I graduated in 2000. A lot of good positive info so far in this thread that I'll reiterate. It is a very humbling experience when you are put together with other people that are not just smarter than you, but a hell of a lot smarter than you. Looking back, I don't think I was that smart but my previous high school was too easy.

My first semester there was tough academically. I thought I could take some classes that I had no business being in, C++, electric circuits, to name a few. As a result, I wasn't able to play baseball at natchitoches high, after trying out and making the team.

The faculty helped me get on track and I ended up doing well after that. Played intramural sports to stay active and relieve stress.

Aside from that, the real world experience is what was most beneficial. Learned to do things on my own at 15. Wash my own clothes, feed myself, and stick to a schedule that I was in control of creating. Met some of my best friends while there. Three were in my wedding.

People will always bring down things by pointing out the negatives. Sure there were drugs, alcohol, and sex but show me one high school that doesn't have those problems. Personally, I waited to do drugs until college. LSMSA has a very strict policy on drugs. We had a few people that were kicked out. I got in trouble once for alcohol and was almost kicked out but the RA staff convinced the administration to be lenient.

Let your daughter decide if she really wants to go. It was a no brainer for me. I had come to the conclusion that I wasn't going to play college baseball, and that I needed to advance myself academically as much as possible. Support her decision and be involved with LSMSA . It will probably the best decision of her pre-adult life.

Eta: One other thing to add. A few years back they spent a ton of money upgrading the technology there to provide all the tools necessary to succeed. When I went, there was no high speed internet and we called our parents collect from the pay phones.

This post was edited on 3/15/14 at 7:54 am