"Not a Meritocracy"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

Doesn’t mean it’s true. If you look at the recent Wisconsin thread a public school student with a 1560, uw 4.0, 12 AP's was deferred. It’s gotten a lot harder for all students public and private.


[/quote

This is a bs argument. It amounts to: why are you so upset private school kid? Sure UW Madison is great but there are great teachers at UW Milwaukee!


It’s only harder because people are focused on the same 30 or 40 colleges. There are literally hundreds of colleges where even the most exceptional students can be challenged. But people only focus on the ones that will feel good to put on the car window.

[Anonymous]

If you’re a small prestigious lac like Amherst and you fill about 30% of your class with athletes - many prep school kids doing prep school sports. You address other institutional priorities. Now you’re looking at unhooked kids to round out your class. A little over 50% of your incoming class is going to be from public schools - a severe underrepresentation based on population. You have two equal or maybe just nearly equal unhooked kids - one from GDS and one from JR. Who do you pick? Who will bring a more diverse perspective to campus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

This. My kid has been in public and private. Public school was not rigorous (even though it’s one of the “top area public schools). My kid’s gpa would be much higher in public. Maybe colleges were never really distinguishing between the rigor of schools or mandatory SATs disguised this.

The public school applicants have AP scores to validate their grades. If we're talking about public school kids applying to the type of schools the OP think he kid deserves to attend, you are talking about a lot of 4s and 5s in classes with curriculums that are supposed to be consistent across all schools offering the course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

This. My kid has been in public and private. Public school was not rigorous (even though it’s one of the “top area public schools). My kid’s gpa would be much higher in public. Maybe colleges were never really distinguishing between the rigor of schools or mandatory SATs disguised this.

The public school applicants have AP scores to validate their grades. If we're talking about public school kids applying to the type of schools the OP think he kid deserves to attend, you are talking about a lot of 4s and 5s in classes with curriculums that are supposed to be consistent across all schools offering the course.

Alll I know is everytime my kid's public school Blair goes up against these big 3 privates in academics they destroy them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last week, the Head of School for our Big3 DC private reminded parents that college admissions is "not a meritocracy." He was not glib about this but seemed to be acknowledging it. He also said that the "college admissions system is broken.'

In the senior class this year, the kids of families with considerable money, privelege, and notoriety (as in nationally-known companies and public figures as well as 'old money') are doing really well in admissions. Really well. It's eye-opening and rather disgusting, considering what I know about the relative achievements of the kids (admittedly, I don't know all). But the overall results for the school is not good -- but for these kids, it's starkly good.

Are many schools seeing similar results -- along Wisconsin Avenue?

Can't believe he only just figured this out.

[Anonymous]

If you voluntarily choose private school, know that it is going to make your child look privileged and that you’re choosing to take a risk regarding the grading system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

This. My kid has been in public and private. Public school was not rigorous (even though it’s one of the “top area public schools). My kid’s gpa would be much higher in public. Maybe colleges were never really distinguishing between the rigor of schools or mandatory SATs disguised this.

The public school applicants have AP scores to validate their grades. If we're talking about public school kids applying to the type of schools the OP think he kid deserves to attend, you are talking about a lot of 4s and 5s in classes with curriculums that are supposed to be consistent across all schools offering the course.

go read the private school thread about how many are getting rid of AP classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

Doesn’t mean it’s true. If you look at the recent Wisconsin thread a public school student with a 1560, uw 4.0, 12 AP's was deferred. It’s gotten a lot harder for all students public and private.


[/quote

This is a bs argument. It amounts to: why are you so upset private school kid? Sure UW Madison is great but there are great teachers at UW Milwaukee!


Which is correct. You don’t always get what you want in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

This. My kid has been in public and private. Public school was not rigorous (even though it’s one of the “top area public schools). My kid’s gpa would be much higher in public. Maybe colleges were never really distinguishing between the rigor of schools or mandatory SATs disguised this.

The public school applicants have AP scores to validate their grades. If we're talking about public school kids applying to the type of schools the OP think he kid deserves to attend, you are talking about a lot of 4s and 5s in classes with curriculums that are supposed to be consistent across all schools offering the course.

Alll I know is everytime my kid's public school Blair goes up against these big 3 privates in academics they destroy them.

The best academic schools in metro DC aren't the NCS/Sidwell/GDS, they are Blair, TJ and AOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you voluntarily choose private school, know that it is going to make your child look privileged and that you’re choosing to take a risk regarding the grading system.

private schools, including many prestigious colleges, don't want to lower their average GPA, so they will do whatever it takes to make sure that a student passes the class.

K-12 Public schools have the stupid 50% rule for a different reason, but it amounts to the same thing, except the SES of the student body that it impact is just different.

