Average GPA at SWW (DC "magnet") is 3.93 unweighted; this is what private kids are up against

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

This. I can believe that in many private schools, the instruction and expectations are rigorous. But the amount of hand-holding is immense (especially if something goes wrong.) I know of two families whose boys were indeed coddled extensively to get them to graduate and into college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is pretty shocking to see the SWW hate here. The school has crappy facilities, the students aren’t coddled, and the school still must contend with DCPS bureaucracy. And lots of their families there can’t afford to go to the schools you drool over, even though their kids get in. If kids can navigate all that and still end up at Cornell or Yale, good for them! Even more impressive are the kids who got full rides or massive amounts of merit aid to highly regarded schools. Walls is a rare DCPS success story. Anyone who pays taxes in the city should celebrate this.

That's the major difference and the story doesn't fit the narrative. I really wish SWW did some coddling. It's almost like Lord of the Flies They have been sending kids to top schools for years. So this is nothing new. Colleges know exactly what SWW produces so they must like the product.

Let’s see if colleges continue to like the grade-inflated Walls product. Seven admits to Ivy/Ivy equivalent colleges (out of 150-160 students) isn’t an impressive result—especially for an academic magnet school.

Tis..Tis...Ivy or no Ivy is not goal for the majority and that's a fact. Significant merit based aid is what a lot of families look hope for. The SWW kids are getting a lot of merit based aid. No one knows how many kids got admitted to which schools. People just know what's made public.

Yes, I understand that Walls’ student body, on average, is far less wealthy than the families of top DC private school students. I also know that (officially) Ivies only offer need-based aid. The statement still stands. Are graduates with grade-inflated transcripts (at Walls, JR, any public school) being set up for failure when they’re admitted to highly selective colleges? They will be competing with students who are much better prepared, and that can have a huge negative effect.

Yes I am sure the grads from the selective public magnet in a highly educated city are STRUGGLING in college. Come on. Your sour grapes are interfering with your thought process.

[Anonymous]

Solution: stop supporting the kid. I’ve done that with my kid. Transcript a little spotty, ECs what he wants to do. He owns his high school record.

Sure, maybe it’s not Ivy quality, but I’d rather he learn his lessons in high school than in college or later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is pretty shocking to see the SWW hate here. The school has crappy facilities, the students aren’t coddled, and the school still must contend with DCPS bureaucracy. And lots of their families there can’t afford to go to the schools you drool over, even though their kids get in. If kids can navigate all that and still end up at Cornell or Yale, good for them! Even more impressive are the kids who got full rides or massive amounts of merit aid to highly regarded schools. Walls is a rare DCPS success story. Anyone who pays taxes in the city should celebrate this.

That's the major difference and the story doesn't fit the narrative. I really wish SWW did some coddling. It's almost like Lord of the Flies They have been sending kids to top schools for years. So this is nothing new. Colleges know exactly what SWW produces so they must like the product.

Let’s see if colleges continue to like the grade-inflated Walls product. Seven admits to Ivy/Ivy equivalent colleges (out of 150-160 students) isn’t an impressive result—especially for an academic magnet school.

Tis..Tis...Ivy or no Ivy is not goal for the majority and that's a fact. Significant merit based aid is what a lot of families look hope for. The SWW kids are getting a lot of merit based aid. No one knows how many kids got admitted to which schools. People just know what's made public.

Yes, I understand that Walls’ student body, on average, is far less wealthy than the families of top DC private school students. I also know that (officially) Ivies only offer need-based aid. The statement still stands. Are graduates with grade-inflated transcripts (at Walls, JR, any public school) being set up for failure when they’re admitted to highly selective colleges? They will be competing with students who are much better prepared, and that can have a huge negative effect.

Yes I am sure the grads from the selective public magnet in a highly educated city are STRUGGLING in college. Come on. Your sour grapes are interfering with your thought process.

Sour grapes where? My oldest child has graduated from private school and is excelling at her Ivy. My youngest daughter is currently in high school and headed in the same direction (Ivy or another highly selective college).
I wish all of these students the best—in high school, college, and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

This. I can believe that in many private schools, the instruction and expectations are rigorous. But the amount of hand-holding is immense (especially if something goes wrong.) I know of two families whose boys were indeed coddled extensively to get them to graduate and into college.

+1 the comparison of achievements with public school students is an apples to oranges one. You have to be completely clueless to not realize this.

Even so, the number of public school students around here going to T20 is impressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how no one on this thread seems to have read the article.

Walls staff, teachers, and staff all realize that the massive grade inflation that occurred at DCPS and especially Walls during the pandemic is a bad thing. This is going to hurt the school going forward.

