsight is 20/20 I would still go back and do it the same way again! Even this time with my eyes fully opened. |
- Dani, Former Student (Class of 1992) |
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Wow. I feel a bit obligated to follow in the steps of my fellow classmates and add my own experiences. I think that if you want to go to PEG, the most important thing you can do is find out if it is the right program for you, or the right time. As I'm sure you noticed, some people would have done better at a different program. I am one of the older members of my class, and sometimes it is a bit overwhelming and I feel inadequate compared to the younger girls. One of the best things I did though was to go through a year of high school. I started applying (I even did the interview) during 8th grade, but I waited until after my freshman year to actually finish the application. I know that it was definately the best thing for me personally to wait a year, and I now know that my abilities are just different then the other girls so I don't feel bad about that anymore. We are all taking different course loads, different subjects, and different paths. We cannot be compared to each other. Maturity is a big deal here at PEG. It is a little hard being in classes with traditional students when they sometimes have already formed an opinion on you, or judged you, just by your involvement in the program. If you act responsibly, courteously, and sensibly though, things are a lot smoother. In some of my classes there are even some people who did not realize I was a PEG at first (and there are some who still don't realize it). Contrary to some other peoples' beliefs though, it is not that hard to get along with the traditionally aged girls. It is a shock at first to realize you are NOT the smartest one in school anymore, but if you are careful not to isolate yourself, you will do fine. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have, and I will try to answer them or forward them to someone else who can. If you intend to do this, research it fully first. Ask questions. Get involved. If you are sure that this is definately the RIGHT place for you, you will find the experience a lot more rewarding then if you find out that you did not entirely realize what you were getting into. |
- Yet Another From the Class of '06, Student (Class of 2006) |
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As it seems that a good number of my classmates have submitted one of these testimonials, and as I am a hopelessly easily shaped teenager, I've decided that contributing to this testimonial collection would be the only right thing to do. And, also, the views of my classmates (and the members of the classes before me) are a little skewed. PEG's far from evil, and the problems of a few years ago have all been killed and replaced by new ones. The main detraction that I have from the I-Love-PEG club is that we have an idiotic amount of freedom. I'm a stupid youth with minimal discretion. I could have died on numerous occasions. Well, maybe not. We're all pretty much on our own, though, near-death experiences aside. Staff has their jobs and they watch us as much as they are paid to. If any parents are reading this, do every other possible member of the class your daughter may be a member of a favor and make sure that she's mature enough to come. Maturity levels dont have to be that high, but please realize that you won't be here to crack the whip on your kid, and laziness is powerful. There are plenty of near-geniuses here who've done less than amazing due to the freedom and stuff. Personally, I like PEG. Mary Baldwin isn't that bad of a college, even if it does breed boredom (as my writing of this testimonial can attest for). There are places to go, and, for the most part, people here are golden. But think about it well before coming. If you're smart enough to get into PEG and do well, chances are that you're also smart enough to eventually get into a top-tier university. The main selling point of PEG (and most other early entrance programs, I suppose) is the absence of patience in the applicants. But I'm not PEG-bashing. If you come, most likely you won't regret it substantially. |
- eh?, Student (Class of 2006) |
| As I cannot sleep and no one else is about, I have decided to contribute my opinion about my PEG experience (which is still ongoing at this very moment) to this odd collection you have going on here. I have to say that coming to PEG was not the worst descision I have ever made, in fact I often wonder why I didn't do it sooner instead of wasting even more of my all too precious time. I am for the most part glad I came this year because I feel this year's class is of a higher quality compared with those of past years, which all sucked, for the most part with a handful of extremely stupid and very, very, unbelievably annoying exceptions. Staunton is really small so you can get to know every mentally disturbed person in the area either by name or by a nickname you use so often that you forget whether it is real or made up. The trolley comes by the door of our new expensive state of the art in dorm living technology home (fully equipped with a collection of extemely expensive persian rugs), so in the way of entertainment I have little else to ask for. Everything is pretty much within walking distance (depending on how motivated you are), but staff is always willing to give you a ride to pretty much anywhere within