Is B/B+ the average GPA at top privates?

[Anonymous]

So, DCUM is my secret addiction these days (it's better than Ben and Jerry's!).

I've read a few posts now that talk about average GPAs in elite privates being in the B/B+ range. That's a 3.0/3.3 on the 4.0 scale. How does this affect college admissions, i.e. what kind of school do these kids attend?

When I applied to college (from a public high school), kids with a 3.3 average would have been doomed to pretty mediocre colleges, I realize it's different with private schools, but how different?

Is it better for your kid to graduate from a public with a 4.0 GPA and impressive.SATs or a 3.3 from a private school with the same SATs?

[Anonymous]

It is hard to compare if you're considering schools in same towns with roughly similar demographics. If your kid is pulling those grades at a public in a rough neighborhood, or a rural neighborhood or a state that doesn't send many kids to desired college, they'd definitely have the better shot. It's been like that at Wilson, but that may be changing as school becomes more balanced vis a vis SES.

I would think a 4.0 student was not challenged in public. Grade inflation is rampant - everyone is an A student. I compared the number of honor roll students at our public to our "non big 3" private and it's a joke. Something like 2/3 of kids in our well regarded public are "honors" as was ours before switching. Compare that to top 10% honors at our private. I'd rather have my kid prepared for the challenges of life and it's struggles.

Try to focus more on which environment will give your child the academic preparation and social skills needed for college. Each kid is different.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the previous poster. The area I live in has ok public schools. When I hear of kids having 4.0s from there I think "not challenged." And I think that based on my on personal experience with HS in an inner city. I graduated 1st in my class - yes 1st and was NOT adequately prepared for my top 10 university. I struggled my first two years just getting up to speed. Thank God I didn't have low self-esteem because I kept at it. Because of this I am an advocate for private school if you don't live in an area with top public schools. So many public schools kids are not well prepared for college. I think getting into a good college is just half the battle. The real battle is are you prepared to excel once you are fully enrolled? For me, while I definitley would like for my kids to go to a top college what I really want is for them to do well at whatever college they choose -- and I think the private schools do a far better job of that especially when it comes to writing and critical thinking skills.

[Anonymous]

Our experience with my DD who was a good, but not top student at a local private echoes what the previous posters have said. She worked hard at an academically challenging school, but didn't get top honors. She is at a well regarded (but not top 10) university and very happy. She felt very prepared and handled the transition with ease. However, she was struck by the number of kids who had top scores at their local public school who really struggled with the transition to college classes. Of course, this isn't universal by any means but it was a surprise to her. She noticed it particularly with the writing. So many of these kids were lost about handling what she found to be a simple writing assignment. She even had to help a few late into the night who didn't really understand thesis statements and transition sentences, let alone the ability to write an essay that flowed well and made a particular, organized point. These kids are smart kids and eventually have caught up and are doing well, but it was a rough beginning. In fact, this was both of my nieces' experience as well. They both went to their local, well regarded public school (not in DC) and did very well, but still really struggled with college classes. Again, they caught up and are fine.

I guess what I am saying is that a smart kid is going to succeed no matter where they have attended high school. However, as the previous poster said that same kid may need to have strong self-esteem and motivation to continue. I think most of them do succeed. You need to look at what will work best for your child and your finances and decide then. It is true that the average GPA at a private high school may look quite different than at a public school, but those are things taken into consideration by the universities. It is not fair to either the public school student or private school student to try and compare their GPA's - different systems that are not easily comparable. Focus on what is more important for your child and their abilities.

[Anonymous]

The answer is yes. I would say a or B+ or if you prefer A- is average or normal at the very top schools for a dedicated, excellent student. Thtat would translate to some Bs and many B+in classes with and about one third As. Kids who get these grades often test well ( 95-99 %) and get into to top schools including Ivies, top SLACs, and well regartded publics and most are happy with their placements. They work very hard and are under lots of presssure in high school and report they are very well prepared and have an easy academic adjustment to college. Most importantly they are fully challenged in high school and emerge as good writers and thinkers.

[Anonymous]

The answer is yes. I would say a or B+ or if you prefer A- is average or normal at the very top schools for a dedicated, excellent student. Thtat would translate to some Bs and many B+in classes with and about one third As. Kids who get these grades often test well ( 95-99 %) and get into to top schools including Ivies, top SLACs, and well regartded publics and most are happy with their placements. They work very hard and are under lots of presssure in high school and report they are very well prepared and have an easy academic adjustment to college. Most importantly they are fully challenged in high school and emerge as good writers and thinkers.

[Anonymous]

Not b / B+. At most privates, more like B+ / A-.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not b / B+. At most privates, more like B+ / A-.

Students don't talk about grades unless it's an occasional comment on an assignment or test in my DC's top private so I don't know how people can answer this question accurately.

[Anonymous]

At our local public an A-/A+ student has SAT's of 1800s. My DD was a B+ at her big three and her SAT's were 2200s. The top students had closer to perfect scores.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell and NCS (Sorry don't know about the others so won't comment) do not weight grades. So a B/B+ average is very good coming from these schools. Our local FFX County public High School does weight grades. Colleges know which schools weight and which do not and admit accordingly

[Anonymous]

I agree with all the previous posters! A 4.0 is almost unheard of at a top private school because the teachers are always moving the bar so every student is challenged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with all the previous posters! A 4.0 is almost unheard of at a top private school because the teachers are always moving the bar so every student is challenged.

There are usually a handful of straight A students at a top private each year. One issue is that it is hard to be a superstar both in STEM subjects and humanities, as the top classes are generally pretty advanced, so even a very very bright student might have As in their strength area and A minuses/B pluses in the other category. But there definitely are some brilliant and hard-working kids who excel across the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our local public an A-/A+ student has SAT's of 1800s. My DD was a B+ at her big three and her SAT's were 2200s. The top students had closer to perfect scores.

My kid got a perfect score with 3.9/4.7 GPA - a public kid. So, yeah, it depends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our local public an A-/A+ student has SAT's of 1800s. My DD was a B+ at her big three and her SAT's were 2200s. The top students had closer to perfect scores.

My kid got a perfect score with 3.9/4.7 GPA - a public kid. So, yeah, it depends.

Given the fact that only about 500 kids per year receive a perfect score (defined as 2,400), it would really be an outlier for student receiving such a score to be outside of the top 10% of his or her class - whether public or private. One of the following is probably true in this case:

1. This student is brilliant but not particularly hard working in the classroom
2. You are using a liberal definition of "perfect"
3. This student is a statistical anomaly

In any of the circumstances above it does not disprove the general comments being made by most posters that you are more likely to find a B/B+ student at the top local privates with 2,200 SATs than one would at a public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our local public an A-/A+ student has SAT's of 1800s. My DD was a B+ at her big three and her SAT's were 2200s. The top students had closer to perfect scores.

My kid got a perfect score with 3.9/4.7 GPA - a public kid. So, yeah, it depends.

Given the fact that only about 500 kids per year receive a perfect score (defined as 2,400), it would really be an outlier for student receiving such a score to be outside of the top 10% of his or her class - whether public or private. One of the following is probably true in this case:

1. This student is brilliant but not particularly hard working in the classroom
2. You are using a liberal definition of "perfect"
3. This student is a statistical anomaly

In any of the circumstances above it does not disprove the general comments being made by most posters that you are more likely to find a B/B+ student at the top local privates with 2,200 SATs than one would at a public school.

I think all private school parents want to, need to believe that.