Big 3 (or thereabouts) College Results - Class of 2021

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you are right. Top students are top students anywhere.

Also keep in mind, though, that a kid who is the top 1/3 of a small class (around here most are 40-125) might be ranked 15th- 40th in the small class (which is why they don't rank in small schools). The 15th ranked student in a large public class of 600 is in the top 2% of the class, and the 40th is top 6%.

Most public schools in the DMV don't rank either.

Not the point.

Ok . . . so what IS the point you're trying to make?

I was responding to the PP's comment: "And the very top students in this area's public high schools are absolutely better than a top 1/3 at an area private." My point is that some of the local private schools are highly selective and have a small class. So, for example, the kid who is in the top third of a class of 40 has the 15th best GPA in a class of students selected on merit for a rigorous school. I was pointing that out a blanket claim that a kid ranked 15th in a competitive rigorous school (top 1/3) is not "absolutely" inferior to the top students at public schools. The larger and less competitive a private school is, the closer to correct PP is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you are right. Top students are top students anywhere.

Also keep in mind, though, that a kid who is the top 1/3 of a small class (around here most are 40-125) might be ranked 15th- 40th in the small class (which is why they don't rank in small schools). The 15th ranked student in a large public class of 600 is in the top 2% of the class, and the 40th is top 6%.

Most public schools in the DMV don't rank either.

Not the point.

Ok . . . so what IS the point you're trying to make?

I was responding to the PP's comment: "And the very top students in this area's public high schools are absolutely better than a top 1/3 at an area private." My point is that some of the local private schools are highly selective and have a small class. So, for example, the kid who is in the top third of a class of 40 has the 15th best GPA in a class of students selected on merit for a rigorous school. I was pointing that out a blanket claim that a kid ranked 15th in a competitive rigorous school (top 1/3) is not "absolutely" inferior to the top students at public schools. The larger and less competitive a private school is, the closer to correct PP is.

And the more lifers there are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you are right. Top students are top students anywhere.

Also keep in mind, though, that a kid who is the top 1/3 of a small class (around here most are 40-125) might be ranked 15th- 40th in the small class (which is why they don't rank in small schools). The 15th ranked student in a large public class of 600 is in the top 2% of the class, and the 40th is top 6%.

Most public schools in the DMV don't rank either.

Not the point.

Ok . . . so what IS the point you're trying to make?

I was responding to the PP's comment: "And the very top students in this area's public high schools are absolutely better than a top 1/3 at an area private." My point is that some of the local private schools are highly selective and have a small class. So, for example, the kid who is in the top third of a class of 40 has the 15th best GPA in a class of students selected on merit for a rigorous school. I was pointing that out a blanket claim that a kid ranked 15th in a competitive rigorous school (top 1/3) is not "absolutely" inferior to the top students at public schools. The larger and less competitive a private school is, the closer to correct PP is.

This of course makes sense and again makes me question why some people speak of private schools as if they are all the same. Variations abound just like a public schools across the region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

[Anonymous]

What is the animus driving this hijack of this thread and why does EVERY discussion about college placement and test scores devolve into a cat fight over " who's kid is really actually smarter, a harder worker and - it seems according to some parents- an overall better human being

Nonsense.

This is Washington and, if you flashback 30 years ago, the parents on BOTH sides of this debate were classmates at the same Universities, went to the same Grad schools and landed around the same time competing on bids for houses in NW DC and then 5-10 years later placements for their DC's at in bounds lotteries vs the area Privates

These kids are apples to apples/ the same

No kid is smarter or better because they went to Wilson or because they went to Sidwell. More than that, these kids are 17/18 and have not really done anything in their future professional lives yet so no one knows who will contribute to the cure for CA or who will be just another jerk off lawyer

What do the Private schools do really well: take a kid from a non- WOP DC neighborhood and send them on their way in life to a great college environment with a string set of life/ study skills. THAT is something . Give them that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

This comparing needs to stop. Wilson kids are not in for a shock, they can handle the work too, and private school kids are not coddled, they can self-advocate and work independently too. Stop trading in stereotypes on both sides.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

NP. We’re not missing the point - you are. Plenty of independent school kids who are not coddled. Plenty of Wilson kids who are. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp? Signed PS grad with kids in independent schools. Pluses and minuses to both. Your long answer was just a more detailed, and often inaccurate, stereotype.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

NP. We’re not missing the point - you are. Plenty of independent school kids who are not coddled. Plenty of Wilson kids who are. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp? Signed PS grad with kids in independent schools. Pluses and minuses to both. Your long answer was just a more detailed, and often inaccurate, stereotype.

