"Wait... You went to a vocational school? Why are you in college?"

I know I've heard it before, and I know my fellow vocational classmates have probably heard it too. "I thought vocational school kids couldn't get accepted to college. I thought you guys weren't smart enough... you didn't have as much academics as we did."

Let me stop you right there. As a matter of fact, we had the same amount- if not more academics than an average high school. They happen on an every other week basis, so no matter what level class we're taking, from CP to Honors to AP, it's at an accelerated pace. We all live in the same state- we have the same academic standards to meet. I took 4 Advanced Placement courses myself in my time at my vocational school- Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School- and walked away with knowledge equal to a typical high school. In a way, I was below average for my class. My valedictorian took something like 6 AP courses- and scored a 5 on the AP Calculus exam. He's now at WPI.

My personal friend group was comprised of incredibly talented and smart young men, in Information Technology, Electronics, Automotive Collision Repair, and other shops. I was in Painting and Design technologies. I am now a biochemistry major, while my friends are off at ULowell, RIT, Wentworth, UMass Dartmouth, WPI... Who said a vocational student couldn't get into good colleges? That's right- my middle school did. Just like many other middle schools around the state, and the country, do as well.

I remember being outraged during my junior year, after hearing that my middle school sent home fliers with each of their 8th graders about how BVT had no arts, music, or drama program. I was in Painting and Design as a vocation, in one of the starring roles in my school's drama club, my shop was right next to the Graphic Design shop, there are 3 choruses (one of which you have to be accepted into!), music electives, and art electives. This is one technique used by typical high schools to lower the rate of student applications to these vocational schools.

That's right- we had to apply and be accepted into these schools. I remember originally, in 8th grade, I didn't even want to go to BVT. However, I couldn't help but feel hurt when they waitlisted my application. It was one month into my freshman year when BVT called my house every day for a week before my mother finally asked me if I wanted to go there rather than Northbridge High School. I can't believe how quickly I accepted, no hesitations. I started there the next week and never once regretted my decision to leave the typical high school system behind.

I will always recommend going to a vocational school. Not only do you walk out of their with life skills, skilled in a trade, and an amazing work ethic- you walk out of there with an incredible education and so many prospects in life. There is a whole world of opportunity open to the graduates of a vocational high school, right out of graduation. Many Vo-Tech students know what they want to do with their lives, they've found something that they love and relate heavily to. There is a girl I know, a junior at my college, who also went to BVT. She was a business tech student, and now a communication major. From knowing her, I am so proud to be around her and to be someone who can go to her for anything. She has incredible skill and leadership, and much of that was picked up in our high school.

"Vocational schools are only for kids who are bad kids, ones who won't ever get into any colleges." I've definitely heard that. My uncle went to BVT when it was meant as exactly that- a school for delinquents where they hoped to educate you and put you into a trade. Now, however, it's very different. It's competitive to be accepted. You are expected to strive for excellence. You are expected to be a leader, not just in the classroom, but also in the workforce. Every single morning, at the end of our daily announcements, we always had the same reminder- "As always, be respectful". As for colleges? Think of this- my class was accepted to WPI, MIT, RIT, Wentworth, Massachusetts Maritime, Boston College, the UMasses, colleges out of state like in Florida or in California, and many state and private colleges. My class is not the first BVT class to enter into such prestigious schools.

Before you give vocational schools a bad name, instead think about respecting them. They could be the people fixing your cars or painting your house.... or your future POTUS.