Transfer from Big 3 to BCC in high school w/ college admissions in mind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m in the back row and ignorant in the ways of the big 3 elite. I sent one kid to TJ and one to a top 5 FCPS HS, so help me out. Not allowed to advance themselves over the summer? How does a school enforce that and why would they? One kid did some prestigious summer music programs and got college credit from NIHAD at W&M one summer. One kid did the Middlebury language immersion program, NSIL-Y summer program and NSA StarTALKS and took school year community college classes and CTY and became fluent in a critical language.

Now my kids are self proclaimed nerds and this is how they chose to spend summer. But any large college will let you get summer college credit through a pre-college program. You sign up, you put it on the CA, and you send the transcript to colleges. How does a private school keep you from taking college credit classes during the summer from a community college or pre-college program? And why would they limit other opportunities, like prestigious music programs and NSLI-Y, that look good on college apps?

Are you the Chantilly/TJ/Oberlin mom?

??? TJ/Madison/none of your business colleges. Chantilly isn’t a top 5 FCPS, although it’s top 10. And Oberlin was not my my kids’ lists. The crossed of LACs as too small and too rural.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you are seriously underestimating the caliber of student coming out of top DMV publics. All schools weight differently. Colleges take away the weights and recalculate using their own super special formula.

College admissions are brutal all over unless you are hooked. Look at the thread about the 4.6W GPA from McLean (2nd best HS in FCPS) who was denied at UVA and WL at VT.

I have done this twice. If your kid has started HS, don’t move him midstream without an actual problem. If not, figure out which environment is better for your particular kid, academically and socially. Consider ECs, advanced APs, etc. The subteam captains from my kids robotics teams had fantastic results this year (Georgia Tech, UVA, VT, Michigan CMU, UMD Honors, Cornell) is CS and Engineering. No hooks. But very smart and very talented. In STEM, a DMV public may have more options. Humanities is a tougher call.

My kids both punched above their weight (25-50% GPAs with no hooks) by finding their niche and going all out in HS and applying ED to good match colleges that were a good fit for them and their interests. They had a narrative about what they did in HS, where they were going, and how this specific college will get you there.

And toss USNWR. The T30 emphasis doesn’t help. Your kid will be more successful out of #45 than #25 if #45 is stronger in their major, has more opportunities specific to their future goals and they have a good social fit.

TL;DR: assume your kid would have the exact same college results coming out of the Big 3 and DMV public. Which one better allows them to run with their strengths. And where will they be happier?

+1 just to give OP some additional info:

DC magnet student in MCPS, 4.0 unwgpa, 4.77 wgpa, 1580 SAT, 10+ APs (I lost count) -- all 5s except the foreign language one -- rejected at the T15 for their major. White/Asian.

High achieving kids all seem to apply to the same 10 to 15 schools. Colleges don't want all 100 something students from the same school.

It is brutal even for top performing public school kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We all know what school you are talking about, FYI. IMO, why don't you write a letter to the school that details all of your valid concerns. I happen to know what school you are talking about because parents are always complaining about it in the private school forum. I can't understand why you don't organize, band together, write a letter/petition, and give it to the board. The school is founded on justice and using your influence in positive ways, so why don't you try that before pulling out of a school that your child enjoys?

For those in the back row, it’s GDS.

Because OP’s child is a white boy so at minimum, such complaints will fall on deaf ears and beyond that, they run the risk of being seen to be leaving for reasons other than college admissions.

The school should institute AP classes, which they announced they were stopping well before this lady’s kid entered high school, because she complains? Sure make it about her kid being a white boy and not because it’s an insane demand to make on a school. Example 21836295 of misguided white victimhood.

Leaving GDS for BCC is misguided white victimhood....

No. Thinking the school would refuse to restart AP classes because a white kid asked for it (as opposed to the fact that it’s an insane demand) is an example of misguided white grievance. Leaving GDS for BCC because you think it will help your kid get into a state flagship is a first world problem.

DP.. yes, and we live in a first world. I don't blame OP's DS for thinking about it. College admissions is brutal.

