Is a public school A = private school A- (or B+)?

[Anonymous]

also, please see that Packer stat from early on in this thread. Packer IS a selective school. Ranked very well, esp compared to our local schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:an A at a good or very good public is probably equal to an A- at a top private (top 3-5 private) for that city/metro area.

Grades are probably equivalent for a test-in top public and a top 3-5 private.

selective colleges would know that.

My husband's brother was at a good public school in Ohio (was ranked #2 in that school) and got into MIT electrical engineering and nearly failed out his first year because the students and material were much more rigorous at MIT. It took him 6 years to graduate versus 4. His friends at MIT who came from top privates and test-in top publics did not struggle as much as he did. His kids are now at private school in MA because he really did see the difference.

So you have an anecdote from your husband’s brother. I went to MIT. Does my experience count? The best students by far in my experience were public school students. Yes the public magnets but also just vanilla public schools from highly concentrated education bubbles (like the DMV). The private school kids generally were fine but not stellar. Some public school kids did struggle, especially if their math skills were not up to par.

Except for a small group of geniuses, everyone struggles at MIT as a freshman. When I was there, first year was pass/fail. And there was at least one class that I might have failed.

[Anonymous]

Oh please. Everyone knows private schools inflate their grades. Just as everyone knows the non profit your kid started or the trip to Africa to build huts was bankrolled by your parents. AOs see through all of this.

[Anonymous]

Colleges know the individual schools. They know what a 3.5 at Sidwell means. They know what 4.5 at a suburban DC high school means.