
PP here. To clarify I think you have valid concerns. |
My older daughter is a junior. What's done is done. We (and everyone we know) did not realize the reality of deflated grades and college admissions until this year. We always just figured it would "work out" and that colleges understood (and cared) about the rigor. My junior has decent grades (well above the average for the class) so she'll be ok. She's not going to HYP but she'll have options. My younger daughter is in middle school. We like the middle school--it is kind and gentle and well run. We're going to move her before high school. My experience with NCS is that the administration is not receptive to any feedback (probably because they get so much) and they are fully supportive about NCS' identity as a school with very difficult grading. The HOS said herself at a recent parent association meeting (to paraphrase) "our identity is to be a very rigorous schools with very hard grading". Things won't change until they have a large percentage of a class fail to matriculate at competitive colleges. Maybe that will be this year, maybe next year, maybe never. Who knows. Admission results are always very cloudy at a school like this because there are plenty of hooked kids whose applications don't follow the "rules".... I.e. they have a sub 3.5 GPA but the parents have a connection somewhere so they call in a favor and the kid gets one admit WAY beyond their pay grade or those of their classmates (I.e. a top 50 admit with a 3.3 GPA). So for stats purposes NCS looks like a success for this student although ultimately it was a due to a favor called in by the parents in the 11th hour. |
If I had these concerns I would not just give up for my kids' sake. Nothing is done. Admissions for the class of 2025 has not even officially started. |
Thoughts on what we should do? |
PP here to clarify - other schools have made changes and I have heard first hand that other schools currently are in the process now of making changes to effect the class of 2025. That means it could be even worse for schools going up against them. |
which schools have made changes? |
Talk to HOS. |
Schools make changes from year to year and yes several are in process of making changes currently but those changes will not be posted on their school profile page until probably the summer but they will be effective for the class of 2025. |
which schools? |
GPAs for the class of 2025 are baked in already. |
We had 2 girls graduate from NCS and currently in college, so recent experience. We decided to send our younger DC to a non-big3 school after going through the college process and dealing with applying to colleges with 3.4 GPAs from NCS. The grading is ridiculous. For example, college kid just called and said they got a score of 100 on an essay. Not one point off. Four years of english at NCS and only received an A the year they were taking it at STA. Every other year it was a B+ (usually an 88). So she is obviously well prepared for college, but the grading wears the girls down. They work so, so hard and my girls both said they never really felt smart until they went to college. I wanted something healthier for DC#3. |
Not sure if this is legit, but things might just shift for public school college applicants...at least at MCPS. Quote from the first post in the thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1192373.page |
I hear this from so many parents about NCS graduates. They felt average, at best, at NCS then they get to college and get straight A's easily. There's got to be a happy medium where students are prepared for college, but also able to get into desirable colleges! |
No they are not. Colleges count junior year for your applications. Applications are not until the fall. |