private parents aren't paying 40k+ for their kids to get lost in the shuffle. Sure the kids may have to self advocate, but that looks a lot different when the kid is the customer and the school inherently cares

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

NP. We’re not missing the point - you are. Plenty of independent school kids who are not coddled. Plenty of Wilson kids who are. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp? Signed PS grad with kids in independent schools. Pluses and minuses to both. Your long answer was just a more detailed, and often inaccurate, stereotype.

private parents aren't paying 40k+ for their kids to get lost in the shuffle. Sure the kids may have to self advocate, but that looks a lot different when the kid is the customer and the school inherently cares

And there are plenty of PS kids who also don’t get lost in a shuffle ( regardless of your personal experience) and have great teachers who care. Plenty of mediocre teachers at both. See how this works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

NP. We’re not missing the point - you are. Plenty of independent school kids who are not coddled. Plenty of Wilson kids who are. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp? Signed PS grad with kids in independent schools. Pluses and minuses to both. Your long answer was just a more detailed, and often inaccurate, stereotype.

No, you're missing the point entirely. Do you have kids in both schools? I don't think so. I do.
The experiences are night and day. The kids and their households may be similar but the schooling experiences are different. The Wilson kids have to deal with a heck of a lot of DCPS crap. Why are you arguing with me anyway? Are you really saying that Wilson kids have
every advantage of Sidwell kids? Really? Then why the heck are you paying $45K for Sidwell?

[Anonymous]

Wilson turns good liberals into conservatives.

It's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

NP. We’re not missing the point - you are. Plenty of independent school kids who are not coddled. Plenty of Wilson kids who are. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp? Signed PS grad with kids in independent schools. Pluses and minuses to both. Your long answer was just a more detailed, and often inaccurate, stereotype.

private parents aren't paying 40k+ for their kids to get lost in the shuffle. Sure the kids may have to self advocate, but that looks a lot different when the kid is the customer and the school inherently cares

And there are plenty of PS kids who also don’t get lost in a shuffle ( regardless of your personal experience) and have great teachers who care. Plenty of mediocre teachers at both. See how this works?

Lets assume what you say is true. You've said kids at privates can get lost in the shuffle (just like public), kids can get terrible or great teachers (just like public), and it's basically a tenant of DCUM that you don't do private for college. Why do you think people pay for private if, like you seem to believe, there is no advantage over public?

[Anonymous]

Exactly. I am a Wilson parent, and the description of Wilson is very apt...in fact, I was close to tears when I read it.

I certainly hope private school parents are not paying 40 K for:

“In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.”

Ok, so this environment either builds a resilient student...or results in a student falling through cracks.

For those students who succeed at Wilson, obstacles overcome may result in a college admissions bump. On the other hand, these obstacles may result in a bump for private school students, who have benefitted from better (or more uniformly strong) teaching and individual attention at school, plus a motivated peer group — I can’t say. But please, private school parents, don’t worry so about college placement. Just be grateful and proud that your student is in an environment that consistently supports and inspires learning. Ski trips and tutoring can’t make for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at a Big 3 also. We have one solid EA acceptance which we thought was a borderline safety school but is looking better and better to attend with all the deferrals my kid has gotten (and to schools where the kid fell squarely within the Naviance acceptance range). And we are full-pay so that has not made a difference.

I do think the public school students with 4.5 GPAs and 10 AP classes are winning out this year compared to the top one-third of students at private schools that have a 3.5 - 3.7 GPA and no AP classes. My kid has a GPA in this range and solid ACT results (34-36) but with test scores becoming increasingly irrelevant, all that stands out is a deflated 3.5 against an inflated 4.5.

All I can hope is that this is a long process that will continue to unfold until June 1. The public school kids are applying to a lot more schools and getting into to places. However, they can only attend one college so I'm hoping the deferrals turn into acceptances or waitlists which then turn into acceptances.

High School counselors at our Big 3 are MIA and seem to be unaccountable and untouchable. If they are feeling panicked, they are definitely not showing it. Plus, they never guarantee results. They always say, "it looks like", "we hope" or "Naviance shows." So with that vague language, they effectively hedge their bets.

This is utterly laughable. If a public school kid with 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA is "winning out" over a top 1/3 private school kid with a 3.5 it's because the public school kid is objectively a stronger applicant. That public school kid would be at or near the very top of the class, and you're deluding yourself if you think that the very top students in the DMV's public school systems -- which are among the best in the country -- don't compare well with a top 1/3 student at a Big 3.

There also appears to be this misconception among private school parents that every public school kid has 10 APs and a 4.5 GPA. That's simply not the case. You all need to get off your high horses.

