What are the first tier/first choice schools?

[Anonymous]

The notion of a “first tier” school in the DC private school market is interesting to me. What does that mean? To me a school is “first tier” if a substantial majority of those attending considered that school as their first choice after researching the available options. Because of the differences among the various schools, I think the following is safe to say (apologies to Virginia schools, I just don’t know them well enough):

An overwhelming majority of STA students had STA as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of Landon students had Landon as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of Georgetown Prep students had Georgetown Prep as their first choice, though some would have preferred Gonzaga.
An overwhelming majority of Gonzaga students had Gonzaga as their first choice, though some would have preferred Prep.
An overwhelming majority of Sidwell students had Sidwell as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of Holton students had Holton as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of NCS students had NCS as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of Stone Ridge students had Stone Ridge as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of Visitation students had Visitation as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of GDS students had GDS as their first choice, though some would have preferred Sidwell.

The point is NOT that these schools are all the same. To the contrary they are all different (to lesser or greater degrees) and there are various reasons why one student prefers one school over the other. But each of these schools are “first choice” schools that offer something that dozens of parents and families find compelling each year.

[Anonymous]

At least for those living in lower Montgomery County here is always a very solid second choice (public school) so there would seldom be a reason to settle for anything less than a first choice in private school.

[Anonymous]

None of those are our first choice. One is our second. Three just got struck from the list after much contemplation and discussion about our value system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of those are our first choice. One is our second. Three just got struck from the list after much contemplation and discussion about our value system.

Which school IS your first choice? and why?

[Anonymous]

OP either has too much caffeine or too much time on her hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of those are our first choice. One is our second. Three just got struck from the list after much contemplation and discussion about our value system.

Which school IS your first choice? and why?

Well that would start a fire storm.

The point is just because you live in lower MoCo or NW DC and these are on top of the list for your neighborhood friends this does not mean it is true for the majority of people in this area.

I am actually supporting the OP's statements but I think this could go on and on and on.

An overwhelming majority of MoCo public schoool students had MoCo public schoool as their first choice.
An overwhelming majority of School A students had School A as their first choice.
etc.

Do you really think that 51%+ of School A's students are there after being rejected by another school. That theory does not even make sense. Our school has <10 kids leave after 8th grade, do you think all those kids just stay because they were not accepted to their #1 school.

[SAM2]

It seems like what OP is describing is a revealed preference analysis of schools. I think that would be very interesting to see. I'm not sure I agree with OP's assumptions about how the revealed preference analysis would turn out though.

I agree with OP's underlying point that finding the right school for each child is important, and that the right school fit might be different for different families.

[Anonymous]

SAM2 wrote:It seems like what OP is describing is a revealed preference analysis of schools. I think that would be very interesting to see. I'm not sure I agree with OP's assumptions about how the revealed preference analysis would turn out though.

I agree with OP's underlying point that finding the right school for each child is important, and that the right school fit might be different for different families.

I that parents in NW DC has a diminishing marginal rate of substitution. I have more choice so I probably have a diminishing marginal utility.

[Anonymous]

I that = I think that

[Anonymous]

I am not sure I agree about all the first choices. I suspect most kids are very happy wherever they end up so it becomes the first choice. Both my kids ended up at their second choice for HS but they both ended up thinking it was the right choice and would not have wanted to go to their first choice in the end.