Better scenario for admissions, esp. to UMCP: big fish in small pond?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering what the experience and general wisdom is around this issue.

Is it better for a high performing student to go to a magnet or highly regarded HS, or to go to a HS in the east part of the county that has a lot fewer high performing kids?

Does College Park admit a certain percentage from each HS, and therefore a standout student in an otherwise lower performing school would have a better chance of getting in to UMCP? How about other schools like SLACs and even high profile top colleges?

I'm just wondering if an application from, say, Wheaton HS would get more attention than an equivalent application from BCC, a W school or one of the magnets.

[Anonymous]

Look at the admit rates to UMCP from various county schools - Bethesda Mag posts some. The better schools have higher percentages of kids getting in. So there doesn't seem to be a quota system in place.

Our experience thus far - it's all about SAT scores at the competitive schools. You see it on Naviance and you see it on college confidential.

[Anonymous]

I'm not familiar with the schools you named. But I just went through the crazy college application process with my DD, listened to MANY admissions officers during tours, read books, scoured the 'net and did tons of research on college admissions. Based on this, I offer the following:

1. Colleges require school reports which puts everything about that school into perspective. They look at the rigor of the school and courses. They realize a 4.0 at one school may mean something entirely different at another. Some of the things the report includes are # of advanced courses, # of kids in graduating class and # the student holds, grade scale, etc.

2. Colleges are less concerned with the (type of) school attended and more concerned with the RIGOR of classes taken. They want to see Honors and AP courses. It's also great if the students perform well in those courses.

3. Admissions is a crap shoot with little rhyme or reason.

4. Just have your child challenge himself as much as possible and do the best he can. You can't predict what admissions will do.