Annoyed That Private School High School Students Have Better Admissions Results than Public School Students

[Anonymous]

Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

In order to engage on this, I really need to understand what you mean by "their inflated grades".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

It’s just one of many unfair things with college admissions. These same people are shelling out thousands for admissions counselors to curate activity lists, “edit” essays, the list goes on.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure the admissions really are better. The private schools are stacked thick with legacy, big donors, semi famous parents, etc. if you take your average white kid whose parents didn’t go to fancy school and who aren’t giving tons of money, I really don’t think they are going to do any better at a private school.

[Anonymous]

The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

[Anonymous]

It is also a matter of geographic chance.

Regardless of socio-economic status, an applicant from rural Iowa has a better chance of admission than any applicant from MoCo. Do you object to that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

Private schools do have the advantage of better school counselors. I find it odd that admissions requires school counselor recommendations.

[Anonymous]

At most private schools kids that aren't considered top tier are counseled away from ivies and slacs. I have a friend who didn't really understand the culture who's been discovering this the hard way. They don't want rejections from those schools, they want acceptances--so the admissions counselors steer their students accordingly.

That also might explain why some schools that used to be safeties like BU, Tufts, Hamilton, Tulane, Northeastern, Pomona, Denison... Etc. have been bumped up in the ranks. I mean, there's a lot more to it, but you have to make things look valuable for people to buy them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

It's actually not. Private schools have the benefit of lower student to college counselor ratios. And it helps. I have a niece at an expensive but middling private high school in Montgomery County. Proportionally, the college matriculation stats at this school are mind boggling and I know her peers aren't taking the amount of AP classes, say, kids in the 'W' zoned schools are taking and their standardized tests scores are likely not better. But their college counseling admissions staff really pounds the pavement for these kids - 85% of their graduating students received merit scholarships. And given the income level of these parents, those kids don't even need the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between their inflated grades and $$ to do early decision (because they can pay), this system seems so rigged. Anyone else notice this?

In order to engage on this, I really need to understand what you mean by "their inflated grades".

Public schools are the ones with inflated grades.

[Anonymous]

I took my kid out of public school because of the ridiculous grading policies. He went from straight As to a mix of As, Bs, and Cs. I paid a lot of money for the switch because education isn’t just about learning content. It’s more about learning life skills like punctuality, respect, hard work, etc. Sadly, those life skills aren’t being taught in public school anymore. On my son’s last day in public school, a student threw a bottle of water at the teacher. That would’ve been a serious offense in his current school. The kid was brought back to class 20 minutes later Luke nothing happened. No wonder the teachers are quitting and not even going into teaching these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

It's actually not. Private schools have the benefit of lower student to college counselor ratios. And it helps. I have a niece at an expensive but middling private high school in Montgomery County. Proportionally, the college matriculation stats at this school are mind boggling and I know her peers aren't taking the amount of AP classes, say, kids in the 'W' zoned schools are taking and their standardized tests scores are likely not better. But their college counseling admissions staff really pounds the pavement for these kids - 85% of their graduating students received merit scholarships. And given the income level of these parents, those kids don't even need the money.

So, 85% of their students ended up at lower tier schools where they are really standing out above the crowd? I don't think that's what "W" zoned families find ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

It's actually not. Private schools have the benefit of lower student to college counselor ratios. And it helps. I have a niece at an expensive but middling private high school in Montgomery County. Proportionally, the college matriculation stats at this school are mind boggling and I know her peers aren't taking the amount of AP classes, say, kids in the 'W' zoned schools are taking and their standardized tests scores are likely not better. But their college counseling admissions staff really pounds the pavement for these kids - 85% of their graduating students received merit scholarships. And given the income level of these parents, those kids don't even need the money.

So, 85% of their students ended up at lower tier schools where they are really standing out above the crowd? I don't think that's what "W" zoned families find ideal.

No - they ended up at very competitive colleges, including some Ivy League institutions. They have the kind of advantages you just don’t and will never have in public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rich students in MCPS have the same advantages. It’s really a rich vs poor issue not a private vs public issue. But yes, it is really unfair!

It's actually not. Private schools have the benefit of lower student to college counselor ratios. And it helps. I have a niece at an expensive but middling private high school in Montgomery County. Proportionally, the college matriculation stats at this school are mind boggling and I know her peers aren't taking the amount of AP classes, say, kids in the 'W' zoned schools are taking and their standardized tests scores are likely not better. But their college counseling admissions staff really pounds the pavement for these kids - 85% of their graduating students received merit scholarships. And given the income level of these parents, those kids don't even need the money.

So, 85% of their students ended up at lower tier schools where they are really standing out above the crowd? I don't think that's what "W" zoned families find ideal.

No - they ended up at very competitive colleges, including some Ivy League institutions. They have the kind of advantages you just don’t and will never have in public school.

They would have had the same advantage in public schools with a paid for college counselor. Money is the advantage, not the school.

[Anonymous]

It seems like the magnet program my child is in does much better than any private and was certainly less expensive. My thought is comparing public and private isn't a fair comparison. Most private kids want to go to college whereas many public school kids have little or no interest. This affects the stats.