Does anyone have language immersion regrets?

[Anonymous]

I guess I don’t understand what the expectation is for the school or guidance counselor. Pre-internet, I went to the library researched AP classes I could take without classes, signed up for them, and took them at a different school. We plan to send kids to college in Europe, the country requires an AP /IB language test and three other IB/AP tests. All the info is online - just put it on your calendar and sign up. It’s a small public school - their focus rightly is on getting most students into college, not to prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge.

[Anonymous]

DCI isn't small. I wouldn't complain if the guidance counselor seemed at least semi competent with good knowledge of IB curriculum. The reality is that you can learn more from doing your own research on the IBD web site and Quora (search various IBD topics) than in talking to this person.

The issue isn't prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge, it's prepping your UMC kid to have a decent chance of admission to any competitive US college. You can't expect things to work out without any standardized subject test scores going in with applications. As things stand, you need to figure out how to double up on at least a few AP exams and maybe a Cambridge language exam with zero help or advice from DCI.

Come on, DCI could advise families on how to do this, a normal thing for IBD schools in this country. Making excuses for DCI isn't the answer.

[Anonymous]

Lame DCI college counseling shortchanges the most capable and ambitious poor kids the most. They could use good standardized subject tests on college applications, too. It's difficult for them to take AP tests at other schools and pay the $200 a pop.

No secret that colleges with the highest admissions bar offer the best fi aid for low-income students.

The issue needs to be taken up with DCPSCB!

[Anonymous]

Non

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I don’t understand what the expectation is for the school or guidance counselor. Pre-internet, I went to the library researched AP classes I could take without classes, signed up for them, and took them at a different school. We plan to send kids to college in Europe, the country requires an AP /IB language test and three other IB/AP tests. All the info is online - just put it on your calendar and sign up. It’s a small public school - their focus rightly is on getting most students into college, not to prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge.

For some perspective as someone looking in and not at DCI yet, the school just graduated what their 4th class ever? The school is still really early in its infancy years and I would agree with above. The priority is not about getting your UMC high performing kid into Oxford or an elite school. It’s about strengthening the IB curriculum, offering course variety, offering more HL courses, getting kids to score better to get the IB diploma and improving their averages, etc….You as UMC parent can easily look online and know what to do.

I’m not saying that the school could not improve their college counseling department and maybe they will in a few years. But if the only complaint in the bigger picture of the short timeline of the high school is this, that is not too bad. BTW, I suggest you ask around about college counseling at most of the highest performing DCPS schools and charters in this town, how lacking it is, and how so many families outsource this.

[Anonymous]

You sound like somebody who's considering the situation in theory, vs. a parent who's actually dealt with the DCI college counselors in dealing with a junior or senior. Ever tried to sign up a DCI high school student up for an AP exam? No, I didn't think so.

Yes, you can "easily look on-line and know what to do." What isn't easy is finding a local school offering the AP Chinese or French or Spanish exam to outsiders, along with signing up for sufficient lead time to make it work (try January for a May exam).

Just because DCPS school tends to suck at college counseling doesn't excuse DCI for hiring college counselors who don't have a clue about IB and college admissions. We're OK with the school, but this failing is beyond the pale and should be addressed. And not just in theory and not a few years from now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I don’t understand what the expectation is for the school or guidance counselor. Pre-internet, I went to the library researched AP classes I could take without classes, signed up for them, and took them at a different school. We plan to send kids to college in Europe, the country requires an AP /IB language test and three other IB/AP tests. All the info is online - just put it on your calendar and sign up. It’s a small public school - their focus rightly is on getting most students into college, not to prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge.

For some perspective as someone looking in and not at DCI yet, the school just graduated what their 4th class ever? The school is still really early in its infancy years and I would agree with above. The priority is not about getting your UMC high performing kid into Oxford or an elite school. It’s about strengthening the IB curriculum, offering course variety, offering more HL courses, getting kids to score better to get the IB diploma and improving their averages, etc….You as UMC parent can easily look online and know what to do.

I’m not saying that the school could not improve their college counseling department and maybe they will in a few years. But if the only complaint in the bigger picture of the short timeline of the high school is this, that is not too bad. BTW, I suggest you ask around about college counseling at most of the highest performing DCPS schools and charters in this town, how lacking it is, and how so many families outsource this.

