Big 3 (or thereabouts) College Results - Class of 2021

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed a kid from the "Big 3" for my HYPS alma mater and I'm sad she got deferred. She seemed great!

Did she tell you she got deferred or does the school tell you that?

The school tells me. You can login to your alumni reviewer portal and check on the status of kids you’ve interviewed. They ask you to contact anyone who got in to say congrats; they ask you not to contact anyone who didn’t. Anyways, I just really liked this kid — one of the best two I’ve interviewed in about 10 years — so I was disappointed she ended up deferred. No doubt she’ll get in somewhere great though.

To the interviewer -- if you happen to be the woman who interviewed my daughter, she loved talking to you, too. She is disappointed, but still holding out hope that she'll get better news during the regular decision round. Thank you for rooting for her!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

I doubt it. I don't want to out myself on this board, but there's no way a student not in the top of their class got into the school I teach at. We live in the DC area, I "super commute" when I am teaching in person bc my spouse works in this area. My kids go to a Big 3 but I'm thinking strongly of pulling them before MS.

It's not at all fabrication, but you believe what you want.

I have a kid at each. The top students at both Big 3 schools and a school like Whitman are all very bright and hard working. But public school kids often have more grit.
Private school parents love to put down the public schools, saying they can retake tests and have rampant grade inflation. The retaking tests is in MS. My kid at Whitman has never been allowed to retake a test. And there is grade inflation, which hurts the top students somewhat. But it is actually very rare for kids to graduate with a perfect 4.0 unweighted. The teachers and classes are tough. And there is not the hand holding that you get in private school. It’s more sink or swim.

Can you help me find the spot in the application process to quantify level of "grit"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed a kid from the "Big 3" for my HYPS alma mater and I'm sad she got deferred. She seemed great!

Did she tell you she got deferred or does the school tell you that?

The school tells me. You can login to your alumni reviewer portal and check on the status of kids you’ve interviewed. They ask you to contact anyone who got in to say congrats; they ask you not to contact anyone who didn’t. Anyways, I just really liked this kid — one of the best two I’ve interviewed in about 10 years — so I was disappointed she ended up deferred. No doubt she’ll get in somewhere great though.

To the interviewer -- if you happen to be the woman who interviewed my daughter, she loved talking to you, too. She is disappointed, but still holding out hope that she'll get better news during the regular decision round. Thank you for rooting for her!

Statistically, I’m sure it’s someone else. But now I’m curious: Can you tell me anything about the interview/your daughter/anything I said during the interview that would allow me to know if it was her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

I doubt it. I don't want to out myself on this board, but there's no way a student not in the top of their class got into the school I teach at. We live in the DC area, I "super commute" when I am teaching in person bc my spouse works in this area. My kids go to a Big 3 but I'm thinking strongly of pulling them before MS.

It's not at all fabrication, but you believe what you want.

I have a kid at each. The top students at both Big 3 schools and a school like Whitman are all very bright and hard working. But public school kids often have more grit.
Private school parents love to put down the public schools, saying they can retake tests and have rampant grade inflation. The retaking tests is in MS. My kid at Whitman has never been allowed to retake a test. And there is grade inflation, which hurts the top students somewhat. But it is actually very rare for kids to graduate with a perfect 4.0 unweighted. The teachers and classes are tough. And there is not the hand holding that you get in private school. It’s more sink or swim.

Can you help me find the spot in the application process to quantify level of "grit"?

L.o.l. You are a desperate mom trying to include Whitman in a Big 3 discussion. I am a law professor. No one considers wealthy suburban white kids at Whitman to be "gritty".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one on this board wants to believe that the top students at a public are as good or better than the top students at their private, especially the “big 3.”

Give it a rest. No one is saying they are not as good. It is the public school people who are saying how poorly prepared etc the private school kids are doing. For God's sake, we have lost our damn way if this is what people are arguing about. There are successful kids from all schools.

Yes, that is exactly what they are saying. See the comment about the top 50% private vs. top 15% public. People here are so insecure.

[Anonymous]

Duke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

I doubt it. I don't want to out myself on this board, but there's no way a student not in the top of their class got into the school I teach at. We live in the DC area, I "super commute" when I am teaching in person bc my spouse works in this area. My kids go to a Big 3 but I'm thinking strongly of pulling them before MS.

