Does going to a Big 3 school really help with college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent who has spent $$$$ on a top flight non DC private. I think the answer is no. One factor you haven’t considered is that parents like me are more likely to be top school alums themselves. Between all those factors, I think it doesn’t much change admissions outcomes. And it certainly isn’t why I pay for private.

Same, but we're in DC.

I don't think our teens will end up at more competitive universities than our neighbors' kids at public HS, controlling for confounding variables.

I am certain they're getting different education experiences right now. Sometimes, it's the journey

This. I want my kids not just to have a *good* education but also a pleasant education. Both me and my spouse went to publics, spouse to TJ, and me in a differentiated T&G program within my neighborhood school. We both found the experience frustrating and wanted to opt out of the bureaucracy. It’s just a better experience, both for us as parents and for our kids as students.

We aren’t as rich as some people in this thread, but it also isn’t a huge strain financially. We aren’t trying to buy our kids’ way into Yale. We are trying to buy *our* way *out* of the public school experience.

I hear private school parents say things like this all the time, but what makes you think that plenty of public school kids aren't receiving pleasant educations as well? Do you really think they're all attending schools rife with gangs with kids shooting up in the bathrooms? My kids go to a good, (but not even one of the highest regarded) public schools in NOVA, and they are most definitely having a pleasant experience. There is a full selection of AP courses available to them, tons of choices for sports, activities, and clubs. Opportunities to travel to Europe with some of these groups, and the benefit of being with neighborhood friends. They are making great grades and have endless choices of extracurriculars provided directly from the school. What's not pleasant about that?

Different poster. Why on earth do you think that I have made any judgment about what your kids are experiencing? Why do you think my choice is a referendum on your choice? I made a judgment that my kid’s experience would be more pleasant in a private school , when compared to the other available options. I don’t have any opinion at all about your kids. Why would I?

But hey, I’m glad they’re having a good time!

[Anonymous]

To answer your title question, no.

I hope college admission is not the reason parents pay tons for private school! They have other great things going for them.

[Anonymous]

No. Not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear private school parents say things like this all the time, but what makes you think that plenty of public school kids aren't receiving pleasant educations as well? Do you really think they're all attending schools rife with gangs with kids shooting up in the bathrooms? My kids go to a good, (but not even one of the highest regarded) public schools in NOVA, and they are most definitely having a pleasant experience. There is a full selection of AP courses available to them, tons of choices for sports, activities, and clubs. Opportunities to travel to Europe with some of these groups, and the benefit of being with neighborhood friends. They are making great grades and have endless choices of extracurriculars provided directly from the school. What's not pleasant about that?

Having a kid at one of the big 3 and two kids at Mclean HS, here is my 2c:

#1: Big 3 is by invitation only whereas if you live in Mclean, you automatically attend Mclean HS, unless you choose IB or get accepted into TJ,
#2: Big 3 classes are much smaller with 7:1 student:teacher ratio. At Mclean, it is 35:1 student:teacher ratio
#3: Overcrowding at Mclean HS with trailers everywhere. It is hard to learn in an environment like that,
#4: Teaching at big 3 really prepares the kid for college. Not so at public schools, for the most part

I do not send my kid to big 3 for college admissions. On the contrary, my kid attended the big 3 ended up at VCU while the siblings attended Princeton and Cornell. As long as they learn and have passions for what they do, it is fine by me. Btw, my VCU kid is now a EVP at a consulting company and my Ivy league graduated kids are working for the VCU kid.

For real? That seems kind of bizarre, and like it would violate anti-nepotism rules.

[Anonymous]

What anti-nepotism laws apply to private companies or obligate them to enact such policies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What anti-nepotism laws apply to private companies or obligate them to enact such policies?

Pennsylvania Avenue. It's not just private allowing it to happen.

[Anonymous]

Way to not answer my question. Are private companies actually required to implement anti-nepotism rules? I don't think they are, but you're suggesting otherwise.

[Anonymous]

It depends on which one of the Big 3.

[Anonymous]

If you’re at a Big 3, it helps. The top 15 colleges are very familiar with the difficulty of these programs. They are also aware they have an inordinate number of gifted and talented kids. The top tribes has a legitimate chance at IVY and other top 15 schools. Not true at public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What anti-nepotism laws apply to private companies or obligate them to enact such policies?

Most companies I’ve worked at have anti-nepotism policies. They are in place not because of any laws, but because the companies recognize the negative impact nepotism has on employee morale. They are very common. Are you really not familiar with this issue?

[Anonymous]

But college admissions is all about hooks and placating wealthy donors to the school, so being in the top 10% must not matter right?

2/3 of the Ivy admits from my DCs Big 3 were hooked AND (except for some of the athletic recruits) graduated with honors. Being top 10% as unhooked Big 3 applicant is necessary to distinguish oneself from the crowd of top 20%/1500+ peers applying to the same schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But college admissions is all about hooks and placating wealthy donors to the school, so being in the top 10% must not matter right?

2/3 of the Ivy admits from my DCs Big 3 were hooked AND (except for some of the athletic recruits) graduated with honors. Being top 10% as unhooked Big 3 applicant is necessary to distinguish oneself from the crowd of top 20%/1500+ peers applying to the same schools.

As a big3 parent I agree with this completely. And 90% of us won't have kids in the top 10% (duh) despite our kids being very bright, working hard etc. Less than 8 kids in my kid's Big3 will end up in the top 10%. It takes A LOT to be in the top 8 kids academically when the entire cohort is really smart.

The rest of our kids will end up in top 20, top 50 or top 100 schools. Which is pretty much where our kids would have ended up if they stayed in public and performed well (at least at our public--Wilson--I can't speak to Mont Co. or Fairfax).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But college admissions is all about hooks and placating wealthy donors to the school, so being in the top 10% must not matter right?

2/3 of the Ivy admits from my DCs Big 3 were hooked AND (except for some of the athletic recruits) graduated with honors. Being top 10% as unhooked Big 3 applicant is necessary to distinguish oneself from the crowd of top 20%/1500+ peers applying to the same schools.

As a big3 parent I agree with this completely. And 90% of us won't have kids in the top 10% (duh) despite our kids being very bright, working hard etc. Less than 8 kids in my kid's Big3 will end up in the top 10%. It takes A LOT to be in the top 8 kids academically when the entire cohort is really smart.

The rest of our kids will end up in top 20, top 50 or top 100 schools. Which is pretty much where our kids would have ended up if they stayed in public and performed well (at least at our public--Wilson--I can't speak to Mont Co. or Fairfax).

This is something we're curious about as we think about high school. What does college matriculation look like at Wilson? How did you arrive at this conclusion?

[Anonymous]

I have a very hard time believing that the top 10 or 20 percent of MCPS graduates (for example) are consistently getting admitted to the so-called top colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a very hard time believing that the top 10 or 20 percent of MCPS graduates (for example) are consistently getting admitted to the so-called top colleges.

Exactly. If a typical MCPS class is about 800 kids, that would be 80 or 160 kids, which seems unlikely.