Do you think it is easier to get into a top college from public or private?

[Anonymous]

For super smart kids who want T5, they probably have a better chance at a competitive public high school. If T5 is not the goal, it’s easier to get into T20 at a good private school as long as the kid stays on top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For super smart kids who want T5, they probably have a better chance at a competitive public high school. If T5 is not the goal, it’s easier to get into T20 at a good private school as long as the kid stays on top.

The ratio of private high school to public high schools kids, given how many more kids are public school kids, suggests the contrary.

[Anonymous]

Last year Langley had at least one to Harvard, one to Yale, 3 to Stanford, plus some other T20s. It is certainly possible. Just going to any private is not going to improve your kids' odds. Going to an elite, connnected private might, but your kids probably aren't getting in there unless you have been working that track since kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For super smart kids who want T5, they probably have a better chance at a competitive public high school. If T5 is not the goal, it’s easier to get into T20 at a good private school as long as the kid stays on top.

The ratio of private high school to public high schools kids, given how many more kids are public school kids, suggests the contrary.

For the T5 kids, they do well in private or public schools. These are the selected few, truly outstanding. But public schools provide a larger platform for leadership, whereas private schools often have more legacies and other hooks. They stand a slightly better chance at a public school.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the private. I don’t want to denigrate any schools, but there is a big difference between the best privates, mid tier privates, and random catholic schools. I would bet the best privates would give your kid a better chance but a great public would be the same or better than the latter two.

For us, the ones that I think are actually better than our public would add a lot of logistics and time, so we said no. No regrets but as we have a junior now, I can see the difference in the level of support that my kid is getting at his highly rated public vs some of my friends’ kids who are at these very good private schools.

Relatedly, I am over the rat race to a T20. I just want to raise a happy adult with a good work ethic. There is only one chance at childhood, and we aren’t breaking our kids’ backs to get to a T20. They will be just fine wherever they go. All that to say, I don’t care about the different college outcomes that much, even if they are a little different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know, but you shouldn't decide how your children will spend 4 or more years of their academic (and social) life, and whether you should spend a huge amount of money, on the how it affects college admissions.

You should base your decision on how your children will learn and develop during those years. (And, by the way, how much they learn and develop will affect their college experience: to some extent where they will go, but more importantly what they do when they go there.)

Agreed. I would give your other kids the same choice you gave your oldest. Where will they be happy? Where will they thrive? Those are prerequisites to success in high school, which is a prerequisite to success in admissions.

[Anonymous]

If you can get into Sidwell or St. Albans and graduate top 20% in the class you can 100% get into a top20 college.

Now, it's not that easy to 1)get into these schools 2)end up in that top20%. One might say "well of course it's not THAT hard." Yes, it is. Most of those in the graduating classes are extremely bright, have every advantage to help them if needed (tutors, etc), have been in the system for years so know how to write well, stay organized and never miss a deadline, and at their initial entry point were admitted due to their grades and high test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A quick search shows that most Ivies take 35 to 40 percent of the class from private high schools.

100% if not more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the private. I don’t want to denigrate any schools, but there is a big difference between the best privates, mid tier privates, and random catholic schools. I would bet the best privates would give your kid a better chance but a great public would be the same or better than the latter two.

For us, the ones that I think are actually better than our public would add a lot of logistics and time, so we said no. No regrets but as we have a junior now, I can see the difference in the level of support that my kid is getting at his highly rated public vs some of my friends’ kids who are at these very good private schools.

Relatedly, I am over the rat race to a T20. I just want to raise a happy adult with a good work ethic. There is only one chance at childhood, and we aren’t breaking our kids’ backs to get to a T20. They will be just fine wherever they go. All that to say, I don’t care about the different college outcomes that much, even if they are a little different.

Op here. VA doesn’t have a lot of options and probably the reason why we haven’t switched to private. Our friends from college and grad school send their kids to private schools in the Northeast. Our options are little Langley (no high school), Basis and Potomac. Then there are inconvenient schools that I’m not sure are much better than our public like flint hill, SSSA, Landon, Hinton, etc. these are all a significant logistical challenge although we have neighbors who send their kids to st Albans, Gonzaga, NCS, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the private. I don’t want to denigrate any schools, but there is a big difference between the best privates, mid tier privates, and random catholic schools. I would bet the best privates would give your kid a better chance but a great public would be the same or better than the latter two.

For us, the ones that I think are actually better than our public would add a lot of logistics and time, so we said no. No regrets but as we have a junior now, I can see the difference in the level of support that my kid is getting at his highly rated public vs some of my friends’ kids who are at these very good private schools.

Relatedly, I am over the rat race to a T20. I just want to raise a happy adult with a good work ethic. There is only one chance at childhood, and we aren’t breaking our kids’ backs to get to a T20. They will be just fine wherever they go. All that to say, I don’t care about the different college outcomes that much, even if they are a little different.

Op here. VA doesn’t have a lot of options and probably the reason why we haven’t switched to private. Our friends from college and grad school send their kids to private schools in the Northeast. Our options are little Langley (no high school), Basis and Potomac. Then there are inconvenient schools that I’m not sure are much better than our public like flint hill, SSSA, Landon, Hinton, etc. these are all a significant logistical challenge although we have neighbors who send their kids to st Albans, Gonzaga, NCS, etc.

I would be cautious sending my kid to basis unless I am very certain it’s a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in a top public school (Langley High in McLean). My oldest is currently a junior and it feels like there are so many students who may sound similar on paper. He is targeting T20 schools like everyone else in the school.

I have 2 other kids and considering private schools for them. Cost is a non-factor. We gave our oldest the option to switch to private in middle school and he chose to stay with his friends. He does have a fantastic friend group. Wondering if we should switch our younger kids earlier.

Public 100%

How is this even a question?

[Anonymous]

Public MD from our Public my kids got into

Harvard, Stanford, CMU, MIT, RICE, Michigan, Yale, Georgia Tech, Princeton.......

And they had no issues with coursework

Private LOL no

[Anonymous]

If you take a look at the matriculations from top private schools vs. top public schools, the percentage of students going to T20 universities is significantly higher. At my kid's private about 20% end up at T20 schools, whereas our local public schools has about 5% going to T20. Our older kid had a specific university he wanted to attend, so we picked one of the feeder high schools and enrolled him there. The university he wanted to attend is a reach for most, but his college counselor advised him (after his application went in) that it was a target for him. He did indeed get into the school. My youngest attends a school that has a 40% acceptance rate to this same school whereas the publicly shared acceptance rate is 9%. We have high hopes for her as well.

[Anonymous]

If you are just chasing T20 admissions, Basis, Potomac, Flint hill, SSSA, Landon, Gonzaga, and Hinton are not going to offer an advantage, or at least not enough of one to justify the cost. Maybe St Albans and NCS if you could swing those, but even there only a fraction of the class is going T20.

[Anonymous]

Yes, of course it's easier to get into a top 20 from a private school vs a public school.

But friends matter, especially since the friends at your kid's public school are all relatively nearby. It makes it simpler for them to hang out!

Most public schools in the DC area are huge, and there's a large number of talented, hard working, and motivated students in each class.