It's not at all fabrication, but you believe what you want.

So let’s assume this is true. How many students from four high schools in DC are going to this school each year from the “top of the class”? Those kids are going to HYPS or equivalent. Maybe 10-15? How many of those kids are taking classes from this one professor? The odds strains credulity that this “professor” has seen more than a handful of students who self identified their high school as well.

And if the kids are still young enough to not be in MS yet, let’s think about how long this person has realistically been teaching as a professor.

Nice try though.

I had 3 NCS girls and a Whitman student in my core (ie. prereq) class this fall, along with a couple students from Silver Spring area HSs, and I do teach at a HYPS. I sit on several scholarship and awards committees for the undergrads, so also see their CVs and transcripts. You're making a lot of incorrect assumptions.

I was worried I'd shared too much and potentially outed myself, so I'm somewhat relieved (and amused) none of you seem to believe me. Thanks for reminding me why I rarely spend time on this board!

Well, you don't teach at Yale since they've said they're not reducing the # of students they accept despite deferrals from last year (which you said the school you teach at is doing). You don't teach at Stanford because it's too far and there weren't 3 girls from NCS who went to Stanford last year. It also seems unlikely that were 3 girls from NCS at Princeton or Harvard, but maybe. Or maybe you teach at Chicago... The DCUM sleuths will get to the bottom of this!

[Anonymous]

Yes, that is exactly what they are saying. See the comment about the top 50% private vs. top 15% public. People here are so insecure.

It makes sense mathematically. A private school in this area with only 80 students per class vs a W public with 600 students - yes, the top half of the private (40 students) should be on par with the top 20% (120 students) at a public school. Factor in that the private is screening kids with standardized entrance exams. You read the statement to mean the private is better, that was not the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

The top W kids are going to the same schools as the top big 3 kids

But not in the same percentages, and for many college is “easy” after being in a

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

I doubt it. I don't want to out myself on this board, but there's no way a student not in the top of their class got into the school I teach at. We live in the DC area, I "super commute" when I am teaching in person bc my spouse works in this area. My kids go to a Big 3 but I'm thinking strongly of pulling them before MS.

It's not at all fabrication, but you believe what you want.

So let’s assume this is true. How many students from four high schools in DC are going to this school each year from the “top of the class”? Those kids are going to HYPS or equivalent. Maybe 10-15? How many of those kids are taking classes from this one professor? The odds strains credulity that this “professor” has seen more than a handful of students who self identified their high school as well.

And if the kids are still young enough to not be in MS yet, let’s think about how long this person has realistically been teaching as a professor.

Nice try though.

I had 3 NCS girls and a Whitman student in my core (ie. prereq) class this fall, along with a couple students from Silver Spring area HSs, and I do teach at a HYPS. I sit on several scholarship and awards committees for the undergrads, so also see their CVs and transcripts. You're making a lot of incorrect assumptions.

I was worried I'd shared too much and potentially outed myself, so I'm somewhat relieved (and amused) none of you seem to believe me. Thanks for reminding me why I rarely spend time on this board!

Well, you don't teach at Yale since they've said they're not reducing the # of students they accept despite deferrals from last year (which you said the school you teach at is doing). You don't teach at Stanford because it's too far and there weren't 3 girls from NCS who went to Stanford last year. It also seems unlikely that were 3 girls from NCS at Princeton or Harvard, but maybe. Or maybe you teach at Chicago... The DCUM sleuths will get to the bottom of this!

Maybe the professor doesn’t teach freshman. Hmm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

I doubt it. I don't want to out myself on this board, but there's no way a student not in the top of their class got into the school I teach at. We live in the DC area, I "super commute" when I am teaching in person bc my spouse works in this area. My kids go to a Big 3 but I'm thinking strongly of pulling them before MS.

It's not at all fabrication, but you believe what you want.

I have a kid at each. The top students at both Big 3 schools and a school like Whitman are all very bright and hard working. But public school kids often have more grit.
Private school parents love to put down the public schools, saying they can retake tests and have rampant grade inflation. The retaking tests is in MS. My kid at Whitman has never been allowed to retake a test. And there is grade inflation, which hurts the top students somewhat. But it is actually very rare for kids to graduate with a perfect 4.0 unweighted. The teachers and classes are tough. And there is not the hand holding that you get in private school. It’s more sink or swim.