I strongly disagree that these DCI priorities should outweigh the imperative to provide appropriate college counselling to the strongest IB Diploma students. I say this as a DCI parent who earned the Diploma who works in admissions counseling. The inconvenient truth is for IBD studies to pay off in this country, IB World School students need to know how to manage the curriculum vis a vis the admission process at competitive US colleges. When clueless DCI teachers and admins advise kids not to bother taking two SL early exams junior year or to double up on AP exams, families who aren't in the know are listening to this crappy advice. The first order of business should be do no harm. The push for kids to score better, improve averages, can't necessarily compensate for the unfortunate timing of standardized subject exams in the US context. DCI HS students need to be taught this early on to position them to look ahead to presenting the most competitive profiles they can pull together in the college admissions game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I don’t understand what the expectation is for the school or guidance counselor. Pre-internet, I went to the library researched AP classes I could take without classes, signed up for them, and took them at a different school. We plan to send kids to college in Europe, the country requires an AP /IB language test and three other IB/AP tests. All the info is online - just put it on your calendar and sign up. It’s a small public school - their focus rightly is on getting most students into college, not to prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge.

For some perspective as someone looking in and not at DCI yet, the school just graduated what their 4th class ever? The school is still really early in its infancy years and I would agree with above. The priority is not about getting your UMC high performing kid into Oxford or an elite school. It’s about strengthening the IB curriculum, offering course variety, offering more HL courses, getting kids to score better to get the IB diploma and improving their averages, etc….You as UMC parent can easily look online and know what to do.

I’m not saying that the school could not improve their college counseling department and maybe they will in a few years. But if the only complaint in the bigger picture of the short timeline of the high school is this, that is not too bad. BTW, I suggest you ask around about college counseling at most of the highest performing DCPS schools and charters in this town, how lacking it is, and how so many families outsource this.

I strongly disagree that these DCI priorities should outweigh the imperative to provide appropriate college counselling to the strongest IB Diploma students. I say this as a DCI parent who earned the Diploma who works in admissions counseling. The inconvenient truth is for IBD studies to pay off in this country, IB World School students need to know how to manage the curriculum vis a vis the admission process at competitive US colleges. When clueless DCI teachers and admins advise kids not to bother taking two SL early exams junior year or to double up on AP exams, families who aren't in the know are listening to this crappy advice. The first order of business should be do no harm. The push for kids to score better, improve averages, can't necessarily compensate for the unfortunate timing of standardized subject exams in the US context. DCI HS students need to be taught this early on to position them to look ahead to presenting the most competitive profiles they can pull together in the college admissions game.

Asking because I don’t know, how many US based parents send their kids to a UWC for a couple years after high school? That seems like a viable path forward for DCI parents who really want their kids to get the IBD (and is popular among parents at schools internationally)

[Anonymous]

United World College? Admission to UWCs is complicated. IBD students must attend for Diploma Years 1 & 2 (junior and senior years of HS, not post HS). It's v. difficult for American students to be admitted as scholarship students (in-demand IBD applicants don't pay regardless of fi need, others must pay tuition, room and board or can't attend). There are 18 UWCs spread across 4 continents, all teaching IBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I don’t understand what the expectation is for the school or guidance counselor. Pre-internet, I went to the library researched AP classes I could take without classes, signed up for them, and took them at a different school. We plan to send kids to college in Europe, the country requires an AP /IB language test and three other IB/AP tests. All the info is online - just put it on your calendar and sign up. It’s a small public school - their focus rightly is on getting most students into college, not to prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge.

For some perspective as someone looking in and not at DCI yet, the school just graduated what their 4th class ever? The school is still really early in its infancy years and I would agree with above. The priority is not about getting your UMC high performing kid into Oxford or an elite school. It’s about strengthening the IB curriculum, offering course variety, offering more HL courses, getting kids to score better to get the IB diploma and improving their averages, etc….You as UMC parent can easily look online and know what to do.