-MCPS parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think YOU are thinking these things- not your kid. No kid is talking about T30 and weighted GPAs. If YOU want to make this change, say so.

I can’t speak to the benefit of switching, just here to say I think you’re putting words in your kid’s mouth.

Also- college counseling is non existent at MCPS, so even “weak” and “disorganized “ beats … nonexistent!

Good point on college counseling.

I was not putting words in kid's mouth. You should see what the seniors are talking about. School had to have a meeting with seniors to tell kids to stop "bullying" URM kids who got into HYP. Kids are more sophisticated than you think. Like I said, i do not want the kid to change. But feel free to believe what floats your boat

PP you were replying to here and I believe you now. This sounds miserable for the kids- I’m sorry.

I’m of two minds- is your son a freshman? And you say he wants to make a move? Then maybe going public for 10-12 grade would make sense. But if he’s happy there- and you have the dough to pay that tuition plus four more years of college- then I would stay. It’s not going to be demonstrably better at a public.

You didn’t say which way he leans in terms of interest. If he’s interested in science/math/CS/engineering? Then move right now. The classes available and the level of the other students is just so much better in public (this info from my friend who used to work at a private HS and who said she’d never send her son to private if he leaned in the science way…)

Good luck, OP.

+1 major matters. For example, for CS, UMDCP is top 20.Getting into UMD CS direct admit is pretty tough, but if one can get into LES and is fairly competent at math/cs, they can get into the CS program after meeting the requirements.

If they are gunning for T10 like UMich or GTech, that's a crap shoot no matter what school you go to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you are seriously underestimating the caliber of student coming out of top DMV publics. All schools weight differently. Colleges take away the weights and recalculate using their own super special formula.

+100

Ask yourself this: if your DC graduates from public school and does not get accepted to the elite colleges you are hoping for, will you still be happy they made the change? If so, then go right ahead.

There's a significant chance you're deluding yourself about how different the outcome will be. Let him go where he's happy, challenged and will thrive, and a school he'll be glad he attended regardless of college outcome.

[Anonymous]

The kids at the top public’s are awfully smart, don’t kid yourself. They know the are competing against each other for slots at the Ivies etc. Not everyone is hooked who gets in, btw. Most, probably, but some still get in due to say a perfect SAT score, valedictorian etc. And these kids are tough competitors too, not a lot of hand holding at the big public’s.

There’s also a lot more competition for varsity sports, clubs, and leadership positions, at least at the Ws. Not as sure about VA schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you are seriously underestimating the caliber of student coming out of top DMV publics. All schools weight differently. Colleges take away the weights and recalculate using their own super special formula.

+100

Ask yourself this: if your DC graduates from public school and does not get accepted to the elite colleges you are hoping for, will you still be happy they made the change? If so, then go right ahead.

There's a significant chance you're deluding yourself about how different the outcome will be. Let him go where he's happy, challenged and will thrive, and a school he'll be glad he attended regardless of college outcome.

Yes to asking yourself if you’ll be happy you made the change even if the college results are meh.

But please do consider his likely interests- and if science/math, get to a good public.

[Anonymous]

GDS college destinations: https://instagram.com/gdsseniors23?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=

BCC college destinations: https://instagram.com/bccdecisions2023?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=

I don’t see the problem

[Anonymous]

OP’s post is so neurotic, I can see why children of parents like these are so insecure, anxious, and depressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think YOU are thinking these things- not your kid. No kid is talking about T30 and weighted GPAs. If YOU want to make this change, say so.

I can’t speak to the benefit of switching, just here to say I think you’re putting words in your kid’s mouth.

Also- college counseling is non existent at MCPS, so even “weak” and “disorganized “ beats … nonexistent!

Good point on college counseling.

I was not putting words in kid's mouth. You should see what the seniors are talking about. School had to have a meeting with seniors to tell kids to stop "bullying" URM kids who got into HYP. Kids are more sophisticated than you think. Like I said, i do not want the kid to change. But feel free to believe what floats your boat

PP you were replying to here and I believe you now. This sounds miserable for the kids- I’m sorry.