Can you help me find the spot in the application process to quantify level of "grit"?

L.o.l. You are a desperate mom trying to include Whitman in a Big 3 discussion. I am a law professor. No one considers wealthy suburban white kids at Whitman to be "gritty".

Can't speak to Whitman BUT can to BCC. My friend's daughter transferred from a top Denver public school (Cherry Creek) Fall of 2019 for her Junior year and is a senior now. The daughter told me BCC is so much easier than Cherry Creek, but has much better college matriculations. She struggled at Cherry Creek but has straight As at BCC. She explained that they have a quarterly system but only semesters are reported to colleges. If you have a 89.5 in the first quarter that is considered an A, if you have a 79.5 the second quarter is a B. These would result in an A- for the semester which is reporter to colleges. [These would have resulted in a B in a Big 3]. I double checked and this policy is outlined on page 12 & 13 of the BCC handbook which is online. My friend's daughter went from a B student at the Denver public to straight As at BCC and she said it was easy. I can assure you that none of the Big 3s have any sort of grade inflation like this. My friend's daughter said that grades were a total joke at her school and couldn't believe universities gave BCC so much weight as it wasn't nearly as rigorous as her previous school.

Me thinks the professor has an agenda to see things the way she or he wants to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ NP. I am guessing that the Big 3 kids in your classes were not the ones in the top of the class at their Big 3s, but the W kids were probably at the top of class or closer to it. So you are not comparing the same tier of kids. I have kids who have attended public and Big 3, and am very confident that the top 50% at the Big 3 are at least as strong academically as the top 15-20% at a W school (and we are in a W district).

I doubt it. I don't want to out myself on this board, but there's no way a student not in the top of their class got into the school I teach at. We live in the DC area, I "super commute" when I am teaching in person bc my spouse works in this area. My kids go to a Big 3 but I'm thinking strongly of pulling them before MS.

It's not at all fabrication, but you believe what you want.

So let’s assume this is true. How many students from four high schools in DC are going to this school each year from the “top of the class”? Those kids are going to HYPS or equivalent. Maybe 10-15? How many of those kids are taking classes from this one professor? The odds strains credulity that this “professor” has seen more than a handful of students who self identified their high school as well.

And if the kids are still young enough to not be in MS yet, let’s think about how long this person has realistically been teaching as a professor.

Nice try though.

I had 3 NCS girls and a Whitman student in my core (ie. prereq) class this fall, along with a couple students from Silver Spring area HSs, and I do teach at a HYPS. I sit on several scholarship and awards committees for the undergrads, so also see their CVs and transcripts. You're making a lot of incorrect assumptions.

I was worried I'd shared too much and potentially outed myself, so I'm somewhat relieved (and amused) none of you seem to believe me. Thanks for reminding me why I rarely spend time on this board!

Well, you don't teach at Yale since they've said they're not reducing the # of students they accept despite deferrals from last year (which you said the school you teach at is doing). You don't teach at Stanford because it's too far and there weren't 3 girls from NCS who went to Stanford last year. It also seems unlikely that were 3 girls from NCS at Princeton or Harvard, but maybe. Or maybe you teach at Chicago... The DCUM sleuths will get to the bottom of this!

Maybe the professor doesn’t teach freshman. Hmm?

The only thing this professor teaches is fiction writing.

[Anonymous]

Now that you’ve uncovered this scandal, and massive discrepancy, I bet Cherry Creek is going to have HYPS recruiters banging on their doors. It’s about time. Too bad for the BCC students, slackers - the whole lot of them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It all comes down to each school’s relationships with the colleges.

Sometimes this is true, like the spaces reserved for Princeton at TJHS. Privates and publics can have this arrangement, but only with one school and most do not have them at all. More claim to have them than actually do.

This appears to be true for STA and the University of Chicago. STA has sent almost 40 grads to Chicago in the past five years. It’s the number one school that STA grads attend by far. If you want to go to the University of Chicago, then you should go to STA.

[Anonymous]

NCS also sends lots of grads to Chicago.

If the professor is teaching 3 NCS freshman at an elite college she has to be at Chicago. That is the only top 10 (or is Chicago top 15?) college that took more than 2 NCS grads last year.