Large college public schools are a sink or swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

This. My kid has been in public and private. Public school was not rigorous (even though it’s one of the “top area public schools). My kid’s gpa would be much higher in public. Maybe colleges were never really distinguishing between the rigor of schools or mandatory SATs disguised this.

The public school applicants have AP scores to validate their grades. If we're talking about public school kids applying to the type of schools the OP think he kid deserves to attend, you are talking about a lot of 4s and 5s in classes with curriculums that are supposed to be consistent across all schools offering the course.

go read the private school thread about how many are getting rid of AP classes.

It seems like parents are upset, that doesn't change the fact that schools are eliminating them. It seems like providing colleges with fewer points of comparison in a test optional environment is a bad idea, but that's the choice they are making

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you voluntarily choose private school, know that it is going to make your child look privileged and that you’re choosing to take a risk regarding the grading system.

private schools, including many prestigious colleges, don't want to lower their average GPA, so they will do whatever it takes to make sure that a student passes the class.

K-12 Public schools have the stupid 50% rule for a different reason, but it amounts to the same thing, except the SES of the student body that it impact is just different.

Large college public schools are a sink or swim.

Do you think the kids relying on the 50% rule in order to pass a class are the same kids competing for slots in the schools OP cares about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The flippant comments of the HOS are all the more infuriating when the fact is that most of the Big3 parents I know are not wringing their hands because their kid isn't getting into Harvard or Duke or Stanford. They are worried because their child, who has good grades, test scores, ECs, recs, etc., and who is busted their butt in school for the last four years, is getting deferred from Wisconsin, Tufts, Emory and Georgia. These are all good schools and 2-3 years ago, a strong (but not superstar) student at a Big 3 would have been an auto admit. But now these kids are being deferred. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks, but many families are really questioning whether the slog of a Big 3 high school is worth it.

Tufts acceptance rate is 13% and Emory is 14%. Why would anyone be an auto-admit?

Ok, "auto admit" was a poor choice of words and is obviously rankling some people. My point was just that good, but not tippy top, schools that strong Big 3 students were accepted at regularly a few years ago are now seeing many, many deferrals. These threads always imply that Big 3 parents have their panties in a bunch because their special snowflake is not getting into Yale. That is absolutely not what's happening, by and large. Most Big 3 parents send their kids to these schools because they believe in the education. But is it hard to see your kid work herself to the bone for four years and get deferred from Wisconsin when her neighbor down the street -- an equally smart, engaging and accomplished kid -- who did minimal work at Wilson gets in.

By the way, my kids are in early HS and MS, so I'm just sharing experiences of friends and am looking ahead for my own kids.

We believe in education as well. My kid graduated from a local public with high stats. She worked hard but had plenty of time to socialize and had a positive, fun high school experience. She is at a T25 and got all As her first semester in a difficult major. I'll grant you that top private schools likely provide a more rigorous education, but to what end? Why spend 200k and up for your kid to be miserable and have no better college outcomes than top public school kids? Is it the prestige and/or peer group of private? Do private school parents just not believe that smart and hard working public school students can receive a good enough education to excel in college? (I'm genuinely curious and not judging. If we had a lot more money, we would have considered private schools as well).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Everyone is disappointed when their hard working student does not get into a desired college. That is true across the board.

Yes, but private school parents seem to be blaming the private school, as if paying for the $$ private school should mean they should get special treatment.

I have no dog in this fight but it seems the position of the private schools is that their kids with lower GPAs are being evaluated more harshly. Like the appropriate adjustments are not being made for the rigor of the grading.

This. My kid has been in public and private. Public school was not rigorous (even though it’s one of the “top area public schools). My kid’s gpa would be much higher in public. Maybe colleges were never really distinguishing between the rigor of schools or mandatory SATs disguised this.

The public school applicants have AP scores to validate their grades. If we're talking about public school kids applying to the type of schools the OP think he kid deserves to attend, you are talking about a lot of 4s and 5s in classes with curriculums that are supposed to be consistent across all schools offering the course.

go read the private school thread about how many are getting rid of AP classes.

Big 3 students have plenty of top AP scores, even without the classes. There has been a poster here for years who continually posts about how Blair is superior, but that poster has an extremely limited understanding of the education offered at those schools and an extremely limited view of what constitutes academic rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you voluntarily choose private school, know that it is going to make your child look privileged and that you’re choosing to take a risk regarding the grading system.

private schools, including many prestigious colleges, don't want to lower their average GPA, so they will do whatever it takes to make sure that a student passes the class.

K-12 Public schools have the stupid 50% rule for a different reason, but it amounts to the same thing, except the SES of the student body that it impact is just different.

Large college public schools are a sink or swim.

Do you think the kids relying on the 50% rule in order to pass a class are the same kids competing for slots in the schools OP cares about?

? the point of the post is about how the system "helps" certain students with their grades, not about competing for the same college spots.