No, going to more competitive high schools in wealthier areas do not give you more opportunities

[Anonymous]

I hate how stupid people are. People love to say you are so lucky to grow up in X place because the schools are good and have so many opportunities. Like hello, do you not understand that opportunities in those schools aren’t open for all students?

Sure, some high schools have more sports like lacrosse or wrestling, but what good does that do if you still need to play since 5 to make the JV team? Most students can’t access those opportunities. Likewise, extracurricular like robotics and band are way more selective at competitive schools.


Students at poorer and less competitive schools literally have more opportunities because things like sports or robotics take anyone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate how stupid people are. People love to say you are so lucky to grow up in X place because the schools are good and have so many opportunities. Like hello, do you not understand that opportunities in those schools aren’t open for all students?

Sure, some high schools have more sports like lacrosse or wrestling, but what good does that do if you still need to play since 5 to make the JV team? Most students can’t access those opportunities. Likewise, extracurricular like robotics and band are way more selective at competitive schools.

Students at poorer and less competitive schools literally have more opportunities because things like sports or robotics take anyone

If those schools can even field sports teams or support robotics...

Anyway, the whole "big fish in a smaller pond" is a familiar trope here. You're not saying anything new, and it's not going to change anyone's mind even if you repeat it for the 1000th time. We can look at how the "stupid people" behave, and those people - who coincidentally tend to have larger housing budgets - consistently favor schools with larger, stronger, peer groups.

[Anonymous]

It's a tradeoff.

My kid joined a competitive and high-performing HS freshman year (we moved from a lower performing area). They didn't make the cut for three BIG opportunities that they tried out or ran for. They were able to participate a little in one of them for a bit. They did make a sports team.

Sophomore year, they realized that two of those things that hadn't worked weren't actually their thing. They did other stuff. They stuck with one extracurricular to give it another try and ended up gaining momentum and became a state elected leader their senior year.

They eventually dropped the sport. Never returned to the other two things. Found some new opportunities to get engaged.

If this is freshman year frustration, try again! Sometimes lots of people drop out and there's a better shot. Sometimes there's more room for sophomores and juniors. Sometimes you evolve.

I think there is a lot of value in having a challenging and motivated cohort at a competitive school. For my kid, this has been critical. But I can also see value in doing it other ways. It really depends on the kid and how they think and work.

[Anonymous]

There are challenging and motivated cohorts at poorer, less competitive schools. Just a smaller cohort.

My kids have benefited from such a school. And not just for college admissions, for opportunities and leadership roles that will benefit them well beyond the 4 years after HS.

[Anonymous]

I think the expression is "steel sharpens steel."

People should buy in the best school district they can afford.

[Anonymous]

Those schools have robotics clubs, AP sciences, French teachers etc. And things like kilns for pottery programs. Our school is 40% FARMS and we are lucky to have a music teacher who has supplied instruments from her own collection for the students! Since many can't afford to rent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those schools have robotics clubs, AP sciences, French teachers etc. And things like kilns for pottery programs. Our school is 40% FARMS and we are lucky to have a music teacher who has supplied instruments from her own collection for the students! Since many can't afford to rent.

Like I said, most students in these schools aren’t in robotics or taking AP science courses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a tradeoff.

My kid joined a competitive and high-performing HS freshman year (we moved from a lower performing area). They didn't make the cut for three BIG opportunities that they tried out or ran for. They were able to participate a little in one of them for a bit. They did make a sports team.

Sophomore year, they realized that two of those things that hadn't worked weren't actually their thing. They did other stuff. They stuck with one extracurricular to give it another try and ended up gaining momentum and became a state elected leader their senior year.

They eventually dropped the sport. Never returned to the other two things. Found some new opportunities to get engaged.

If this is freshman year frustration, try again! Sometimes lots of people drop out and there's a better shot. Sometimes there's more room for sophomores and juniors. Sometimes you evolve.

I think there is a lot of value in having a challenging and motivated cohort at a competitive school. For my kid, this has been critical. But I can also see value in doing it other ways. It really depends on the kid and how they think and work.

How did they decide the things they weren't able to do were not their thing if they hadn't even done them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are challenging and motivated cohorts at poorer, less competitive schools. Just a smaller cohort.

My kids have benefited from such a school. And not just for college admissions, for opportunities and leadership roles that will benefit them well beyond the 4 years after HS.

But if it doesn't, you're SOL. If you go to a strong high school, you can be sure the motivated cohort will be there

[Anonymous]

There’s no robotics club to join at my kids’ high school. Sports teams are still pretty competitive, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate how stupid people are. People love to say you are so lucky to grow up in X place because the schools are good and have so many opportunities. Like hello, do you not understand that opportunities in those schools aren’t open for all students?

Sure, some high schools have more sports like lacrosse or wrestling, but what good does that do if you still need to play since 5 to make the JV team? Most students can’t access those opportunities. Likewise, extracurricular like robotics and band are way more selective at competitive schools.


Students at poorer and less competitive schools literally have more opportunities because things like sports or robotics take anyone

And you hate how stupid other people are? You are so completely off the mark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s no robotics club to join at my kids’ high school. Sports teams are still pretty competitive, though.

Your kid has the opportunity to found one, which isn't an opportunity available at a more competitive school. When one door closes, another opens.

[Anonymous]

We sort of lucked into a great set up. We have a bimodal school. About 45% are ESL and FARMS and the rest are white/asian UMC. The school is technically Title 1 but there are enough high achievers that we have all the AP options but it’s much easier to get into the top 5% because fewer kids are in the running. We get an equity boost since we are Title 1. Sports teams are easier to make and since you are compared against your high school, top colleges are easier admits too.

[Anonymous]

Fairness is always a problem OP. It’s good for kid to learn it early and learn how to make their own opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Your student needs to learn how to write really well and be very good at math and science. The rest is just extra. You won’t learn these basic skills in college, not sure how good the remedial classes are in college.