Also, note that the current Walls senior class was admitted when Walls had an entrance exam to identify the best candidates for admission. That entrance exam was scrapped during the pandemic and DCPS has refused to bring it back (in contrast to DC, magnet high schools in NYC, SF, and other cities have an entrance exam).

As a result, the quality of students admitted to Walls has decreased and is getting worse every year. Indeed, the current Walls admissions criteria (which focuses on identifying a pool of 500 with the highest GPA) just rewards students who have benefitted from the immense recent grade inflation in DCPS. So, over the next few years and beyond, you can expect to see Walls college admissions go downhill as well.

See here: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1125565.page.

How can you be sure the quality has gone down? The students getting into Walls have the best grades they can get. They simply cannot do better than they have done. You seem to think because DCPS refuses to measure quality that the quality is not there. I agree the present system does these kids no good because people will make the same assumption you have made.

You totally missed the point. And you obviously didn't read the article.

1) Walls staff, teachers, and students themselves saying this is bad. Here is what Walls student said, "“When I go to college, it’s going to hurt me because I’m not actively putting in as much effort as I should or as I could because of those policies."

2) Making the whole senior class National Honor Society and giving them summa cum laude doesn't mean all the students deserve those honors. These honors are meaningless.

3) Many people at Walls have reported that quality has gone down. Just read the threads on Walls. And it just makes sense. Since getting rid of the entrance exam, Walls admits solely on GPA (just the number) and a short interview. Nothing else. Given the rampant grade inflation in DC in the last few years, obviously that will result in a weaker class. There are lots of kids at terrible DC schools with reading and math skills below grade level with A averages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how no one on this thread seems to have read the article.

Walls staff, teachers, and staff all realize that the massive grade inflation that occurred at DCPS and especially Walls during the pandemic is a bad thing. This is going to hurt the school going forward.

Also, note that the current Walls senior class was admitted when Walls had an entrance exam to identify the best candidates for admission. That entrance exam was scrapped during the pandemic and DCPS has refused to bring it back (in contrast to DC, magnet high schools in NYC, SF, and other cities have an entrance exam).

As a result, the quality of students admitted to Walls has decreased and is getting worse every year. Indeed, the current Walls admissions criteria (which focuses on identifying a pool of 500 with the highest GPA) just rewards students who have benefitted from the immense recent grade inflation in DCPS. So, over the next few years and beyond, you can expect to see Walls college admissions go downhill as well.

See here: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1125565.page.

Most privates have also gotten rid of entrance exams with no indication of bringing them back. Just like SAT requirements in colleges. Your point? Test exams are not always indicative of learning ability? You haven’t learned that yet?

Maybe sit this one out since you clearly don't know how Walls admission works.

The entire admissions process at Walls is to pick a pool of the top 500 GPAs, looking at nothing but that number, and then do a short (often 5-10 minute interview). Obviously, private schools don't do that. At Walls, there is no information form to fill out, no teacher recommendations, no substantive interviews, and no looking at the rigor of the school you are coming from, the classes you took, the sports you do, or the extracurriculars in which you engage. In fact, for purposes of GPA, Walls doesn't even distinguish between courses kids take. An A in PE is treated the same as an A for 7th grade Algebra 2.

This year, the Walls GPA cut-off was 3.87.

Let's say that you were a private school 8th grader and, for whatever reason, you wanted to move to Walls. If your GPA was 3.85 you would be automatically rejected. However, a kid at a bad DC school with massive grade inflation with a 3.87 would be eligible and could get in. There are lots of kids at DCPS schools with below grade-level reading and math who are straight A students. Previously, with the exam, the private school kid would have been eligible.

No one disputes that grade inflation is out of control in DCPS. In fact, grade inflation has been made worse given the fact that DCPS ties teacher financial bonuses to student grades, giving teachers even more incentive to inflate grades.

As a result, DCPS kids are overrepresented in the pool of 500 kids considered for Walls, compared to kids from privates, DC charters, and non-DCPS schools. And, given grade inflation, less stellar DCPS kids are overrepresented in the pool as well.

The result is that Walls is bringing in weaker and weaker classes. And, ironically--as the Washington Post found--this doesn't even diversify the school; it just makes the selection process more random.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/school-without-walls-admissions-test-diversity/2021/08/27/6959cec2-0293-11ec-a664-4f6de3e17ff0_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

That is rare, and you will find the same rare over the top behaviors among public school parents.

Our neighbors hired someone to play catch with their private school kid.

Happens all. The. Time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really want to push back on this legacy hook idea, don’t you? Acc to the Harvard paper itself, all things being equal, legacy applicants have an appreciable advantage over non-legacy.

