How is your average student doing in private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know any of the top privates in DC that accept "average" kids. The elite privates here reject kids with top scores and recommendations.

You'll see a pretty wide range in terms of academic ability even at the Big 3. The kids who fall in the middle of the range include lifers (not all of them, I know, so no need to flame), sibs (including my youngest), development cases, etc.

[Anonymous]

I never said "public school" teachers are angry, I said teachers in all boys schools "get boys and don't expect them to act like girls" and ll boys chools get this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in terms of the interviews and applications (to a non-Big 3), how would I spin this? "My kid is completely average and is going to require some handholding and may be a bit slow, but is really sweet, so he would be a great addition to this school that you're trying to sell as academically rigorous?" What's the edu-speak on this... do I need to lead with my wallet here?

When I went to the interview I said just that. He is learning to hate to learn and I am afraid I will lose him to lecture and angry teachers.

I have a friend that said close to the same.

Depending on the school that is the student they love, one that teachers can feel they had a kid that was inspired by their class where the other environment could not do that.

They love to hear that you want him to enjoy learning, not do a lot of testing, all the extras, yadda yadda because you are telling them what they think are their strengths. The stuff about angry teachers not so much, because they have been around enough to know that this isn't the case for most public school teachers and you need to seem genuine here.

Not true. All boys schools understand, teachers are angry when boys don't act like girls.

That's right, PP. All teachers are angry at all boys. Especially in all public schools where all teachers expect all boys to behave like girls, but fortunately this problem is non-existent in all private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know any of the top privates in DC that accept "average" kids. The elite privates here reject kids with top scores and recommendations.

That is not true. A friend of my DCs got into GDS with all Bs and a 65% on the SSAT. Plays soccer but not on a club team or anything. I think they may be harder up than you think.

I agree. I'm familiar with NYC private schools and you'll be surprised. Someone has to be in the bottom 1/3 so it may as well be the kid whose family can pay full freight + give a sizable donation on top of that.