Free advice from a senior high school parent

[Anonymous]

If you're considering a private school for your kid b'c you think it will improve their chances for admission at a competitive college, think again. Especially in the DMV, where there are some great public school options, it is 100% not worth it to go private just for college admissions.

If you want to do private b'c you think it will be a better experience for your child, that's another issue altogether. That's why we chose private and for that, it's been great: smaller classes, teachers who know the kids, etc.

But kids aren't getting into the super-selective colleges at any higher rate than they do from good publics. They did back in the '90s and before, but those days are over.

So if college admission is your goal, save your money!

[Anonymous]

This topic comes up regularly, but thank you for reminding people. It bears repeating!

[Anonymous]

The shocker is how hard it is to get into even a big state school not in top 50. With GPA inflation out of control and TO, private school kids with robust grading (and grading oj curve)are getting royally screwed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The shocker is how hard it is to get into even a big state school not in top 50. With GPA inflation out of control and TO, private school kids with robust grading (and grading oj curve)are getting royally screwed.

But these kids can submit test scores.

[Anonymous]

Not this again.

[Anonymous]

Yes, what's striking to me is how all the privates seem to have the same college outcomes: Bullis, Sidwell, NCS, Holy Child. They're getting kids into the exact same schools. There is no longer any benefit for suffering through Sidwell or NCS over Flint Hill or St. Andrews.

The way things are going, the admissions will be BETTER from these easier schools this year or next. The schools that are holding out on to super strict grading (NCS, Sidwell, to a lesser degree GDS and STA) are going to have to pivot or really become irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

What a pathetic thread. The only goal of HS is to get into the right college. How about an actual education for your child?

[Anonymous]

I think it might be true that the very top kids in public are doing as well or better than the very top kids in private. If your only acceptable outcome is an Ivy or MIT, then public might be for you. But know that either way there's like a 98% chance your kid won't hit that goal.

But the middle and bottom of classes at private schools are doing far better than the middle and bottom of classes at public schools. There isn't any question of that. Private school has an enormous safety net.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't go to private for that reason, but I think it's important to understand that the people who claim that private doesn't help with college admissions are really only talking about the top 10% of the class.

[Anonymous]

They have a smaller graduating class and colleges will only take so many kids per school so not surprising at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it might be true that the very top kids in public are doing as well or better than the very top kids in private. If your only acceptable outcome is an Ivy or MIT, then public might be for you. But know that either way there's like a 98% chance your kid won't hit that goal.

But the middle and bottom of classes at private schools are doing far better than the middle and bottom of classes at public schools. There isn't any question of that. Private school has an enormous safety net.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't go to private for that reason, but I think it's important to understand that the people who claim that private doesn't help with college admissions are really only talking about the top 10% of the class.

Well of course, the middle percentage of the class at a private will do better. They were already vetted upon admission to the private school, The only kids who got into Sidwell, GDS, NCS from our public were the very, very top kids--those with straight As, 99% testing, PLUS outstanding extracurriculars, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it might be true that the very top kids in public are doing as well or better than the very top kids in private. If your only acceptable outcome is an Ivy or MIT, then public might be for you. But know that either way there's like a 98% chance your kid won't hit that goal.

But the middle and bottom of classes at private schools are doing far better than the middle and bottom of classes at public schools. There isn't any question of that. Private school has an enormous safety net.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't go to private for that reason, but I think it's important to understand that the people who claim that private doesn't help with college admissions are really only talking about the top 10% of the class.

Well of course, the middle percentage of the class at a private will do better. They were already vetted upon admission to the private school, The only kids who got into Sidwell, GDS, NCS from our public were the very, very top kids--those with straight As, 99% testing, PLUS outstanding extracurriculars, etc.

There are plenty of kids at those schools who got in as preschoolers and elementary schoolers before there was any way of knowing what kind of student they'd be or what kind of extracurriculars they would do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it might be true that the very top kids in public are doing as well or better than the very top kids in private. If your only acceptable outcome is an Ivy or MIT, then public might be for you. But know that either way there's like a 98% chance your kid won't hit that goal.

But the middle and bottom of classes at private schools are doing far better than the middle and bottom of classes at public schools. There isn't any question of that. Private school has an enormous safety net.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't go to private for that reason, but I think it's important to understand that the people who claim that private doesn't help with college admissions are really only talking about the top 10% of the class.

Well of course, the middle percentage of the class at a private will do better. They were already vetted upon admission to the private school, The only kids who got into Sidwell, GDS, NCS from our public were the very, very top kids--those with straight As, 99% testing, PLUS outstanding extracurriculars, etc.

There are plenty of kids at those schools who got in as preschoolers and elementary schoolers before there was any way of knowing what kind of student they'd be or what kind of extracurriculars they would do.

yes, but they're still vetted on admission if you believe that the early IQ testing means anything. Plus the class is culled each year and stragglers are counseled out. Plus the kids get a very strong education from a young age.
There's no comparison to public. 25% of MCPS is chronically truant. They're not even attending school. It's even higher in DCPS.

I have kids in both public and a "Big3" private and the cohorts are entirely different. The private is basically composed entirely of top 10% public kids. Maybe even top 5% public kids. This is not to disparage public school kids---I have one. It's just a very different cohort by the time the grade reaches senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it might be true that the very top kids in public are doing as well or better than the very top kids in private. If your only acceptable outcome is an Ivy or MIT, then public might be for you. But know that either way there's like a 98% chance your kid won't hit that goal.

But the middle and bottom of classes at private schools are doing far better than the middle and bottom of classes at public schools. There isn't any question of that. Private school has an enormous safety net.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't go to private for that reason, but I think it's important to understand that the people who claim that private doesn't help with college admissions are really only talking about the top 10% of the class.

Well of course, the middle percentage of the class at a private will do better. They were already vetted upon admission to the private school, The only kids who got into Sidwell, GDS, NCS from our public were the very, very top kids--those with straight As, 99% testing, PLUS outstanding extracurriculars, etc.

Or those who already had a sibling enrolled - and not all of them were straight "A" students

[Anonymous]

So many of us know this...and yet we still choose private school. I truly don't care where my kids decide to go to college, but I will sleep well knowing that they won't be walking into the public school we are zoned to on Monday.

[Anonymous]

I agree! There is so much more to private than college admissions. The education, community, the fact that parents have a say in their kid's education, the alumni network, and in general the teachers are happier.
I went to a K-8 and afterward to a private highschool and I loved it how everyone knew me and who I was. An important thing, kids are lacking today. That they matter.