+1. The advantages of the connections permeate high school, college, employment beyond college. Anyone at one of these elite colleges watches this go on |
I think public schools are often as good as or more rigorous than privates — it’s just the counseling is not as good so kids are not aware of what they need to do for Ivy admissions. My public school kid (1600/4.0/10 APs) received the highest possible Academic Index of 240 at Harvard. DC had taken APs in all 5 core areas. Most kids at our school take 4 APs as that is what makes the counselor mark “highest rigor” on the SSR. Our school hadn’t sent anyone to Harvard in at least a decade and probably only legacies before then. My kid just took courses that seemed like natural progressions — had no idea about only 4 being necessary for the highest rigor marking. And applied to Harvard for the heck of it! We were shocked at the admittance. After my kid was admitted, the high performers started taking 10 APs and have gone even further by doing Calc BC in 10/11 and then do Linear Algebra, etc through other places. While no one has got into Harvard again, we definitely have kids going to more selective colleges. However I’ve heard that private colleges trust private high school counselors more — mostly for yield. These are the fancy private schools counselors. And my kid is doing just fine at Harvard. Public school kids are big readers too! |
My public school kid had similar stats to yours (1580 sat, other stats identical), and was encouraged by his private college counselor to apply early to Wash U bc admittance to any of his other choices was a complete crapshoot for him (he was admitted to Wash U). But I really responded to say that his stats were pretty much no big deal at his mcps hs - he easily knew countless kids (good friends and others in his classes) with those stats and virtually none were admitted to any ivy. So your kid at Harvard either had something else going for them, or was spectacularly lucky. |
You did the right thing. Without something special, that kid or other kids like him are not getting into HYPSM. If you are full pay, an ED1/2 choice to schools like WashU/Rice/Emory/Chicago and even Vanderbilt is the way to go. Congratulations! Amazing outcome! |
I think regis is the opposite of st Ann’s. Not a very connected population and no outside counselors, but a very rigorous, traditional education. They do pretty well! https://www.instagram.com/regisdecisions2025?igsh=MTFpZGMxcmpoc2l5dQ== |
Never heard of it |
You are wrong about Regis. Many hooked kids there. It's a selective (test-in) school and viewed as the equivalent to Stuy/Hunter/Horace Mann. Lots of URM and also (Catholic) kids of big finance $$. |
I know a lot about regis. it's test-in as much as any other private school (and not like stuy or hunter). Outside a couple legit rich families I could name - I could count on one hand - it's mostly either regular old UMC/UC donut hole families or first gen (a lot of first gen). FGLI is a hook, I guess, (there are a lot of FGLI out there) but I'd also argue that makes it the opposite of St Ann's |
Never heard of Regis? It’s a very well known high school with trinity-level decisions. Maybe you’re not tapped into the private school space? |
It's a Catholic institution and its tuition free for the boys that are admitted. Surprise surprise but there is no Catholic equivalent for girls in New York. Or anywhere else that I'm aware of. |
So many St. Regis kids going to Georgetown and Columbia. I know a family from NJ that had a son get into St. Regis and decided to buy a condo near the school so their kid doesn't have to commute from NJ. |
For sure, there was a lot of luck involved! And that’s what I was saying — these public school kids are in fact as smart as and can get an equally rigorous education as the private school kids. You yourself know many, including your own. The difference is probably the counseling in a school like ours. I mean if the kids are told 4 APs is enough to get highest rigor rating, how many are really going to take more. They’re kids after all! Mine just did what came naturally and the counselor did not object. |
That's because it was really rare for a high school to be founded via a huge donation in 1914 mandating free tuition. |
Is it really fair to create “levels” of kids based upon what happens with college admission in private schools in NYC? If someone in NY. Is interested in an esoteric niche area, they can find an outlet/opportunity for it there- especially if they come from a well-resourced family. And then stand out as “pointy”. A regular UMC kid from a random UMC suburb is also incredibly privileged compared to most, but their access to things may be limited to regular mainstream activities offered by their school or community. |
there are a lot of people who posted on this thread, who are not from New York City, but also not from DC. This is now a national college board. Sorry if you don’t like it. |