Banneker High School has built a reputation for its exceptional academic standards. The school is renowned for providing its students with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in college, thanks to the rigorous workload students encounter on a daily basis through their homework and classwork.

As current seniors at Banneker, we are confident that the workload and studying methods here will be beneficial for us in college. After graduating from Banneker and moving on to a postsecondary institution, we think we’ll be prepared thanks to the high academic standards set by the administration. 

Twenty alumni from Banneker recently participated in a survey that aimed to evaluate the impact of the workload at Banneker on their college experience. The survey also inquired whether they felt less stressed during their college life so far. 

The survey consisted of short questions, with most answered based on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The last question was a written response.

Our survey found that 75% of the participants agree and strongly agree that Banneker prepared them for what they’re experiencing now in college. This demonstrates that the rigorous curriculum is worth it and beneficial! This is crucial to us because as seniors we want to feel prepared for what’s after high school.

Banneker offers a summer institute for all incoming students, even incoming freshmen. For incoming freshmen, one of the objectives of the institute is time management because it’s very critical to the school’s curriculum. Based on our survey, more than half of the participants said they’re able to manage their time wisely, which proves that the demands of time management are worth it.

Our survey question asked: “If you hadn’t attended Banneker, do you think you would have been prepared to be in college?” The survey results showed that 80% of the participants disagreed with this statement, indicating that if they had attended another school besides Banneker, they wouldn’t feel as prepared for college. Only one in five respondents were neutral on Banneker’s effect on their preparation for college. Based on these results, it seems like the majority of the participants feel that the Banneker program has been influential on their preparation for college.

Also evident in the responses is it seems like most of the graduates feel less stressed after graduating from Banneker and transitioning into college. One participant mentioned that Banneker had made college way easier for them, as it had helped them develop academic skills that they needed to pass their classes. Similarly, another participant reported feeling less stressed because they were used to the large course load and managing other responsibilities and extracurricular activities. However, the majority of the respondents simply stated that they felt less stressed after transitioning to college.

Ultimately, we want students to realize that the curriculum that Banneker has for us, is not just “extra”. The mission of Banneker has always been to prepare students for college, and it is clear that the curriculum is extremely beneficial and helpful in the future. We know that the load of work and the stress will be worth it in the long run.