reason. There's even a cheap theatre for second-run films staffed with the most idiotic locals you could ever meet. Walmart trips are the highlight of my week sometimes I don't even bring money just go for a way out of the dorm. I realize I am probably now straying away from the point where I could be of assistance to you in your decision to come to Staunton, the most wonderfulest place on earth in my opinion, so I will try to stay just a little bit more on task and tell you more about the program. The director is Judith Shuey, a nice kind of grandmotherly type lady, who often fills the air with the aroma of popcorn, and many find useful for advice. Staff is pretty good, nice variety gives us opportuntity for both shopping and outdoorsy type trips. If you do think about coming try to not be intimidated if you don't consider yourself smart. I look around and there are some pretty smart people and some who are not even close to my expectations of what my fellow classmates would be. |
- Peggy, Student (Class of 2006) |
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Yeah sure, middle school was lame, and surely high school will be worse. So why not come to PEG?? It's by far the best you know? I've done my research. If you want to get away from your awful annoying parents 4 years early and go to college instead of some preppy boarding high school, then PEG is your best bet. The college is cool even if you are a science person. It may be a liberal arts college, but it works. And if you hate it here, you can always transfer. Typically there are plenty of colleges willing to take us despite the fact that we have no high school diploma. But, you should stay because Mary Baldwin is great once you get out of the PEG dorm. One more week until complete and total freedom and all that is implied!!! PEG staff is kind of silly. I personally have broken every rule in the entire PEG rule book except for one just this year. I'll let you in on a little secret...if your parents threaten to sue PEG you can get away with whatever you want. Also, even though it says in the handbook that alphas(coming after 8th or 9th) live supervised for 2 years, if your parents ask for it and you are awful enough they will be more than happy to let you be a normal college student outside of the PEG environment after your first year (go me). Some things that residence staff does is very strange. This year a certain staff member enjoyed listening through students doors. I don't think she figured out that you can see a shadow under the door if someone is standing there. Also, some of them feel powerful if they get students in trouble and potentially get them kicked out. Also, though staff is supposed to be confidential if students talk to them about a problem, this is a flat out lie. They will gossip your problems to everyone they see. So if you come to PEG be wary of those strange people called staff. Another secret that is necessary to encourage future generations of subversives: Both parents and students must know, PEG does not run the college, thus the college can keep you in even if PEG wants you out. A few friends of mine have had such experiences. PEG said they were out, and guess what they're still here. If PEG staff calls home and says that it would be better if your daughter is pulled out of school before she is kicked out this is a definite red flag. If they say that, they can't get her out. Basically if they say this you are safe. They have to have real evidence of something major to get you kicked out. No moderately intelligent teenager is going to give them hardcore evidence. Yes little PEGS lets all go get high and wasted right in front of Judith's office this afternoon. right..yeah, this is what they think we are I guess. One issue you may have with PEG is that there are no boys. Your right there are no boys, but who cares? Boys are icky who needs boys? If you want a relationship get a girlfriend and be happy. Otherwise shut up. I feel it is a better learning environment without boys. Plus the campus is safer and there is less need for alot of strict rules on campus. Others may feel that full time college will be really really hard. Not really, basically if you attend classes regularly (notice I did not say every class meeting like staff does) and do the assignments and prepare moderately you should do fine. Basically you don't have to be a genius you just have to be motivated. The people who are doing badly are the people who never go to class and spend all their time watching tv. Generally, PEGs are not looked down upon by the rest of the campus. With a few exceptions traditional students like PEGs. Granted there are certain people in our class ..cough cough.. who have done things that have made our class look very bad. Generally, if you don't show off your intelligence and don't act overlly immature (i.e. more immature than the trads themselves) you should do fine. I have friends who are not supervised PEGs. It's not that hard to do. There are plenty of oppurtunties at Mary Baldwin and PEG students are not barred from any of them. PEG students even play varsity level sports here. How many high school aged athletes can say that? Pranks are fun at PEG. Steal the oriental rugs, vandalize signs, hang condoms on doors, do whatever you want if they don't catch you, they can't blame you. So come to PEG subversive people because though I will not be in the dorm next year if I like you you can come visit me. All subversives will be protected as I was protected and those before me were protected. Ours is a dying race. Do not let staff defeat us. Come to PEG and carry on the tradition. |
