Do elite college admissions officers look at private school as a negative?

[Anonymous]

Our public school college and career admissions counselor has lectured parents several times about “equity” and how college admissions committees are trained to screen out students who had “pay to play” opportunities. She gave the example of high test scores due to tutoring, a non-profit, international service trips and expensive enrichment opportunities.

But here’s the thing. What I spend on my child to prep for the SAT is a tiny tiny fraction of what some parents spend for a private high school.

Curious as to others thoughts.

[Anonymous]

I am sure the trip sand pay-to-play enrichment are a red flag. Disagree that a high SAT score should be a flag.

That said, I think my high-stats kid was waitlist at some target schools that they might have got in test-optional.

[Anonymous]

Many children go to private school with financial aid. I wouldn't see it as a negative.

It should be obvious which ECs mainly just cost money and which ones required hard work.

High test scores require hard work and test prep is widely available so calling that "pay to play" is just not accurate.

[Anonymous]

If the school is private, students will be expected to have higher test scores, more impressive ECs etc.

[Anonymous]

Yes. For equally skilled students, being from private is a huge disadvantage

[Anonymous]

I think with a lot of schools, especially need aware, it is a huge advantage. Full Pay.

[Anonymous]

Based on the last admissions round, I would say it’s an advantage at all elite schools except for state flagships in states with public school guarantees.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It’s much harder to get into elite schooled from private schools.

[Anonymous]

I think colleges nit pick the service trips, but can’t allow themselves to see that the same principle extends to private high schools, because elite colleges themselves are pay-to-play private schools too.

[Anonymous]

No it is not a negative. For the most part, the strong private schools send a higher percentage of graduating seniors to elite schools than public schools. You can't just look at numbers of students because of the stark difference in student population. For example, for class of 22, Churchill HS sent approximately 7% of their graduating seniors to top 20 universities whereas strong private schools were are in the 25-35% range of graduating students. So as a high achieving private school student at a rigorous school, you will have a much stronger chance of admission to an elite school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No it is not a negative. For the most part, the strong private schools send a higher percentage of graduating seniors to elite schools than public schools. You can't just look at numbers of students because of the stark difference in student population. For example, for class of 22, Churchill HS sent approximately 7% of their graduating seniors to top 20 universities whereas strong private schools were are in the 25-35% range of graduating students. So as a high achieving private school student at a rigorous school, you will have a much stronger chance of admission to an elite school.

There’s a real gap in your logic here, and it hits some private school families really hard in admissions season. The mere fact that a private school sends a higher percentage of the class to elite colleges does not mean that each and every individual student has a better chance of admission from private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No it is not a negative. For the most part, the strong private schools send a higher percentage of graduating seniors to elite schools than public schools. You can't just look at numbers of students because of the stark difference in student population. For example, for class of 22, Churchill HS sent approximately 7% of their graduating seniors to top 20 universities whereas strong private schools were are in the 25-35% range of graduating students. So as a high achieving private school student at a rigorous school, you will have a much stronger chance of admission to an elite school.

There’s a real gap in your logic here, and it hits some private school families really hard in admissions season. The mere fact that a private school sends a higher percentage of the class to elite colleges does not mean that each and every individual student has a better chance of admission from private.

I’m not sure PP is the one with the logic-gap here. The question is whether private schooling is a disadvantage in admissions to top schools, not whether every kid at a private school will get into a top university. The fact that such high proportions of seniors at strong private schools get into top universities each year indicates that it is not disadvantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No it is not a negative. For the most part, the strong private schools send a higher percentage of graduating seniors to elite schools than public schools. You can't just look at numbers of students because of the stark difference in student population. For example, for class of 22, Churchill HS sent approximately 7% of their graduating seniors to top 20 universities whereas strong private schools were are in the 25-35% range of graduating students. So as a high achieving private school student at a rigorous school, you will have a much stronger chance of admission to an elite school.

There’s a real gap in your logic here, and it hits some private school families really hard in admissions season. The mere fact that a private school sends a higher percentage of the class to elite colleges does not mean that each and every individual student has a better chance of admission from private.

I’m not sure PP is the one with the logic-gap here. The question is whether private schooling is a disadvantage in admissions to top schools, not whether every kid at a private school will get into a top university. The fact that such high proportions of seniors at strong private schools get into top universities each year indicates that it is not disadvantage.

Ah! You are correct. I was responding the PP’s final claim (“you will have a much stronger chance of admission to an elite school”) rather than to the original question, which as you say was whether students at private schools are categorically disadvantaged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on the last admissions round, I would say it’s an advantage at all elite schools except for state flagships in states with public school guarantees.

this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many children go to private school with financial aid. I wouldn't see it as a negative.

It should be obvious which ECs mainly just cost money and which ones required hard work.

High test scores require hard work and test prep is widely available so calling that "pay to play" is just not accurate.

You’ve got a lot to learn.