Although he doesn’t enjoy standardized tests, Forrest Harlow scored high enough on the PSAT to earn the Commended Scholar designation through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Harlow, a senior at STEM Academy, said it was because of his performance on the PSAT last year. He took the SAT Oct. 11. When he took it in May, he got a composite score of 1430; 1600 is the maximum.
”I do not enjoy testing, but I recognize that standardized tests are an important part of the learning and measurement process for most districts,” he said.
Harlow said he wants to know where he stands and he’s sure the same is true for teachers and principals.
“They also need to know where their students are, and as unpleasant as the process is, standardized tests are probably one of the less unfair ways to do that,” he added.
Asked how he felt about getting the Commended Scholar recognition, Harlow said he was humbled and surprised because he didn’t expect to win it.
Harlow is involved in robotics and the National Honor Society at STEM.
“I saw my score last year and thought this isn’t going to get me anywhere and it did. So it was surprising and humbling,” he said.
In the United States, Harlow said his top choice for college is the Colorado School of Mines. But he’s also looking seriously at Trinity College of Dublin, Ireland.
Harlow wants to study computer science.
“I want to study computer science,” and go into a cybersecurity related field, he said.
Harlow said he looked at the cost and admission requirements for attending a European school and found it could be feasible.
STEM Secondary Principal Cody Griffin said he’d like Harlow to keep him apprised of what he decides.
“I’m excited about that for you. You’re the first one that I know that’s been a graduate of us that’s looking outside the U.S.,” Griffin said.
Griffin added that they don’t have many people who have looked outside of Texas, but several have considered Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo.
“I think for engineering and computer science, especially, the Colorado School of Mines, it feels exactly like the experience here does when it’s at its best. I went on a tour there over the summer and it felt like what this school would be if we had any money,” Harlow said.
He didn’t get a chance to see many students when he was at Colorado School of Mines, but “the little that I did observe of student activity, I observed as positive and intense.”
Harlow has not been to Ireland and hopes to visit, but it’s sort of up in the air right now.
“… I think if I get admitted to Trinity, Dublin and the University College Dublin, which I’m also looking at, I think if I get admitted that we probably will go to Ireland for a tour. But it’s kind of up in the air whether that’ll happen or not before I actually get admitted,” Harlow said.
He said although he’s terrified at the prospect of being so far from home, he’s very excited about the opportunity to learn in a way to similar to what he’s doing now, but on more of his “own terms than high school can offer you …”
Harlow will have quite a few dual credit hours.
“If I go to a place in the United States, from what I gather, Ireland is not going to accept a good chunk of those credits,” he added. But Colorado School of Mines should take a good number of his credits, especially in general education and composition 1.
Dual credit could accelerate his path out of college if he went to school in the U.S., or he could slow it down and take a study abroad year somewhere. The student population at Colorado School of Mines is a little more than 7,000 and Trinity College has about 10,000 in its undergraduate program.
Harlow is undecided on whether he’s going to pursue an advanced degree.
“… But I don’t think that is something that I can predict right now,” he added.
His mom, Rachel, an associate professor of communication at University of Texas Permian Basin, was on hand for the interview.
“I think he’s on a trajectory to do things that make him happy, and that improve the world around him. That’s pretty awesome,” Rachel Harlow said.
Griffin said cybersecurity is a way to improve the world as it is meant to protect different entities from attack.
“… I think that, in and of itself, in our day and age is a noble pursuit. You’re protecting people in areas that they necessarily don’t know how to protect themselves,” Griffin said.
Harlow said that’s actually why he wants to pursue cybersecurity in college. The field is also well respected, pays well and in high demand.
“… I will get to do legitimately good work in a new frontier that changes every day,” he added.
Harlow said he feels the STEM Academy was easily been the best choice for him as a high school student.
“I think now it is drifting further and further away from how it was when I came here as a middle school student, but part of that is down to I’m about to graduate,” he added.
Harlow and her husband, William Harlow, professor and Communication Department Chair at UTPB, have another son named Thomas who is a sophomore at STEM Academy. Thomas is also in computer science.
Griffin said Harlow’s extracurricular activities have helped shape the person he is, as well.
“… Our robotics program is not just about coding. It’s about a team organization that is geared toward accomplishing a shared goal. He contributes a part and helps peers in that group. And then you’ve got programs like National Honor Society, that he’s a part of . … So I think for Forrest, there are several parts of his high school experience … that are focused in on service to his classmates. He’s really good at that,” Griffin added.