I’m of two minds- is your son a freshman? And you say he wants to make a move? Then maybe going public for 10-12 grade would make sense. But if he’s happy there- and you have the dough to pay that tuition plus four more years of college- then I would stay. It’s not going to be demonstrably better at a public.

You didn’t say which way he leans in terms of interest. If he’s interested in science/math/CS/engineering? Then move right now. The classes available and the level of the other students is just so much better in public (this info from my friend who used to work at a private HS and who said she’d never send her son to private if he leaned in the science way…)

Good luck, OP.

+1 major matters. For example, for CS, UMDCP is top 20.Getting into UMD CS direct admit is pretty tough, but if one can get into LES and is fairly competent at math/cs, they can get into the CS program after meeting the requirements.

If they are gunning for T10 like UMich or GTech, that's a crap shoot no matter what school you go to.

Looking at csrankings.org UMDCP is #11. Also has a better program than UMich or GTech, at least in my opinion, but it's splitting haris.Definitely not worth the additional $$$ if you're in state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS college destinations: https://instagram.com/gdsseniors23?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=

BCC college destinations: https://instagram.com/bccdecisions2023?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=

I don’t see the problem

Both seem to have impressive lists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids at the top public’s are awfully smart, don’t kid yourself. They know the are competing against each other for slots at the Ivies etc. Not everyone is hooked who gets in, btw. Most, probably, but some still get in due to say a perfect SAT score, valedictorian etc. And these kids are tough competitors too, not a lot of hand holding at the big public’s.

There’s also a lot more competition for varsity sports, clubs, and leadership positions, at least at the Ws. Not as sure about VA schools.

Top 10 FCPS HSs are brutal, especially in STEM. Most know mom and dad can’t get them a legacy slot or donate tons. Many know there are financial limits. WM only has the capacity for a handful of kids from each class of 2500. UVA is small for a flagship. VT Engineering requires an A in BC Calc NA d Physics C unless ups are a URM/ First Gen. These kids are smart, motivated and working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We all know what school you are talking about, FYI. IMO, why don't you write a letter to the school that details all of your valid concerns. I happen to know what school you are talking about because parents are always complaining about it in the private school forum. I can't understand why you don't organize, band together, write a letter/petition, and give it to the board. The school is founded on justice and using your influence in positive ways, so why don't you try that before pulling out of a school that your child enjoys?

what school is OP talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We all know what school you are talking about, FYI. IMO, why don't you write a letter to the school that details all of your valid concerns. I happen to know what school you are talking about because parents are always complaining about it in the private school forum. I can't understand why you don't organize, band together, write a letter/petition, and give it to the board. The school is founded on justice and using your influence in positive ways, so why don't you try that before pulling out of a school that your child enjoys?

what school is OP talking about?

Read the thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We all know what school you are talking about, FYI. IMO, why don't you write a letter to the school that details all of your valid concerns. I happen to know what school you are talking about because parents are always complaining about it in the private school forum. I can't understand why you don't organize, band together, write a letter/petition, and give it to the board. The school is founded on justice and using your influence in positive ways, so why don't you try that before pulling out of a school that your child enjoys?

For those in the back row, it’s GDS.

Because OP’s child is a white boy so at minimum, such complaints will fall on deaf ears and beyond that, they run the risk of being seen to be leaving for reasons other than college admissions.

The school should institute AP classes, which they announced they were stopping well before this lady’s kid entered high school, because she complains? Sure make it about her kid being a white boy and not because it’s an insane demand to make on a school. Example 21836295 of misguided white victimhood.

Leaving GDS for BCC is misguided white victimhood....

No. Thinking the school would refuse to restart AP classes because a white kid asked for it (as opposed to the fact that it’s an insane demand) is an example of misguided white grievance. Leaving GDS for BCC because you think it will help your kid get into a state flagship is a first world problem.

Restarting AP classes is not an insane demand. It’s recalibrating a decision that was made before the pandemic and is wrong for the new admissions reality.

Why did they get rid of APs? What has changed that would make them reconsider?