BASIS attrition after middle school- why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

APs aren't even hard. Look at how that other parent has their kid taking all the APs and also all the Cambridge exams, plus summer immersion programs. Where's the burnout?

The burnout emanates from cramming for a slew of APs that BASIS requires to be taken by May of jr. year. Cambridge exams aren't graded by computers. Some kids prefer them because they allow a test taker to show what they've learned to human graders through good writing, speaking languages, spelling out math work etc. Saving a couple subject exams for Nov of senior year sounds smart, and sane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have found that, on average, parents care so much more about the building issues than the kids do. Parents have ideas in their head about the schools they went to but kids don’t know anything other than what you show them. The students make some great friends and they don’t dwell on the building. Sure everyone would prefer a better building (no question!!) but it’s not the dealbreaker for many kids the way it is for their parents.

I am completely surprised that my kid doesn’t care about the building at all. I ask with a concerned face a few times a year. Shrug.

I work in a federal building that is far worse than the BASIS building and it's not a big deal either. Would I love to work in a beautiful building? Of course. I'm not going to quit my job because of the building though? If I find the people I work with to be nice and the work I do interesting, I don't really care what the building looks like. That's the same thing with BASIS for the kids that like the school.

Do we really want kids to live like office workers?

Apparently, yes. Absolutely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have found that, on average, parents care so much more about the building issues than the kids do. Parents have ideas in their head about the schools they went to but kids don’t know anything other than what you show them. The students make some great friends and they don’t dwell on the building. Sure everyone would prefer a better building (no question!!) but it’s not the dealbreaker for many kids the way it is for their parents.

I am completely surprised that my kid doesn’t care about the building at all. I ask with a concerned face a few times a year. Shrug.

I work in a federal building that is far worse than the BASIS building and it's not a big deal either. Would I love to work in a beautiful building? Of course. I'm not going to quit my job because of the building though? If I find the people I work with to be nice and the work I do interesting, I don't really care what the building looks like. That's the same thing with BASIS for the kids that like the school.

Do we really want kids to live like office workers?

Uh, I think you missed the point. I hear Ballou has a great building, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

APs aren't even hard. Look at how that other parent has their kid taking all the APs and also all the Cambridge exams, plus summer immersion programs. Where's the burnout?

The burnout emanates from cramming for a slew of APs that BASIS requires to be taken by May of jr. year. Cambridge exams aren't graded by computers. Some kids prefer them because they allow a test taker to show what they've learned to human graders through good writing, speaking languages, spelling out math work etc. Saving a couple subject exams for Nov of senior year sounds smart, and sane.

My kids aren’t burnt out.

Sounds like a you problem.

[Anonymous]

Most DCUM office workers seem to be making several million a year while doing no work, which looks like a sweet deal to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

APs aren't even hard. Look at how that other parent has their kid taking all the APs and also all the Cambridge exams, plus summer immersion programs. Where's the burnout?

The burnout emanates from cramming for a slew of APs that BASIS requires to be taken by May of jr. year. Cambridge exams aren't graded by computers. Some kids prefer them because they allow a test taker to show what they've learned to human graders through good writing, speaking languages, spelling out math work etc. Saving a couple subject exams for Nov of senior year sounds smart, and sane.

My kids aren’t burnt out.

Sounds like a you problem.

Mine either. Quite the opposite. Loves to learn and excited about life. Super happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

What is the point of a high school student doing a ton of college work that a college might not accept? Some colleges won't place out AP classes.

What's the point of saying my middle school student is doing HS classes and yours isn't?

Its the same thing as showing off your one year old walking vs a 15 month old.

Show me the adult who is happy and smart and thriving in life that came out of a system like this. I know some, I also know a lot who only know how to function in a system and can't do jack on their own. If they didn't pick medicine or law (less so for law) that has a strict structure post bachelors they flounder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

APs aren't even hard. Look at how that other parent has their kid taking all the APs and also all the Cambridge exams, plus summer immersion programs. Where's the burnout?

The burnout emanates from cramming for a slew of APs that BASIS requires to be taken by May of jr. year. Cambridge exams aren't graded by computers. Some kids prefer them because they allow a test taker to show what they've learned to human graders through good writing, speaking languages, spelling out math work etc. Saving a couple subject exams for Nov of senior year sounds smart, and sane.

