How things change in a decade!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

One of the ways they meet this aspiration is by sending kids to HBCUs. These are also great for the affinities of many students and in many ways the affinities of Banneker itself (it feels like a little HBCU almost). If you see the requirements for these schools and their SAT averages, they are not very demanding.

Alabama A&M requires an 1130 for their HONORS program and a 990 for regular admission. Coppin State’s average is 950. “Top” HBCUs don’t have much higher requirements. Spelman has a 1200 SAT average, Morehouse, 1060. These universities want students from schools with cultures like Banneker, and recent news has shown smaller HBCUs are looking for students where they can get them. When these are the requirements, students have little incentive to try to score higher.

Not sure what the issue is then? A 1200 SAT is the top 25%. That’s more than enough for basic college work and to do any number of professions. I think we get a little distracted by all the talk of kids with 4.5 GPAs and 1600 SATs. Top 25% encompasses a lot of ability and more importantly a lot of individual characteristics that can lead to success.

I think the point is that Walls kids and Banneker kids are different (some of them). 1200 is just fine, as you say. But there are a set of colleges that you can only access with 1500+ scores, and I'm sure some Walls kids are aiming for those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

One of the ways they meet this aspiration is by sending kids to HBCUs. These are also great for the affinities of many students and in many ways the affinities of Banneker itself (it feels like a little HBCU almost). If you see the requirements for these schools and their SAT averages, they are not very demanding.

Alabama A&M requires an 1130 for their HONORS program and a 990 for regular admission. Coppin State’s average is 950. “Top” HBCUs don’t have much higher requirements. Spelman has a 1200 SAT average, Morehouse, 1060. These universities want students from schools with cultures like Banneker, and recent news has shown smaller HBCUs are looking for students where they can get them. When these are the requirements, students have little incentive to try to score higher.

Not sure what the issue is then? A 1200 SAT is the top 25%. That’s more than enough for basic college work and to do any number of professions. I think we get a little distracted by all the talk of kids with 4.5 GPAs and 1600 SATs. Top 25% encompasses a lot of ability and more importantly a lot of individual characteristics that can lead to success.

I think the point is that Walls kids and Banneker kids are different (some of them). 1200 is just fine, as you say. But there are a set of colleges that you can only access with 1500+ scores, and I'm sure some Walls kids are aiming for those.

And I’m sure that some Banneker students are aiming for – and getting into – such schools as well.

[Anonymous]

It’s quite annoying when people insist on the made-up “fact” that no one at Banneker ever scores over 1400, a number that someone on this thread has now magically dropped to 1200. That’s really not true. Is the average lower than Walls? Yes. Is the middle 50% lower? Yes. Are there students at Banneker scoring over 1550? Also yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s quite annoying when people insist on the made-up “fact” that no one at Banneker ever scores over 1400, a number that someone on this thread has now magically dropped to 1200. That’s really not true. Is the average lower than Walls? Yes. Is the middle 50% lower? Yes. Are there students at Banneker scoring over 1550? Also yes.

No one said that kids at Banneker can’t or sont score high but it is not a significant number and alot less than Walls.

The SAT our scores for Banneker is very low considering they select times 2.

Initially, thieybselect students in the lottery. Then once the students start, it’s no secret that they counsel out the low performers. Even going through both these processes, the average SAT score is low and a quarter of the kids can’t break 1000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m curious…I have a child at Walls and the school seems very focused on getting students ready for the SATs. All kids in 9th grade took the PSATs and encouraged the kids to closely evaluate the results and start studying NOW for the areas where they are weak. I thought to myself that this seems over the top as it’s only 9th grade. Does Banneker do the same? If not, does that account for the difference in scores?

Banneker took the PSAT in the 9th grade. They talk about the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

One of the ways they meet this aspiration is by sending kids to HBCUs. These are also great for the affinities of many students and in many ways the affinities of Banneker itself (it feels like a little HBCU almost). If you see the requirements for these schools and their SAT averages, they are not very demanding.

Alabama A&M requires an 1130 for their HONORS program and a 990 for regular admission. Coppin State’s average is 950. “Top” HBCUs don’t have much higher requirements. Spelman has a 1200 SAT average, Morehouse, 1060. These universities want students from schools with cultures like Banneker, and recent news has shown smaller HBCUs are looking for students where they can get them. When these are the requirements, students have little incentive to try to score higher.

It makes me legitimately angry when a school tries to steer kids to a very bad nearly for profit private HBCU over a state school because of “scholarships.” DC has this problem less than some places because of the lack of an in state flagship school, but still, watching kids celebrate a scholarship covering 5% cost of attendance at a school with a 20% 4 year grad rate and being encouraged to do so by the high school is gross.

[Anonymous]

Btw, Hampton is at 30% 4 year graduation so while I’m exaggerating I’m only exaggeeetong a little.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Initially, thieybselect students in the lottery. Then once the students start, it’s no secret that they counsel out the low performers.

