Discussion on abysmal APS college results

[Anonymous]

I was hoping to kickstart a conversation on APS college acceptance results, and why people think they are so poor

For background - I live in Arlington now with two kids, but grew up in a comparably wealthy suburbs of Chicago and went to New Trier, a public but well off HS. At NT, we had a classes of about 800, but pretty consistently stellar college placement results (few dozen ivy leagues, even more state flagship, etc)

In comparison, APS's college acceptances are shockingly poor. I understand the narrative in Arlington for why; there are a lot of wealthy NOVA suburbs so high performing DMV HS seniors are a dime a dozen, so it is just harder to stand out. But the sale argument also applies for the wealthier suburbs of Chicago that somehow have way better placement

[Anonymous]

What are you basing your conclusion that APS has poor college placement on? Source?

[Anonymous]

Are you basing the current APS college admissions results with the New Trier admissions when you were in high school? My dear, college admissions is a completely different ballgame now, nationwide.

Educate yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you basing your conclusion that APS has poor college placement on? Source?

NP. I think it’s this morning’s ARLnow article that said the APS ivy league results were dismal. Only one Harvard acceptance over a multi-year period. I don’t know how that compares to Evanston HS where OP went, but ARLnow was trying to make a story out of it.

[Anonymous]

This is also true for FCPS schools (except TJ).

I guess more parents here push their kids to state school options?

[Anonymous]

I read somewhere that private colleges are reluctant to accept kids from nova unless they apply ED because the schools worry strong students will turn them down for UVA or another strong state school.

[Anonymous]

I just looked at the New Trier c/o 2024 Instagram page and it looks no different than wealthy public high schools in NoVA.

[Anonymous]

Times have changed. That’s all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you basing the current APS college admissions results with the New Trier admissions when you were in high school? My dear, college admissions is a completely different ballgame now, nationwide.

Educate yourself.

+1 laughable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just looked at the New Trier c/o 2024 Instagram page and it looks no different than wealthy public high schools in NoVA.

APS schools are more diverse than NT. Also many kids choose UVA over options like NESCACs.

Also looked at Yorktown's acceptances. Looks pretty solid.

[Anonymous]

Lol. APS must suck because their college acception rate is different from 40 years ago. OP is an idiot.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've had the same thought. I completed the IB program in MCPS and went to an Ivy, and I was far from the only one in my class. I know admissions rates are much lower now, but my high school still sends a bunch of kids to elite colleges. It's a little weird that NoVA only has TJ as a reliable feeder school.

[Anonymous]

Grade inflation in this area is notorious, that’s why.

[Anonymous]

In addition to people's point about New Trier being a comp of limited value, it says at the top of the article that it's purely self-reported data. That's a rather significant methodological flaw that will distort your perception of "abysmal" college results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grade inflation in this area is notorious, that’s why.

Don't be bringing your facts here. Won't go over well.