I'm not PP, but no one is claiming that the Harvard admit rate for those who are legacy (and have no other "hook") is 6 percent or lower. But you seem to be implying that it's 33 percent for them, which it obviously isn't.

The answer obviously lies somewhere between 6 and 33 percent, but you're in no position to offer an informed opinion about whether the number for legacy alone is closer to 6, 33, or somewhere in the middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is pretty shocking to see the SWW hate here. The school has crappy facilities, the students aren’t coddled, and the school still must contend with DCPS bureaucracy. And lots of their families there can’t afford to go to the schools you drool over, even though their kids get in. If kids can navigate all that and still end up at Cornell or Yale, good for them! Even more impressive are the kids who got full rides or massive amounts of merit aid to highly regarded schools. Walls is a rare DCPS success story. Anyone who pays taxes in the city should celebrate this.

That's the major difference and the story doesn't fit the narrative. I really wish SWW did some coddling. It's almost like Lord of the Flies They have been sending kids to top schools for years. So this is nothing new. Colleges know exactly what SWW produces so they must like the product.

Let’s see if colleges continue to like the grade-inflated Walls product. Seven admits to Ivy/Ivy equivalent colleges (out of 150-160 students) isn’t an impressive result—especially for an academic magnet school.

Tis..Tis...Ivy or no Ivy is not goal for the majority and that's a fact. Significant merit based aid is what a lot of families look hope for. The SWW kids are getting a lot of merit based aid. No one knows how many kids got admitted to which schools. People just know what's made public.

Yes, I understand that Walls’ student body, on average, is far less wealthy than the families of top DC private school students. I also know that (officially) Ivies only offer need-based aid. The statement still stands. Are graduates with grade-inflated transcripts (at Walls, JR, any public school) being set up for failure when they’re admitted to highly selective colleges? They will be competing with students who are much better prepared, and that can have a huge negative effect.

Yes I am sure the grads from the selective public magnet in a highly educated city are STRUGGLING in college. Come on. Your sour grapes are interfering with your thought process.

My daughter from BCC to HYP has no struggle. Her HYP from Walls, also at Yale no struggle. (not id because it's her private biz) What is the matter with you all thinking public kids are struggling compared to private? I know two private kids in therapy right now dealing with stress. The parents are causing it and should probably go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

This. I can believe that in many private schools, the instruction and expectations are rigorous. But the amount of hand-holding is immense (especially if something goes wrong.) I know of two families whose boys were indeed coddled extensively to get them to graduate and into college.

We are in k-8 and the coddling is extensive. 1/2 class gets outside tutoring in some way throughout the year. This is not an exaggeration. I suspect it is the reason families chose the k-8 because kids needed something extra. Mine does not but it does affect the class & the learning. To comment on the comment about gender, our private is known for it's large lgbtqxyz and beyond. Another reason I believe parents send kids there. All this is to say, the publics may doing better overall with college admissions but the privates are here to serve kids in a different way perhaps public cannot. And college acceptance most likely does not have to do with it. With that said, it's also important to note, most of these kids couldn't hang in a public in a way that a mainstream kid could. And our k-8 is not a special needs school, it is a progressive & welcoming school that people who want some extra cushion or let's say coddling for their kid. And who can blame them. It's a harsh world out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is pretty shocking to see the SWW hate here. The school has crappy facilities, the students aren’t coddled, and the school still must contend with DCPS bureaucracy. And lots of their families there can’t afford to go to the schools you drool over, even though their kids get in. If kids can navigate all that and still end up at Cornell or Yale, good for them! Even more impressive are the kids who got full rides or massive amounts of merit aid to highly regarded schools. Walls is a rare DCPS success story. Anyone who pays taxes in the city should celebrate this.

That's the major difference and the story doesn't fit the narrative. I really wish SWW did some coddling. It's almost like Lord of the Flies They have been sending kids to top schools for years. So this is nothing new. Colleges know exactly what SWW produces so they must like the product.

Let’s see if colleges continue to like the grade-inflated Walls product. Seven admits to Ivy/Ivy equivalent colleges (out of 150-160 students) isn’t an impressive result—especially for an academic magnet school.

Tis..Tis...Ivy or no Ivy is not goal for the majority and that's a fact. Significant merit based aid is what a lot of families look hope for. The SWW kids are getting a lot of merit based aid. No one knows how many kids got admitted to which schools. People just know what's made public.

Yes, I understand that Walls’ student body, on average, is far less wealthy than the families of top DC private school students. I also know that (officially) Ivies only offer need-based aid. The statement still stands. Are graduates with grade-inflated transcripts (at Walls, JR, any public school) being set up for failure when they’re admitted to highly selective colleges? They will be competing with students who are much better prepared, and that can have a huge negative effect.

