Why can't non top tier privates just increase rigor and test prep to remove the perceived gap?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes you think the top ones have a better education? Often the "rigor" is fusty or half baked pedagogy. Its often about connections and prestige, which the other schools cant "create". That being said, who do those connections really benefit? The people that dont actually need help no doubt, not the ones that do.

You, my friend, are right on the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes you think the top ones have a better education? Often the "rigor" is fusty or half baked pedagogy. Its often about connections and prestige, which the other schools cant "create". That being said, who do those connections really benefit? The people that dont actually need help no doubt, not the ones that do.

You really think there's no difference in teacher quality, admin quality, standards and rigor at the "Big 5" versus say... SJC?

[Anonymous]

I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

With respect--and as a New Englander who grew up/attended (a liberal NESCAC) college with kids who attended many of the top NE prep schools--you can fail your way through all that rigor and not get kicked out. As a previous poster pointed out, it's about the connections and, if you're academically engaged, it can be an amazing experience to take advantage of all those schools have to offer. But if you're a legacy or a staff kid or an athlete etc., you can graduate from all those places and still get into a great college/uni. In NE especially, no one focuses on test scores or statistics the way parents do down here. It's still a prep school environment, but it's a very different approach. They want kids to develop a solid foundation of knowledge so they can go into whatever field they choose with a good background, not turn into anxious messes who spend all their time focusing on tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

With respect--and as a New Englander who grew up/attended (a liberal NESCAC) college with kids who attended many of the top NE prep schools--you can fail your way through all that rigor and not get kicked out. As a previous poster pointed out, it's about the connections and, if you're academically engaged, it can be an amazing experience to take advantage of all those schools have to offer. But if you're a legacy or a staff kid or an athlete etc., you can graduate from all those places and still get into a great college/uni. In NE especially, no one focuses on test scores or statistics the way parents do down here. It's still a prep school environment, but it's a very different approach. They want kids to develop a solid foundation of knowledge so they can go into whatever field they choose with a good background, not turn into anxious messes who spend all their time focusing on tests.

I went to one of Andover/Exeter and know plenty of kids who did fail out. You’re wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

With respect--and as a New Englander who grew up/attended (a liberal NESCAC) college with kids who attended many of the top NE prep schools--you can fail your way through all that rigor and not get kicked out. As a previous poster pointed out, it's about the connections and, if you're academically engaged, it can be an amazing experience to take advantage of all those schools have to offer. But if you're a legacy or a staff kid or an athlete etc., you can graduate from all those places and still get into a great college/uni. In NE especially, no one focuses on test scores or statistics the way parents do down here. It's still a prep school environment, but it's a very different approach. They want kids to develop a solid foundation of knowledge so they can go into whatever field they choose with a good background, not turn into anxious messes who spend all their time focusing on tests.

I went to one of Andover/Exeter and know plenty of kids who did fail out. You’re wrong.

Now let me clear — you’re right about the approach to education, but it’s still rigorous and you can absolutely fail out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

I went to a public high school like likely had identical proportions of national merit scholars and top Ivy's (adjusted for SES status) as any Sidwell or Exeter. So no, not convinced. The "top privates" run mainly on privilege - most parents admit that they sent their kids there to ESCAPE the pressure that kids in public school face because their own kids just don't need to scrap it out like that. And I've compared the curriculum of my kid's DCPS with his cousin's top private (in his city) -- DCPS is much more "rigorous."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

With respect--and as a New Englander who grew up/attended (a liberal NESCAC) college with kids who attended many of the top NE prep schools--you can fail your way through all that rigor and not get kicked out. As a previous poster pointed out, it's about the connections and, if you're academically engaged, it can be an amazing experience to take advantage of all those schools have to offer. But if you're a legacy or a staff kid or an athlete etc., you can graduate from all those places and still get into a great college/uni. In NE especially, no one focuses on test scores or statistics the way parents do down here. It's still a prep school environment, but it's a very different approach. They want kids to develop a solid foundation of knowledge so they can go into whatever field they choose with a good background, not turn into anxious messes who spend all their time focusing on tests.

