2008 College Placement for "Elite" DC Area Private Schools?

[Anonymous]

To the poster that posted all that information about Maret, where did you find that?

[Anonymous]

http://www.maret.org/news/detail.asp?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=2182&ModuleID=113

[Anonymous]

When you can hand-pick your students like Maret and schools like it can, the college placement for these kids is still not spectacular and no different if you analyzed the placement of similar kids at Wilson or other MC public schools. That is, if you could take only the kids who were waitlisted and say hypothetically they all went on to public high school, they would probably have a college acceptance list very much like the one posted. There are so many other factors in play.

For the OP if you're going to pay all that money, do so for whatever reason you want but college placement shouldn't be on top of your list. Otherwise you can be very disappointed and find that you were better off sending your child to public where there is more academic diversity and your DC has a better chance to shine compared to the other kids when applying.

[Anonymous]

I agree. I found Maret's placement fairly unimpressive, for such a fancy school. Made me suspect that my kids will have as good or better shot at a top college from our local public high school.

[Anonymous]

I have a rather uncharitable opinion to add here, but I rather suspect that some of the angst being expressed about the tuition bill is just an excuse to remind others that one can afford to pay the tuition to begin with ... a similar ploy to "boy it's hot in here ... I think I'll take off my diamond necklace."

[Anonymous]

LOL at the PP.

I agree that college placement should not be one's primary reason for private school, and I was not blown away by Maret's list. By my (admittedly rough) estimation, I could have probably gotten into 2/3 of those schools (granted, this was 15 years ago) and I went to a good-but-regular public school.

[Anonymous]

Is it all about names of colleges or the best fit for students/children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOL at the PP.

I agree that college placement should not be one's primary reason for private school, and I was not blown away by Maret's list. By my (admittedly rough) estimation, I could have probably gotten into 2/3 of those schools (granted, this was 15 years ago) and I went to a good-but-regular public school.

College entrance competition is fierce today. Most adults I know who went to the Ivies 15-20 years ago would not have a shot in hell now.

Private school is not all about getting into the Ivies. It's about more personal attention, happiness of the student in a private school environment and extra curriculars. There are a lot of reasons! If you all believe that education only matters if it "pays off" then you should really rethink your attitude toward life!! So what if not everything in life pans out - isn't the most important part what lessons you've learned, the things that have made you grow as a person??

[Anonymous]

PP, here. It's so funny....people go from obsessing about which schools to apply to, to which schools they got in, to whether they should pay the tuition, to whether it will get their kids into the college they think is "good enough."

These people are going to obsess no matter what. As soon as one decision is made there is another to obsess about around the corner.

And I still think they are missing the point. It's almost like they have this checklist of things that must be done in order to reach "success." And there is SO much other stuff that plays into it! It doesn't guarantee success OR happiness.

Send your kid to the school where you think he or she will be happy, will learn, will enjoy their environment, make friends, have opportunities for non-academic outlets... Private or public, doesn't matter.

It is not a simple economic equation. You can't measure whether going to Maret is worth the "investment" solely on what college the grads go to.

I am seriously not understanding the fixation on the Maret college list or the perspective that it reflects whether the investment "paid off."

[Anonymous]

Private school is not all about getting into the Ivies. It's about more personal attention, happiness of the student in a private school environment and extra curriculars. There are a lot of reasons! If you all believe that education only matters if it "pays off" then you should really rethink your attitude toward life!! So what if not everything in life pans out - isn't the most important part what lessons you've learned, the things that have made you grow as a person??

It sounds like you are challenging/disagreeing with most of the PPs, when I think most seem to agree with you. That's not what OP was asking about, though, which is why so many people are responding that they are unimpressed with the college entrance results -- if that's what OP is looking for, maybe she should look elsewhere and save her money. I agree that if a private school is a better fit for the particular student, great -- but the OP specifically mentioned it as a means into college placement, so that's why people are responding that these college placements are maybe not reason enough for the investment.

[Anonymous]

My public school child got rejected from his safety school this year. After rethinking the entire process, we are all happy with the school he landed at. I work with teenagers and can tell you I am thrilled at the way my son is turning out. It is going to cost a lot more than we planned on for college so remember, I will be there when your ivy college student suffers another depressive episode. The circle of life!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As of May 5, Maret students will be attending the following colleges and universities:

Darn! No Hoyas. At least Tufts tied Harvard and Stanford. Go Jumbos!

Seriously, OP- I won't flame you for using the word investment. Because let's be honest - that's what it is. Not just money: time, effort, and hopes. If the long-term investment in a school doesn't feel right to you, then it probably isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As of May 5, Maret students will be attending the following colleges and universities:

Darn! No Hoyas. At least Tufts tied Harvard and Stanford. Go Jumbos!

Seriously, OP- I won't flame you for using the word investment. Because let's be honest - that's what it is. Not just money: time, effort, and hopes. If the long-term investment in a school doesn't feel right to you, then it probably isn't.

I agree that it's an investment, and a long-term one. I just don't think (1) anyone should believe it significantly increases the chance of admission to an Ivy, and (2) that the names of colleges graduates will attend is the best measure of a school's worth. It's all about fit. If a school is a good fit for the student and family, and the student is therefore happy there and receives a good education, isn't that an indication of a good investment? And isn't that what matters?

[Anonymous]

Re: 15:36, about public school students possibly not being able to "problem-solve" or be intellectually curious at top colleges: my spouse and I both attended Ivies. I came from a so-so public high school and he came from a highly-regarded private boarding schools where 20+ of his classmates went to Harvard. By the time he got to college he was exhausted from the academic pressure and did only the minimum, while I loved college, took as many courses as I could, and graduated with a far higher GPA. My experience in college was that the brightest, most ambitious kids were almost always from public schools -- it was obvious. On that basis I'd conclude that the standards were lower for admission from private schools. I wouldn't conclude, though, that the education was better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: 15:36, about public school students possibly not being able to "problem-solve" or be intellectually curious at top colleges: my spouse and I both attended Ivies. I came from a so-so public high school and he came from a highly-regarded private boarding schools where 20+ of his classmates went to Harvard. By the time he got to college he was exhausted from the academic pressure and did only the minimum, while I loved college, took as many courses as I could, and graduated with a far higher GPA. My experience in college was that the brightest, most ambitious kids were almost always from public schools -- it was obvious. On that basis I'd conclude that the standards were lower for admission from private schools. I wouldn't conclude, though, that the education was better.

This was exactly my experience at Yale.