Mike Baravarian (currently 19 years old) started studying at Crossroads School (California, USA) in 7th grade and graduated in June 2023. This is a school for 12-level high school students in arts and sciences, ranked 28th in the United States in terms of educational quality.

Having been involved with Crossroads for many years, Baravarian said he likes that the school gives students space to grow and explore interests outside of school.

For example, each senior gets 3 weeks off to pursue a personal development project. Many children have spent this time learning new skills such as cooking, sewing, learning foreign languages or building projects.

Mike Baravarian has studied at Crossroads School since 7th grade. Photo: Mike Baravarian.

Mike Baravarian has been attending Crossroads since 7th grade. Photo: Mike Baravarian.

Not all students are rich

Crossroads is said to be a gathering place for the children of the rich and powerful. This is also where Vivian Jenna Wilson – Elon Musk’s daughter – once studied. However, Mike Baravarian says not all students at Crossroads are wealthy.

On average, one in four students receives financial aid based on ability to pay. Even though living conditions are not outstanding, children receiving subsidies are still treated equally with their peers.

According to Baravarian’s observations, he cannot tell who is rich and who is not because most students at this school do not flaunt their wealth. Children are also treated equally.

Student parents also do not often appear on campus, they only come at big events or sports matches. But in general, wealthy parents will contribute to building and developing the school.

Talking more about Crossroads school, Baravarian said each student has their own fashion sense and style. Many students drive Teslas, BMWs and Audis to school. But in general, male students find that students at this school are not too ostentatious or boastful like students at other private schools. They are also not too competitive.

Crossroads School does not hold final exams but instead allows students to do projects. Photo: Morley Builders.

Crossroads School does not hold final exams but instead allows students to do projects. Photo: Morley Builders.

Strange way of studying and taking exams

At Crossroads, students do not need to take Advanced Placement classes – classes with difficulty equivalent to university level – to gradually get used to studying at university later. Instead, students are placed in the Crossroads Advanced Studies class – a class with an easier level than the advanced class.

Many students have taken advantage of this comfortable learning environment to explore personal interests and take off-campus courses. Some other students choose to take art classes.

Final exams also do not exist at Crossroads. Instead of holding final exams like students at other high schools, Crossroads school gives students large projects to replace tests.

But the scores from these projects do not account for the majority of students’ scores. This helps Baravarian and his friends not feel too stressed about their studies.

This is also the reason why many Crossroads students do not need to try too hard or study too hard to still get into top universities. Instead of focusing on grades, students take advantage of their free time to participate in extracurricular activities to beautify their personal profile.

However, applying a light learning program also has its downsides. Taking Baravarian’s case as an example, after graduating from Crossroads and enrolling at Duke University, the male student felt he was falling behind. Because he did not have the necessary programs in high school, he had to make up many classes in college to keep up with his friends.

Summing up his experiences at Crossroads School, Mike Baravarian said that this is an environment with a unique approach to education but may not be for everyone.

As for Baravarian, he still enjoys his school experiences because this strange school allows him to diversify himself, have the opportunity to explore his passions – something he might not otherwise have. allowed if attending another school.

Do you feel like you’re too old to learn?

Learned – the story of a 17-year-old girl who went to school for the first time and later became a PhD in History – is more than an inspirational story about learning. It’s Tara Westover’s journey to find her identity, as she loses her family to harsh accusations. It is the cognitive maturity of a world many times larger than what she was taught before. It is an educational journey that not everyone will easily complete. Readers can learn more about Educated here.