Why don't white students go to Banneker?

[Anonymous]

Pp here and i meant to say popular culture, of course.

[Anonymous]

I would say many qualified white students choose not to apply to Banneker because it's not a diverse school. At all. There's not much more to the issue than that, imo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White parent with an 8th grader at Deal this year. I had pushed very hard for my kid to apply at Banneker because I saw a family friend's daughters do very well there. My kid absolutely refused to even consider it. Lots of issues - none of her friends were going there, very few extra curriculars, scared of the high level of academics and being rejected. Long and short Wilson seemed like something that would allow her to find her tribe where as Banneker would put her on treadmill she was not ready for. As a parent I had to accept it was ok if my kid is not ivy bound. However, I am having her consider Howard for college.

I agree. Banneker has few extracurriculars, hardly any sports, hardly any boys, somewhat out of the way on public transportation (DS went to Deal) and a tremendous academic grind which was a major turnoff to DS. Without friends going to the same high school, many kids worry about rejection and their social life. More than a few white kids from Deal gave up slots at Walls last year because they wanted to be with friends at Wilson. White kids we knew either went private, Wilson or St. John's.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Banneker alum, you sparked this [white] parent's interest in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:White parent with an 8th grader at Deal this year. I had pushed very hard for my kid to apply at Banneker because I saw a family friend's daughters do very well there. My kid absolutely refused to even consider it. Lots of issues - none of her friends were going there, very few extra curriculars, scared of the high level of academics and being rejected. Long and short Wilson seemed like something that would allow her to find her tribe where as Banneker would put her on treadmill she was not ready for. As a parent I had to accept it was ok if my kid is not ivy bound. However, I am having her consider Howard for college.

As good as Banneker seems to be--and i am learning a lost in this thread-- I frankly see no reason why a non-black kid should apply there. For any priority he or she may have, i can point out a better fit elsewhere. PP, i am glad you finally listened to your daughter, and my 2 cents is that you do not your try to impose your agenda on her as she considers college options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:White parent with an 8th grader at Deal this year. I had pushed very hard for my kid to apply at Banneker because I saw a family friend's daughters do very well there. My kid absolutely refused to even consider it. Lots of issues - none of her friends were going there, very few extra curriculars, scared of the high level of academics and being rejected. Long and short Wilson seemed like something that would allow her to find her tribe where as Banneker would put her on treadmill she was not ready for. As a parent I had to accept it was ok if my kid is not ivy bound. However, I am having her consider Howard for college.

As good as Banneker seems to be--and i am learning a lost in this thread-- I frankly see no reason why a non-black kid should apply there. For any priority he or she may have, i can point out a better fit elsewhere. PP, i am glad you finally listened to your daughter, and my 2 cents is that you do not your try to impose your agenda on her as she considers college options.

+1

[Anonymous]

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Great to learn about your experience, it sounds amazing. Can i ask you, did you also apply to SWW? How are both schools seen by academic-oriented black teens?

I was accepted at both, but Walls was my backup school. Banneker was more prominent at the time, although SWW was catching up. I was 13, so I didn't do any extensive research. It was just known that Banneker was the "smart school." I heard that SWW was a good school, but they didn't have the bragging rights that Banneker did back then. Plus, from a pubescent boy's perspective: Banneker had the best looking girls at a ratio of 4:1. In a school with zero jocks, I was happy to take those odds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Great to learn about your experience, it sounds amazing. Can i ask you, did you also apply to SWW? How are both schools seen by academic-oriented black teens?

I was accepted at both, but Walls was my backup school. Banneker was more prominent at the time, although SWW was catching up. I was 13, so I didn't do any extensive research. It was just known that Banneker was the "smart school." I heard that SWW was a good school, but they didn't have the bragging rights that Banneker did back then. Plus, from a pubescent boy's perspective: Banneker had the best looking girls at a ratio of 4:1. In a school with zero jocks, I was happy to take those odds.

Way to go. Impressive logic and math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Great to learn about your experience, it sounds amazing. Can i ask you, did you also apply to SWW? How are both schools seen by academic-oriented black teens?

I was accepted at both, but Walls was my backup school. Banneker was more prominent at the time, although SWW was catching up. I was 13, so I didn't do any extensive research. It was just known that Banneker was the "smart school." I heard that SWW was a good school, but they didn't have the bragging rights that Banneker did back then. Plus, from a pubescent boy's perspective: Banneker had the best looking girls at a ratio of 4:1. In a school with zero jocks, I was happy to take those odds.

I would agree. I have friends that went to Walls and it was not at all popular or competitive 20+ years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:48, how can you not understand the PP who posted that she is glad her child attends a school where high achievers and leaders look like her? Do you not understand that there is a woeful lack of role models in our culture that are African American or Latino? If you cant understand this, I dont think you will appreciate Cleveland or any any TItle I school that excels. We are a mixed race Asian/white Cleveland family and have never felt anything but welcome. We love that my daughter's high achieving peers are African American and Latino. We love that she was born under a black president, and that our next president will be a woman! Seriously, a little reading comprehension, people. You're scaring me with this dim wittedness!

I love you.

[Anonymous]

I don't have time tonight to read this entire thread. Certain BBAHS families can afford expensive SAT prep courses but most can't. The SAT averages were not my concern. My child's white academic peers at Deal refused to apply to BBAHS. It did not bother me or her. Fine if they attended and fine if they didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Great to learn about your experience, it sounds amazing. Can i ask you, did you also apply to SWW? How are both schools seen by academic-oriented black teens?

I was accepted at both, but Walls was my backup school. Banneker was more prominent at the time, although SWW was catching up. I was 13, so I didn't do any extensive research. It was just known that Banneker was the "smart school." I heard that SWW was a good school, but they didn't have the bragging rights that Banneker did back then. Plus, from a pubescent boy's perspective: Banneker had the best looking girls at a ratio of 4:1. In a school with zero jocks, I was happy to take those odds.

I would agree. I have friends that went to Walls and it was not at all popular or competitive 20+ years ago.

And now?

At least in my circles, Walls is the hottest school around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say many qualified white students choose not to apply to Banneker because it's not a diverse school. At all. There's not much more to the issue than that, imo.

You have a point there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say many qualified white students choose not to apply to Banneker because it's not a diverse school. At all. There's not much more to the issue than that, imo.

You have a point there.

Yeah, that was our main thing too.