- Subversive PEG, Student (Class of 2006) |
| Excuse the names, it is currently 11 p.m. and the week before finals. Also, we wish to be anonymous. PEG is a way to skip four years of school. While it is certainly difficult to adjust, its fun. So, here is our 2 cents. Although, of course we are going to be successful people so eventually, the price will go up. However, if you are a poor mofo, you will get some serious financial aid. Also, just be sure that you are the type of person who does their homework and comes to class, unlike L.M.M. *cough* In conclusion, we have run out of things to say/write. Goodbye.....^_^...o lord |
- Moe, Larry, and Curly, Student (Class of 2006) |
| PEG is a great program for those seeking a challenging experience; for me, it provides me with a smooth transition from high school to college. I am an international student and was 13 when I first came, and this program has helped me a lot. And although finally I found out that the college wasn't very suitable for my major & future plans, etc., I am very grateful for what it has given me. Thank you PEG! |
- Audrey Lukito, Former Student (Class of 2005) |
| I have just begun attending PEG. This is an outstanding program! It lets you be a college student as soon as you are able to be. They give you much of the freedom of a college student but with the safety of peer advisors, RAs, and lots of people to watch out for you. My only problem with it is that they make you take too many classes that are sometimes below your level. This program not only attracts the exceptionally gifted; it also takes in those who are extraordinary, and often the girls of this level are not being challenged as much as might be hoped for. Also, as the program grew larger over the years, the amount of personal attention to your goals and needs as a person decreased. Still, this is the single best program out there for highly gifted women. |
- Sarah, Student (Class of 2006) |
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I began college following eighth grade through PEG, and I can honestly say that it was the most rewarding decision I have ever made. I believe the program offers an amazing chance for amazing girls to learn and grow together in the kind of peer environment a high school could never provide. I am preparing to attend law school as my former classmates are just beginning to enter college, and I am infinitely grateful that I was given both the gift and the ability to do so. However, the program has major flaws that any family should consider before allowing their daughter to attend, and I feel that a decision of this magnitude warrants attention to all facets of the experience. Indeed, some girls do fall through the cracks -- like any high school, there are drug users and depressed students. And certainly, many high school parents never notice these traits among their own children, and a student intelligent enough to study in an early entrance program most likely has the skills to hide their problems from those in authority well. Hiding problems from PEG staff wasn't hard, since their main concern was "checking" curfew on their least favorite student. During my time there, I felt that PEG staff was like a ticking time-bomb of ignorance, and felt certain that any morning I would wake up to an overdosed classmate or a successful suicide. PEG staff ignored at least 75% of our concerns about our fellow classmates. Many times, I felt like the on-hall residence staff (who were around 25 years old) simply did not care about our situation. The stress level of a program such as PEG is very high, and nothing was done to help new students cope with this. In fact, the program made the situation worse by pretending it didn't exist, and piling unnecessary requirements on students, like scheduled breakfasts, study hours, meetings out the wazoo, and weekly "tell me how badly I'm doing" meetings with the residential staff (under the guise of goal-setting and feedback). Freshmen were not allowed out of our rooms after 11, with three observed study hours a night. When I wanted to cry on the shoulder of a classmate, or simply hang out on a couch and watch prime time television like a 14 year old, I was scorned by staff. I felt as if I were in a pressure cooker, being stewed in my own stress, with no end in sight. Wanting your MTV isn't that unusual, even if you are fully capable of understanding Middlemarch. Another major concern is PEG's enormously high rate of student expulsions. While some of these occurred for sensible reasons, some also seemed caused by a dislike of the student by the (now former) program director. When one makes a $25,000 per year financial, and priceless emotional, commitment to an education, the chance of having it thrown away by one angry, bitter woman seems a bit ridiculous. All of these expulsions ripped at the fabric of the PEG community and ultimately turned the students against the staff, adding to the already sky-high stress of the program and making most of the student body feel, quite frankly, in danger for our "lives" as students. In fact, latching onto faculty and high-ranking student positions was for many girls a way to guarantee continuing enrollment -- someone would notice if the president of an organization was missing, and Dr. R might, for once, have to answer