I went to one of Andover/Exeter and know plenty of kids who did fail out. You’re wrong.

Now let me clear — you’re right about the approach to education, but it’s still rigorous and you can absolutely fail out.

I'm sure some fail out (because the schools don't want their reputations besmirched) but there are likely a LOT of "gentlemen Cs."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

Are you serious? Those are all great schools that you mention, and undoubtedly more “rigorous” than many public high schools, but if “rigor” is what one is seeking, then you should be looking at top magnet schools. With all due respect, none of those schools - Sidwell, Andover, or Exeter - hold a candle to TJ in that regard, for instance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

With respect--and as a New Englander who grew up/attended (a liberal NESCAC) college with kids who attended many of the top NE prep schools--you can fail your way through all that rigor and not get kicked out. As a previous poster pointed out, it's about the connections and, if you're academically engaged, it can be an amazing experience to take advantage of all those schools have to offer. But if you're a legacy or a staff kid or an athlete etc., you can graduate from all those places and still get into a great college/uni. In NE especially, no one focuses on test scores or statistics the way parents do down here. It's still a prep school environment, but it's a very different approach. They want kids to develop a solid foundation of knowledge so they can go into whatever field they choose with a good background, not turn into anxious messes who spend all their time focusing on tests.

I went to one of Andover/Exeter and know plenty of kids who did fail out. You’re wrong.

Now let me clear — you’re right about the approach to education, but it’s still rigorous and you can absolutely fail out.

I'm sure some fail out (because the schools don't want their reputations besmirched) but there are likely a LOT of "gentlemen Cs."

Wow, you may have been right in 1965, but not in 2019.

Look at their school profiles. I’m serious — just do it. These are very different schools than they used to be. I graduated with honors and it was incredibly difficult. It was much more difficult than college, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

Are you serious? Those are all great schools that you mention, and undoubtedly more “rigorous” than many public high schools, but if “rigor” is what one is seeking, then you should be looking at top magnet schools. With all due respect, none of those schools - Sidwell, Andover, or Exeter - hold a candle to TJ in that regard, for instance.

Uh huh. Sure.

On STEM they are the same. Otherwise Andover and Exeter are miles ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

I went to a public high school like likely had identical proportions of national merit scholars and top Ivy's (adjusted for SES status) as any Sidwell or Exeter. So no, not convinced. The "top privates" run mainly on privilege - most parents admit that they sent their kids there to ESCAPE the pressure that kids in public school face because their own kids just don't need to scrap it out like that. And I've compared the curriculum of my kid's DCPS with his cousin's top private (in his city) -- DCPS is much more "rigorous."

Andover and Exeter are different and are miles ahead of DCPS.

No one sends their kid there to escape pressure.

Look at the course catalog of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Andover school profile: https://www.andover.edu/files/CCOProfileBrochure2018-2019.pdf

Course Catalog: https://www.andover.edu/files/COS2019-2020.pdf

Exeter school profile: https://www.exeter.edu/sites/default/files/documents/PEA-CCO-Profile-2019.pdf

Exeter course catalog: https://www.exeter.edu/sites/default/files/documents/PEA-COI-2019-20-4-19-19.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

Are you serious? Those are all great schools that you mention, and undoubtedly more “rigorous” than many public high schools, but if “rigor” is what one is seeking, then you should be looking at top magnet schools. With all due respect, none of those schools - Sidwell, Andover, or Exeter - hold a candle to TJ in that regard, for instance.

Uh huh. Sure.

On STEM they are the same. Otherwise Andover and Exeter are miles ahead.

They aren’t remotely the same on STEM. Are you kidding me? The top 10% of students at any of those top privates would struggle to be in the top 50% at TJ. There is simply no comparison when it comes to math and science - and that holds for both the ability of the kids as well as the STEM-oriented resources and range of classes available at those schools.