Yes I am sure the grads from the selective public magnet in a highly educated city are STRUGGLING in college. Come on. Your sour grapes are interfering with your thought process.

My daughter from BCC to HYP has no struggle. Her HYP from Walls, also at Yale no struggle. (not id because it's her private biz) What is the matter with you all thinking public kids are struggling compared to private? I know two private kids in therapy right now dealing with stress. The parents are causing it and should probably go.

And I know 4 public school kids in therapy right now (including one who was hospitalized for suicidal ideation). What is your point? Stressed children can be found in ANY academic environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

This. I can believe that in many private schools, the instruction and expectations are rigorous. But the amount of hand-holding is immense (especially if something goes wrong.) I know of two families whose boys were indeed coddled extensively to get them to graduate and into college.

We are in k-8 and the coddling is extensive. 1/2 class gets outside tutoring in some way throughout the year. This is not an exaggeration. I suspect it is the reason families chose the k-8 because kids needed something extra. Mine does not but it does affect the class & the learning. To comment on the comment about gender, our private is known for it's large lgbtqxyz and beyond. Another reason I believe parents send kids there. All this is to say, the publics may doing better overall with college admissions but the privates are here to serve kids in a different way perhaps public cannot. And college acceptance most likely does not have to do with it. With that said, it's also important to note, most of these kids couldn't hang in a public in a way that a mainstream kid could. And our k-8 is not a special needs school, it is a progressive & welcoming school that people who want some extra cushion or let's say coddling for their kid. And who can blame them. It's a harsh world out there.

“The publics may doing better overall with college admissions.”

Walls may be doing better than some privates, but it’s certainly not doing better than Sidwell, WIS, Holton, or GDS. Do your research before simply regurgitating what you’ve read here on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

This. I can believe that in many private schools, the instruction and expectations are rigorous. But the amount of hand-holding is immense (especially if something goes wrong.) I know of two families whose boys were indeed coddled extensively to get them to graduate and into college.

We are in k-8 and the coddling is extensive. 1/2 class gets outside tutoring in some way throughout the year. This is not an exaggeration. I suspect it is the reason families chose the k-8 because kids needed something extra. Mine does not but it does affect the class & the learning. To comment on the comment about gender, our private is known for it's large lgbtqxyz and beyond. Another reason I believe parents send kids there. All this is to say, the publics may doing better overall with college admissions but the privates are here to serve kids in a different way perhaps public cannot. And college acceptance most likely does not have to do with it. With that said, it's also important to note, most of these kids couldn't hang in a public in a way that a mainstream kid could. And our k-8 is not a special needs school, it is a progressive & welcoming school that people who want some extra cushion or let's say coddling for their kid. And who can blame them. It's a harsh world out there.

“The publics may doing better overall with college admissions.”

Walls may be doing better than some privates, but it’s certainly not doing better than Sidwell, WIS, Holton, or GDS. Do your research before simply regurgitating what you’ve read here on DCUM.

Though this thread started by targeting SWW, this PP said “publics,” not SWW specifically. So insecure!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The narrative that private school kids are coddled is ridiculous.

My neighbor has a private school kid. That kid has had more tutors for sports and academics than anyone I know. He is on a travel team and gets trained outside of it 2-3x a week. They hired someone to help him with 9-grade admissions. They've poured thousands in him outside of school costs to get him where he is. That is coddling.

This. I can believe that in many private schools, the instruction and expectations are rigorous. But the amount of hand-holding is immense (especially if something goes wrong.) I know of two families whose boys were indeed coddled extensively to get them to graduate and into college.

We are in k-8 and the coddling is extensive. 1/2 class gets outside tutoring in some way throughout the year. This is not an exaggeration. I suspect it is the reason families chose the k-8 because kids needed something extra. Mine does not but it does affect the class & the learning. To comment on the comment about gender, our private is known for it's large lgbtqxyz and beyond. Another reason I believe parents send kids there. All this is to say, the publics may doing better overall with college admissions but the privates are here to serve kids in a different way perhaps public cannot. And college acceptance most likely does not have to do with it. With that said, it's also important to note, most of these kids couldn't hang in a public in a way that a mainstream kid could. And our k-8 is not a special needs school, it is a progressive & welcoming school that people who want some extra cushion or let's say coddling for their kid. And who can blame them. It's a harsh world out there.

“The publics may doing better overall with college admissions.”

Walls may be doing better than some privates, but it’s certainly not doing better than Sidwell, WIS, Holton, or GDS. Do your research before simply regurgitating what you’ve read here on DCUM.

Though this thread started by targeting SWW, this PP said “publics,” not SWW specifically. So insecure!

What other DCPS public’s have better college results than Walls (based on percentages)? Use your brain.