Which private high schools have significant cohorts of gifted kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have kids with IQs in the 140s (tested at age 16 and 17) and I'd guesstimate that they're at the 80-85th percentile grade wise of their Big3 classes, working at maximum capacity (approx a 3.8 at graduation).
There are some really smart kids at these schools---doing math 3 or 4 years above grade level, etc. I.e. they blow my kids out of the water both with what they can excel at and the ease at which they excel at it.

One word of wisdom--the IQ tests that are administered in early childhood (WPPSI and the earlier of the WISC) are a bunch of bunk. I don't know any kid at our Big3 who didn't get a 99.9% on those at age 4 or 8. Then by high school these same kids are all over the continuum of smarts.
(IQ testing is not reliable in early childhood and even less reliable when you're paying someone big bucks for the results with private school admissions on the line.)

We did those plus a neuropsych for one kid w mild add

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is DC -they are at every school.

FFS Lake woebegone again. You realize that kids in the DMV are not inherently smarter than kids elsewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is DC -they are at every school.

FFS Lake woebegone again. You realize that kids in the DMV are not inherently smarter than kids elsewhere?

dp.. calm down. This area has a much higher concentration of very education people than most of the country. So it stands to reason that there would be a higher concentration of very smart kids here.

[Anonymous]

^educated

[Anonymous]

DC and I both IQ>140. I was in the gifted program at a public but wasn't challenged and mostly goofed off. DC is at a Big3, working a lot and learning and sometimes challenged. Some of the challenge does just come from volume of work, but I do think the private also encourages deeper thought and exploration. That's my n of 1.

[Anonymous]

Nephew is PG and was at one of the Big 3 and is attending HYP. No, the Big 3 school did not meet his needs. It wasn't terrible. He actually described school as being "fine." He had nice friends and there was a large quantity of work sometimes but never actually felt stimulated or challenged academically.

OP it really depends on what you and your family value.

A lot of good points on this thread. All the wonderful electives in a magnet school may seem exciting but someone pointed out that you only have a certain amount of room in your schedule so you'll only get to do a few of them anyway. I also think the point about magnets having somewhat of a fixed curriculum is important to think about. Do you want your child taking that many of a certain type of class? Some parents would say yes while others will want a different experience.

[Anonymous]

Basis.

[Anonymous]

Literally almost any great independent high school here. Don’t fall for schools that advertise as being for “gifted” kids. I’ve seen scores coming out of that school and they are equal to or lower than kids coming from other schools. Not impressive WISCS. That school isn’t even accredited and people are fleeing from it in droves due to poor leadership. It’s a hot mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can be well served in any place.

No they can not

Science is fact based an intelligent child can not be served at a religious private

[Anonymous]

I tested at an IQ in the high 140s when I was a kid (magnet kindergarten testing). I thought my very good public school was easy. I was definitely challenged at my NE boarding school and met kids who were smarter than me. College was easy in comparison.

DD tested at an IQ in the mid 130s. She is doing well at her K-8. The kids have opportunities for math challenge questions, which she enjoys. Reading is tougher because she’s dyslexic and she has received support for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can students be better served in public schools when their class sizes are significantly larger (even the classes in the magnet programs)?

Easily

For one math and science are 100 percent taught at higher levels in public there is no private in the DMV that compares

Mix in religious privates and the teachings not anywhere near the best education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can students be better served in public schools when their class sizes are significantly larger (even the classes in the magnet programs)?

Easily

For one math and science are 100 percent taught at higher levels in public there is no private in the DMV that compares

Mix in religious privates and the teachings not anywhere near the best education

We’ve already been through this. The magnet programs and the top private schools are equivalent when it comes to math and science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can be well served in any place.

No they can not

Science is fact based an intelligent child can not be served at a religious private

IOW, you are completely unfamiliar with religious schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can be well served in any place.

No they can not

Science is fact based an intelligent child can not be served at a religious private

Perhaps if you had learned even a little bit about religions, you wouldn't have made such an ignoramus of yourself just now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can students be better served in public schools when their class sizes are significantly larger (even the classes in the magnet programs)?

Easily

For one math and science are 100 percent taught at higher levels in public there is no private in the DMV that compares

Mix in religious privates and the teachings not anywhere near the best education

I’ve had children in both MCPS and a Big 3. I can attest to the fact that writing, social science, and humanities courses are taught at much higher levels at our private.

My oldest child is majoring in economics at an Ivy. My youngest wants to double major in accounting and Spanish in college.

Why should we be more concerned about math and science for our children than writing, humanities, languages and social science? The calculus and standard science classes have been more than sufficient. Not everyone wants to major in engineering and science.