My kids aren’t burnt out.

Sounds like a you problem.

Mine either. Quite the opposite. Loves to learn and excited about life. Super happy.

+1. However, we are all burned out reading Cambridge Exam Dad's endless screeds about how BASIS wasn't a perfect fit for his DD and didn't 100% support her interests in marine biology and some obscure language.

Seriously, no one cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

APs aren't even hard. Look at how that other parent has their kid taking all the APs and also all the Cambridge exams, plus summer immersion programs. Where's the burnout?

The burnout emanates from cramming for a slew of APs that BASIS requires to be taken by May of jr. year. Cambridge exams aren't graded by computers. Some kids prefer them because they allow a test taker to show what they've learned to human graders through good writing, speaking languages, spelling out math work etc. Saving a couple subject exams for Nov of senior year sounds smart, and sane.

My kids aren’t burnt out.

Sounds like a you problem.

Mine either. Quite the opposite. Loves to learn and excited about life. Super happy.

+1. However, we are all burned out reading Cambridge Exam Dad's endless screeds about how BASIS wasn't a perfect fit for his DD and didn't 100% support her interests in marine biology and some obscure language.

Seriously, no one cares.

+2 My kid is very happy. They think Cambridge dad is hilarious though.

[Anonymous]

I see the handful of toxic positivity boosters have found this thread.

[Anonymous]

Oooo. Toxic positivity. That is a new one to me. I may be guilty a lot. I’m a pretty positive person. So are my kids. Just happy positive people. Sorry it offends.

[Anonymous]

No, you're sorry that a bunch of good points have been made on an even-handed thread. Some of would cut BASIS ample slack if their college admissions results were more impressive.

[Anonymous]

How is positivity toxic? Even people with a positive mindset can still be working toward improvements at the school. Most BASIS families recognize that, like any school, BASIS isn’t perfect. Having a good attitude goes a long way toward having a better experience. And kids pick up on parent negativity so at least don’t air grievances about the school in front of your kid if you want them to try to be happy and succeed there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG BASIS doesn't have the money for capstone projects. Wait, you didn't notice until senior year?

Then what’s the point of pushing kids so hard to take all these AP for? To do a joke project senior year?

Doesn’t sound like a good system at all. Burn kids out in the AP factory and then take time to recover senior year.

What is the point of a high school student doing a ton of college work that a college might not accept? Some colleges won't place out AP classes.

What's the point of saying my middle school student is doing HS classes and yours isn't?

Its the same thing as showing off your one year old walking vs a 15 month old.

Show me the adult who is happy and smart and thriving in life that came out of a system like this. I know some, I also know a lot who only know how to function in a system and can't do jack on their own. If they didn't pick medicine or law (less so for law) that has a strict structure post bachelors they flounder.

I went through a system like this, and I turned out happy, smart, and thriving. There is no cramming going on? If you know how to study efficiently (something you learn in middle school), a bunch of APs is just a normal course load. Everyone knows that APs aren't true college classes. They do go more in depth than a typical high school class, and for motivated students, that makes the classes more interesting and worth their time. At the same time, I had plenty of time for extracurriculars, socializing, etc., and for the BASIS HS students I know right now, they are the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Families burn out not just on intense early AP prep but on the BASIS our-way-or-the-highway approach to academic achievement. Admins aren’t open to ideas to burnish academics, like encouraging juniors to prep for one or two Cambridge exams taken in fall of senior year (a few top DC privates have started doing that, to help applicants stand out in college applications). They’re also not open to building esprit de corps with group senior capstone projects the school sets up. Parents have suggested this many times. This isn’t a program that innovates to improve kids’ admissions chances of admission to top colleges, although the program pushes IvyPlus from the MS years. The leadership isn’t there. That said, leadership at Walls seems even more lackluster. Sigh.

Agree that BASIS isn't as good for students aiming for T20 colleges than lower tier, where multiple high AP scores should do the trick.

They have a set formula for college success and stick to it. Best to leave after middle school if you're looking for support for academics off the beaten path.

As good as what? I don't remember anyone saying that Basis is as good as top privates, but it's also a few hundred thousand dollars cheaper.