Riverdale vs Horace Mann - which one has the better college admission in the most recent years?

[Anonymous]

Heard Riverdale is better than HM now?

[Anonymous]

https://www.horacemann.org/academic-life/college-counseling

https://www.riverdale.edu/academics/college-office/

[Anonymous]

It’s like comparing apples with apples

[Anonymous]

I think HM better for the unconnected student. I think Riverdale works well for the connected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.horacemann.org/academic-life/college-counseling

https://www.riverdale.edu/academics/college-office/

Thanks for the links, however, Riverdale's data is from 2019, can't really tell the most recent years'..

[Anonymous]

My DS is a junior at HM. I don't know which has better college outcomes (my guess is that any difference in that regard is negligible), but I can tell you that HM's college counseling program is excellent. I've been really impressed with it, finding the program to be much more informative and hands-on than was the case when we went through this process with my DD at one of the SS schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a junior at HM. I don't know which has better college outcomes (my guess is that any difference in that regard is negligible), but I can tell you that HM's college counseling program is excellent. I've been really impressed with it, finding the program to be much more informative and hands-on than was the case when we went through this process with my DD at one of the SS schools.

Thanks! how come you decided on co-ed for DS instead of SS for HS? (since DD went SS)

[Anonymous]

I saw Riverdale's IG page and it was really impressive. I don't think HM is up but I didn't look. Most years HM is probably better. It is also more of a pressure cooker.

I'm guessing a huge percentage of the kids at these schools are connected so though they are still incredibly impressive, I discount it a bit. Probably over 50% of the kids have at least one parent with an Ivy+ degree, or are URM.

[Anonymous]

Here is Riverdale 2024:
https://www.instagram.com/riv24seniorss/?hl=en
I actually think HM has more legacies (based on my personal experience). Riverdale families seem more diverse and down to earth (but I know it's subjective).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think HM better for the unconnected student. I think Riverdale works well for the connected

+1

[Anonymous]

Honestly, speaking as the son of a private school principal and an Ivy admissions officer: *for a given kid* I think there's very little difference between most of the TT/2T schools in terms of what colleges they'll get into. 95% of the kids at HM / Riverdale would likely get the same offers if they'd attended the other one; everybody's got amazing facilities and student:teacher ratios and they're all hiring from the same pool of faculty. Take a kid who'd get into Harvard if she went to Brearley and put her in Nightingale for 6-12 instead and she'll almost certainly still get into Harvard.

The more important thing is finding a good culture fit - if your kid is going to thrive in a pressure cooker environment then they'll probably be happier at a school with really aggressive academics like HM or Trinity or Brearley, if not then they'd probably be happier at Riverdale or Dalton or Chapin. (if you don't get into any of those and your kid ends up at Trevor or Friends, they still have a very bright future ahead of them)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, speaking as the son of a private school principal and an Ivy admissions officer: *for a given kid* I think there's very little difference between most of the TT/2T schools in terms of what colleges they'll get into. 95% of the kids at HM / Riverdale would likely get the same offers if they'd attended the other one; everybody's got amazing facilities and student:teacher ratios and they're all hiring from the same pool of faculty. Take a kid who'd get into Harvard if she went to Brearley and put her in Nightingale for 6-12 instead and she'll almost certainly still get into Harvard.

The more important thing is finding a good culture fit - if your kid is going to thrive in a pressure cooker environment then they'll probably be happier at a school with really aggressive academics like HM or Trinity or Brearley, if not then they'd probably be happier at Riverdale or Dalton or Chapin. (if you don't get into any of those and your kid ends up at Trevor or Friends, they still have a very bright future ahead of them)

Thoughts on Grace Church School versus Friends Seminary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thoughts on Grace Church School versus Friends Seminary?

I don’t know much about Grace Church, with Friends I can say that the place has a very particular vibe to it that you’re probably going to either love or hate after a visit / tour and that that should inform your decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think HM better for the unconnected student. I think Riverdale works well for the connected

+1

Can you please explain the reason ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, speaking as the son of a private school principal and an Ivy admissions officer: *for a given kid* I think there's very little difference between most of the TT/2T schools in terms of what colleges they'll get into. 95% of the kids at HM / Riverdale would likely get the same offers if they'd attended the other one; everybody's got amazing facilities and student:teacher ratios and they're all hiring from the same pool of faculty. Take a kid who'd get into Harvard if she went to Brearley and put her in Nightingale for 6-12 instead and she'll almost certainly still get into Harvard.

The more important thing is finding a good culture fit - if your kid is going to thrive in a pressure cooker environment then they'll probably be happier at a school with really aggressive academics like HM or Trinity or Brearley, if not then they'd probably be happier at Riverdale or Dalton or Chapin. (if you don't get into any of those and your kid ends up at Trevor or Friends, they still have a very bright future ahead of them)

I almost wonder if that same kid would have a better chance to go to Harvard from Nightingale rather than Brearley. Would presume less competition and more of a chance to standout. Something to be said about being a big fish in a small pond.