to someone. Many changes were made at PEG, including the retirement of the former director, since I left in 2000. I believe in the power of PEG to change the lives of those ready and able to participate in it, and many of my closest friends are my PEG sisters. I hope the program has improved under new leadership, but I have problems trusting that the infrastructure has been changed, based upon past supposed changes that never did anyone good at all. If I were a prospective PEG student, or the parent of one, I would take a very close look at the program's rules and the attitude of the staff that would be working with me. Developing a family relationship with PEG seems to be one of the keys to a successful transition, and quite frankly, you want to keep open lines of communication with them or you will hear from your daughter once a month, when her residence life advisor makes her call you in tears (true story, I was three minutes late for curfew, coming from the library, and was called a "failure", and my study "pointless" because of this). I don't want to discourage anyone from attending, because I have seen such a positive impact in my life from the program. I simply do not want another student to go in as unprepared as I did: please, make sure that you understand the full commitment and vast undertaking that is involved with skipping high school. Spend at least one night at PEG, and ask the staff the hard questions you need answered to ensure your, or your daughter's, mental and physical safety and security in the program. Understand that you are giving up a lot, despite what others may say (they are selling a product, in the purest sense), but gaining a great reward, as well. You are betting your future professional (and personal) life upon your success in any EE program you may choose to enter, and you deserve the whole truth. |
- Holly, Former Student (Class of 2002) |
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I was a PEG student during the 1999-2000 school year. I cannot say that PEG was a rewarding experience for me both academically and emotionally. The classes failed to challenge me as well as motivate me to become interested in my career. I will warn any potential students seeking a major in the sciences to NOT attent this institution for more that one or two years. There are no research facilities, the professors are not helpful at explaining the course content in or out of class and the laboratory facilites are out of data if not archaic. As for the emotional and socail aspects of the program: Parents beware!!! What PEG considers 24 hour supervision is a veiled attempt at assuring you that your daughters will be safe. What they do not tell you is that the staff that they hire is not caring, is not watchful, and have little personal investment in your daughters. The staff does NOT want to talk to you, help you solve your adjustment problems, and ESPECIALLY they do not provide the students with any type of real recreation at all. While the PEG rules may seem to be safegaurds for the girls, they are more so stifling. While PEG staff claims that they curtail residential rules and guidelines with every girl, they lie. They have no interest in personal attention with any of the students. Most of them slip through the cracks and many sucumb to substance abuse and emotional anguish. Furthermore, the city of staunton is a horrible place for a woman to spend her college years. It is enhabited by uneducated rural people who have very little respect for the college and the women who attend it. If you have any concerns or questions about a PEG experience, feel free to e-mail me. I can put you in contact with other students currently attend Mary Baldwin and those who have graduated. |
- Patricia, Former Student (Class of 2004) |
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Dear prospective PEG student and family, We know that you are facing an important decision in the life of your family. We were faced with that same decision a little over three years ago. We hope that our experiences will help you in making your choice. In the beginning, we didn't want to give up the joy of watching our daughter Megan grow. We knew that children grow best when they are happy with their situation in life. We knew that we would all have to be satisfied that we were doing the right thing. Megan claims that she knew that she would go to Mary Baldwin when she received the first postcard from PEG. Her dad knew that Megan was serious about PEG when she spent her Christmas vacation writing essays for the application process. The care and attention to detail that she showed was impressive. We were not totally convinced yet, but we agreed that Megan and her morn would attend the 'Prospective Weekend.' Megan and the other students had a wonderful experience. They were in their element, and it showed. A parent in the panel discussion confided that it had been worth the separation and the expense because she had a happy child. We decided that PEG would provide a protected environment and would give Megan chances to grow and mature academically in ways that high school could not. We felt she would have peers and strong role models. She would have opportunities for leadership and different social activities. Megan was sure she could succeed, so we decided to walk by faith. We wanted what was best for Megan and our family. Now our daughter Megan is a senior. She has had many opportunities at Mary Baldwin. She has