Where are you hearing that Banneker will "counsel out" low performers? My kid is a sophomore there, and I have never heard any such thing.

And please don't try to prove your point by showing that senior class is substantially smaller than the freshman class. That is the result of expansion in the school size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Initially, thieybselect students in the lottery. Then once the students start, it’s no secret that they counsel out the low performers.

Where are you hearing that Banneker will "counsel out" low performers? My kid is a sophomore there, and I have never heard any such thing.

And please don't try to prove your point by showing that senior class is substantially smaller than the freshman class. That is the result of expansion in the school size.

Ask around. Ask families. The school is not going to tell you.

Look at number of 9th graders admitted last year compared to number of 10th graders now left this year.

They counsel out more boys than girls and why Banneker has a disproportionately higher number of girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Look at number of 9th graders admitted last year compared to number of 10th graders now left this year.

Okay, please share these numbers then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

One of the ways they meet this aspiration is by sending kids to HBCUs. These are also great for the affinities of many students and in many ways the affinities of Banneker itself (it feels like a little HBCU almost). If you see the requirements for these schools and their SAT averages, they are not very demanding.

Alabama A&M requires an 1130 for their HONORS program and a 990 for regular admission. Coppin State’s average is 950. “Top” HBCUs don’t have much higher requirements. Spelman has a 1200 SAT average, Morehouse, 1060. These universities want students from schools with cultures like Banneker, and recent news has shown smaller HBCUs are looking for students where they can get them. When these are the requirements, students have little incentive to try to score higher.

Not sure what the issue is then? A 1200 SAT is the top 25%. That’s more than enough for basic college work and to do any number of professions. I think we get a little distracted by all the talk of kids with 4.5 GPAs and 1600 SATs. Top 25% encompasses a lot of ability and more importantly a lot of individual characteristics that can lead to success.

I think the point is that Walls kids and Banneker kids are different (some of them). 1200 is just fine, as you say. But there are a set of colleges that you can only access with 1500+ scores, and I'm sure some Walls kids are aiming for those.

And I’m sure that some Banneker students are aiming for – and getting into – such schools as well.

You are sure how?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s quite annoying when people insist on the made-up “fact” that no one at Banneker ever scores over 1400, a number that someone on this thread has now magically dropped to 1200. That’s really not true. Is the average lower than Walls? Yes. Is the middle 50% lower? Yes. Are there students at Banneker scoring over 1550? Also yes.

Evidence?

Average SAT score at the school is 1150.

Are some Banneker students scoring below 750?

[Anonymous]

I agree with the sentiment of the 1550 poster but it’s true that a more realistic distribution has only one or two students scoring near the top of the charts. Most of them will be in a reasonable distribution around the middle of the range and yes, if there is somebody at the top, there is probably somebody at the bottom too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

We’re a Banneker family. If you go to school events there is a whole lot of emphasis on getting into college and this annoying celebration of scholarships awarded which makes little sense when (1) you start to see university scholarships as discounts rather than cash and (2) realize you can only send your kid to one university at a time.

They have an emphasis on “everybody getting into (and presumably going to) college.” I think that this is a great aspiration for a school where every student has demonstrated an interest in working hard regardless of academic ability.

One of the ways they meet this aspiration is by sending kids to HBCUs. These are also great for the affinities of many students and in many ways the affinities of Banneker itself (it feels like a little HBCU almost). If you see the requirements for these schools and their SAT averages, they are not very demanding.

Alabama A&M requires an 1130 for their HONORS program and a 990 for regular admission. Coppin State’s average is 950. “Top” HBCUs don’t have much higher requirements. Spelman has a 1200 SAT average, Morehouse, 1060. These universities want students from schools with cultures like Banneker, and recent news has shown smaller HBCUs are looking for students where they can get them. When these are the requirements, students have little incentive to try to score higher.

Not sure what the issue is then? A 1200 SAT is the top 25%. That’s more than enough for basic college work and to do any number of professions. I think we get a little distracted by all the talk of kids with 4.5 GPAs and 1600 SATs. Top 25% encompasses a lot of ability and more importantly a lot of individual characteristics that can lead to success.

I think the point is that Walls kids and Banneker kids are different (some of them). 1200 is just fine, as you say. But there are a set of colleges that you can only access with 1500+ scores, and I'm sure some Walls kids are aiming for those.

And I’m sure that some Banneker students are aiming for – and getting into – such schools as well.

You are sure how?

Banneker uses Naviance, you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s quite annoying when people insist on the made-up “fact” that no one at Banneker ever scores over 1400, a number that someone on this thread has now magically dropped to 1200. That’s really not true. Is the average lower than Walls? Yes. Is the middle 50% lower? Yes. Are there students at Banneker scoring over 1550? Also yes.

Evidence?

Average SAT score at the school is 1150.

Are some Banneker students scoring below 750?

Did you stop taking math in 5th grade? Each 1550 doesn’t have to be balanced with an equal and opposite 750 to bring the average to 1150. That’s not how averaging works.