I’m not saying that the school could not improve their college counseling department and maybe they will in a few years. But if the only complaint in the bigger picture of the short timeline of the high school is this, that is not too bad. BTW, I suggest you ask around about college counseling at most of the highest performing DCPS schools and charters in this town, how lacking it is, and how so many families outsource this.

I strongly disagree that these DCI priorities should outweigh the imperative to provide appropriate college counselling to the strongest IB Diploma students. I say this as a DCI parent who earned the Diploma who works in admissions counseling. The inconvenient truth is for IBD studies to pay off in this country, IB World School students need to know how to manage the curriculum vis a vis the admission process at competitive US colleges. When clueless DCI teachers and admins advise kids not to bother taking two SL early exams junior year or to double up on AP exams, families who aren't in the know are listening to this crappy advice. The first order of business should be do no harm. The push for kids to score better, improve averages, can't necessarily compensate for the unfortunate timing of standardized subject exams in the US context. DCI HS students need to be taught this early on to position them to look ahead to presenting the most competitive profiles they can pull together in the college admissions game.

Asking because I don’t know, how many US based parents send their kids to a UWC for a couple years after high school? That seems like a viable path forward for DCI parents who really want their kids to get the IBD (and is popular among parents at schools internationally)

This is a wacky and random comment. The answer is nobody. As noted, United World Colleges are high schools abroad.

As a middle school parent, what I see DCI doing with IBD is pretending that it's some sort of magic bullet for admission to elite colleges. They're not willing to grapple with the complicated realities or complications. I don't see this changing. We're hoping to leave for Walls or a private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I don’t understand what the expectation is for the school or guidance counselor. Pre-internet, I went to the library researched AP classes I could take without classes, signed up for them, and took them at a different school. We plan to send kids to college in Europe, the country requires an AP /IB language test and three other IB/AP tests. All the info is online - just put it on your calendar and sign up. It’s a small public school - their focus rightly is on getting most students into college, not to prepping your kids for Oxford or Cambridge.

For some perspective as someone looking in and not at DCI yet, the school just graduated what their 4th class ever? The school is still really early in its infancy years and I would agree with above. The priority is not about getting your UMC high performing kid into Oxford or an elite school. It’s about strengthening the IB curriculum, offering course variety, offering more HL courses, getting kids to score better to get the IB diploma and improving their averages, etc….You as UMC parent can easily look online and know what to do.

I’m not saying that the school could not improve their college counseling department and maybe they will in a few years. But if the only complaint in the bigger picture of the short timeline of the high school is this, that is not too bad. BTW, I suggest you ask around about college counseling at most of the highest performing DCPS schools and charters in this town, how lacking it is, and how so many families outsource this.

I strongly disagree that these DCI priorities should outweigh the imperative to provide appropriate college counselling to the strongest IB Diploma students. I say this as a DCI parent who earned the Diploma who works in admissions counseling. The inconvenient truth is for IBD studies to pay off in this country, IB World School students need to know how to manage the curriculum vis a vis the admission process at competitive US colleges. When clueless DCI teachers and admins advise kids not to bother taking two SL early exams junior year or to double up on AP exams, families who aren't in the know are listening to this crappy advice. The first order of business should be do no harm. The push for kids to score better, improve averages, can't necessarily compensate for the unfortunate timing of standardized subject exams in the US context. DCI HS students need to be taught this early on to position them to look ahead to presenting the most competitive profiles they can pull together in the college admissions game.

Asking because I don’t know, how many US based parents send their kids to a UWC for a couple years after high school? That seems like a viable path forward for DCI parents who really want their kids to get the IBD (and is popular among parents at schools internationally)

This is a wacky and random comment. The answer is nobody. As noted, United World Colleges are high schools abroad.

As a middle school parent, what I see DCI doing with IBD is pretending that it's some sort of magic bullet for admission to elite colleges. They're not willing to grapple with the complicated realities or complications. I don't see this changing. We're hoping to leave for Walls or a private.

UWC has a campus in New Mexico, which as private schools go around here has a pretty reasonable tuition. I was curious whether people considered it. I knew a lot of internationals kids in undergrad who went to that campus for a sort of two year finishing school, which is common enough even around here (just for example Woodberry Forest does this to launder the GPAs of football players, as does Oak Hill).