Why so focused on school prestige?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not so much about prestige but more about the future alumni network. The kids will benefit from that for a long time.

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No

Is it your contention that no schools in this area have valuable alumni networks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not so much about prestige but more about the future alumni network. The kids will benefit from that for a long time.

I'm not sure the alumni networks at the DC schools are as strong as you say, beyond maybe an internship or two. Networking in college and grad school is far, far more important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who focus on prestige do so out of fear.

This is what I think every time I read a post about T20 or T-whatever colleges. As though other schools cannot possibly produce successful graduates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm new to this board because DD is applying for private middle schools - our public middle and high school has gone downhill and is incredibly overcrowded, so we want her to be in a better environment. This board has been great for providing information about the process.

I've seen that a number of parents are laser-focused on their kids getting into the "Big 3" or "Big 5" or whatever the prestige rankings are. As someone who worked in a college admissions office for a few years after graduating, I'm a little surprised by how focused they are on this. At least in my experience, the prestige of a private school will not make a big difference in admission. I know that all colleges vary a bit, but the main areas where the applicant's high school mattered were the percentage of their graduates who went to college (which I'm sure for any of the local private schools is above 95 percent) and how the school's graduates have historically done at our college (which was always quite good for pretty much any private school). It's a different story if you're comparing a private school with an overcrowded public school that sends 40 percent of its students to college.

Of course, students at the very top private schools are having more success at the ivies, but that has far more to do with the students than it does with the reputation of their private school. A student who gets into Potomac at grade 7 probably has a better chance of getting a very high SAT and a boatload of AP classes.

I'd also imagine that most of these students will go on to law school or medical school or an MBA program, where undergraduate school matters, but not nearly as much as undergrad grades and standardized test scores.

Anyway, that's all to say that we applied with a focus on factors other than prestige - things like the proximity to our house, transportation, the types of activities available, bullying prevention, etc.

At the risk of stating the obvious, we are a prestige based society. I’m not saying it’s right it’s just a reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we are a prestige based society

How so, and compared to whom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not so much about prestige but more about the future alumni network. The kids will benefit from that for a long time.

I'm not sure the alumni networks at the DC schools are as strong as you say, beyond maybe an internship or two. Networking in college and grad school is far, far more important.

At some schools the highschool connection is stronger - not all but yes if you graduated from one of these schools or have a kid that did then you understand. They are tight and much smaller classes than college. It is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not so much about prestige but more about the future alumni network. The kids will benefit from that for a long time.

I'm not sure the alumni networks at the DC schools are as strong as you say, beyond maybe an internship or two. Networking in college and grad school is far, far more important.

At some schools the highschool connection is stronger - not all but yes if you graduated from one of these schools or have a kid that did then you understand. They are tight and much smaller classes than college. It is different.

We did go to these schools. The internship opportunities are there, but for every kid I know from these fancy schools who got a job thanks to a high school connection, there are several more who got the job thanks to college or grad school OR are struggling to find work in their chosen fields.

[Anonymous]

We are from the NE US and declined Sidwell for our kid. Sent her to another private she is very happy with. If we are really worried about “big” whatever we will send her to Andover. Or a real “big” school. No one cares! Send your kid to the place you think is best fit for her and your family.

Anonymous wrote:But don’t you want your kid to be able to say they went to Sidwell friends? That is more impressive than most colleges my friend.

[Anonymous]

Potomac doesn’t offer AP classes.

Did you take the tour, OP? Most of the area private high schools did away with them before the pandemic, some people sued them for collusion, that went no where because who cares?, and that’s that.

Everything else in your posts makes me think you’ve befriended too many marketing people. Get a wider social circle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are from the NE US and declined Sidwell for our kid. Sent her to another private she is very happy with. If we are really worried about “big” whatever we will send her to Andover. Or a real “big” school. No one cares! Send your kid to the place you think is best fit for her and your family.

Anonymous wrote:But don’t you want your kid to be able to say they went to Sidwell friends? That is more impressive than most colleges my friend.

Jesus, no. If someone at your office asks where you went to high school, start looking for another job stat. That’s a whole other problem…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of people who choose their private schools for reasons other than prestige or perceived college outcomes, they just tend to get drowned out on this board.

This. Tour schools, have you child shadow if you can, and you can get a feel for where your child feels is right for them.