sung in the choir, played on MBC's basketball team, chaired the PEG social committee, and served on the PEG yearbook committee. She helped write and edit the PEG literary magazine, has been a Senate proxy in the student government and a resident assistant for PEG. Megan has tutored others and contributed to the MBC newspaper. She has been a teaching assistant for her psychology professor and her basketball coach. At the same time, she has maintained a grade point average that has allowed her to be class marshal for her freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Currently, she is a house president, sports editor for the newspaper, and president of Lambda Pi Eta, a communications honor society. She has just finished the run of 'Five Women Wearing the Same Dress' in which she played Frances. Each year has been busier and more fun than the preceding one. We can see that Megan has stretched and grown every year. She has had many fun times with dances, movies, boyfriends and shopping. Her dad was never so proud of her as when he went to the Junior Dads' celebration with Megan and her date and he presented Megan with her graduation ring. He certainly would not have been invited to Megan's senior prom. The experiences at Mary Baldwin have been different from high school but still very rewarding for Megan and us. From a parent's viewpoint, we continue to miss her presence in our day-to-day lives. She continues to impress us with her courage and ability as she makes her way into the world. Long distance parenting broadened both Megan and us. MBC was a good fit for Megan academically and socially. She has been happy and productive at MBC. |
- Greg and Jolinda Foley, Parents |
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I was asked to write a letter to sum up my experiences and convince all prospective students that coming to PEG would be a good Idea. Well, I'm a bit biased: I do think that our program has something special to offer and I do want to tell anyone who will listen about all that I've done. I had never been really happy in school. Throughout elementary and middle school, I felt unchallenged by the academic materials available to me and was thoroughly disinterested in socializing with my peers, because they weren't my real peers. I felt a discrepancy especially in middle school between myself and "those others" of my age group, where I was singled out as "the brain" and left to be smart. However, if my schoolwork wasn't stimulating and I had no one with whom to cut loose, what, really, could I say that I had? Face it. You're intelligent, an achiever, someone who loves learning and is anxious to be in an environment which promotes these qualities. None of these characteristics is something to be ashamed of. Maybe you know how unwanted I felt, how out-of-place, during my school years before Mary Baldwin. All I wanted was to be given the opportunity to excel - but to excel from challenge. I wanted to have to work for it. And I wanted friends, that alien word that as of yet had no meaning for me. I was tired of being shunned because I possessed qualities others either didn't possess or were unwilling to develop. I wanted a real peer group; people who were just a bit odd like me. PEG offered this. In PEG, I met young women from across the country who wanted to learn at their own pace. They believed themselves ready to start their college careers - be they seventeen or thirteen. They also wanted to be with other people who understood what it was like to be young and gifted. I had finally found that niche for which I had searched for so long, and I have never been more satisfied with a choice in my entire life. Now let me tell you about all the cool stuff I've been able to accomplish by being in PEG. First of all, I'm graduating this spring. No, I won't have a high school diploma; I'll have two bachelors of art, one in International Relations and the other in French, I think I'll also have been able to sneak in a minor in Political Science by the end of next semester. While most of my classmates will be twenty-one or twenty-two, I'll be not too far from my eighteenth birthday. The only downside to this story is the fact that I have to write two theses in order to get these majors and the college degree. Make that three, because I'll also be graduating an Honor Scholar (cumulative GPA > 3.5). I work for the head of the Political Science and International Relations departments as a student assistant and will be a French teaching assistant next semester. Speaking of French, I got back just this August from a year of enjoying the splendors of European life. For the entirety of the 1999-2000 school year, I studied in Paris. I won't tell you that life will be made easier by coming to PEG - indeed, I would say the exact opposite. While coping with the faster academic pace of college is normally pretty easy for PEGs, coping with the shift from protective home environment to free college environment is often difficult. However, the support available in the PEG dorm (where we all must live, but only for a while), and the support from professors, and especially from new friends helps make the transition smooth. You'll love it here, and I promise I'm not being paid for my little bit of propaganda. I truly believe it when I say I would not have done otherwise; I'm certain, looking back, you'll feel the same way. |
- Danielle Correll, Former Student |
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