I never thought I'd see the day where Big 3 parents would be complaining that they're at an unfair disadvantage over public high schools. Wow.

I have one in public and one in private--it is sort of funny to watch this elitist freak-out.

Yep, me too. I have one kid at Wilson (DCPS) and one at a Big3 school. Wilson admits are running circles around Big3 admits this admission season.

I too find this highly entertaining. Yes, I pay Big3 tuition but at my core I identify more with Wilson kids. I silently can't stand the elitism.

But don’t you think the Wilson kids will be in for a shock come college? A strong student at a big 3 will find the work load easier in some cases. Maybe they are at Tufts instead of Princeton for UG but they have the preparation to graduate with a very high GPA without being stressed by the workload and then going on to a more impressive grad school than the Wilson grad who struggles to keep up at an ivy.

You’re off your rocker if you think top public students aren’t good students. They may struggle more with their first seminars, but I would expect a student at a private that focuses on small classes and individual fees back would be just as lost in a massive 101 seminar where they are expected to teach themselves

+1000 Yes, you have no clue how smart and competent many WIlson kids are. Especially those that get into Ivies. Their life skills are off the charts compared to coddled private school kids who think they are so brilliant.

Give me a break. You act as if all Wilson kids are the same. They are not. Lots of Ward 3 kids who attend Wilson live in million dollar houses and high-income neighborhoods. They have parents who give them every advantage and in many cases more advantages, than many kids at independent schools. We have a child at an independent school who has been far less coddled than his Wilson friends from a JKLM feeder school to Deal. These Ward 3 Wilson kids go on ski trips, attend expensive summer camps, play club/travel sports that cost a lot to do, have parents that find them internships and jobs, and pay for expensive enrichment classes and summer programs. There are lots of pampered kids at Wilson with helicopter parents just like there are in the burbs. There are lots of kids who aren't that way. Wilson kids are not all the same and neither are independent school kids. Some of the Ward 3 parents at my kid's public are more insufferable, entitled, and obliviously privileged than the parents at my other's independent school. Finally, both of my kids have life skills because we as parents do not coddle them. So many parents expect nothing of their kids except that they go to school and participate in activities that will look good or college. To me that is coddling. Our kids do laundry, make dinner, work, etc. Those are all life skills. Give me the kid who does well while having responsibilities outside school and college prep anyday. Those kids will do well in any college.

You're missing the point and I see that you don't have kids at Wilson. Being "not coddled" at Wilson is not about extracurriculars but about being schooled in an environment that isn't functional but learning to make it work. That is what the Wilson kids learn. I have a kid at a Big3 and one at Wilson. When my Big3 kid writes to a teacher, they write back. Their assignments are not lost. Their teachers don't go missing for weeks on end. Their classes are not filled with kids who are disruptive. The entire environment is functional. It's easy. The academics might not be easy but the rest is set up to run smoothly and help the kids to succeed.

In contrast, at DCPS each kid is one of hundreds in a grade. Teachers don't know the students. Assignments get lost or misgraded. Teaching is uneven (from AWESOME to horrible). Classes are disrupted by students who don't care. As a result, kids learn to advocate for themselves. They learn to problem solve and go with plan C when plan A and plan B don't work out because the system won't allow it. They learn to stand out (in a good way) in a cast of hundreds of other students. And on and on and on. It makes for very resilient kids who can problem solve well beyond their years because (in the school environment---I'm not talking about home), very little is handed to them and they learn to trouble shoot and bounce back.

NP. We’re not missing the point - you are. Plenty of independent school kids who are not coddled. Plenty of Wilson kids who are. Is that too difficult a concept to grasp? Signed PS grad with kids in independent schools. Pluses and minuses to both. Your long answer was just a more detailed, and often inaccurate, stereotype.

private parents aren't paying 40k+ for their kids to get lost in the shuffle. Sure the kids may have to self advocate, but that looks a lot different when the kid is the customer and the school inherently cares

And there are plenty of PS kids who also don’t get lost in a shuffle ( regardless of your personal experience) and have great teachers who care. Plenty of mediocre teachers at both. See how this works?

Lets assume what you say is true. You've said kids at privates can get lost in the shuffle (just like public), kids can get terrible or great teachers (just like public), and it's basically a tenant of DCUM that you don't do private for college. Why do you think people pay for private if, like you seem to believe, there is no advantage over public?

Actually. I never said there wasn’t any advantage. Read much? What I said is that you are stereotyping. Sounds great in a college essay about how disadvantaged and resilient your Wilson grad is because he’s in the school of hard knocks but you overstate and stereotype and it’s annoying.