The elite private schools are getting rid of grades altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The elite privates really shouldn’t have grades. To simply get admitted into an elite is an accomplishment — and once in, the rigor, depth and expectations are vastly superior to anything “taught” in a public, where kids are given all As for having a pulse. It’s just not fair.

It's not hard to be admitted to the "elite privates" -- mainly, you just have to be rich. And the schools are not terribly impressive. Look at where their graduates get accepted to college.

Oh sweetie, it's cute that you to write so confidently when you're so so naive.

Oh brother. Because the privates only admit the most accomplished of three-year olds? And we're supposed to be impressed when they get someone into Cornell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How stupid.

agree, we're sending our kids to McGill or Queens College. sick of the watered down U.S. education system, churning out soft majors and soft students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting rid of grades seems like excellent news for the kids who would have gotten mediocre grades because now their mediocrity will be less apparent.

But it seems like terrible news for the kids who would have destroyed the curve (if anyone still graded on a curve, outside of college science classes) because now their abilities will also be less apparent.

Yay mediocrity!

+1.

[Anonymous]

Lots of colleges are test-optional now, and if kids don’t have grades anymore either, they can be admitted solely on lacrosse, hefty donations, and little white lie “recommendations” — just what the customers want.

[Anonymous]

Can't wait to meet these kids on the job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school will significantly harm the chances of its students to get into the elite schools where GPA and stats determine 99% of the admission process.

Apparently the admissions process is changing too.
I expect Sidwell ( the closest apples to apples comparison) will roll out a similar plan soon.

No way. The parents would go nuts.

[Anonymous]

It's really striking how few people on this thread are interested in having objective criteria by which to measure their children's progress. It's like everyone just wants to believe their children are amazing and gifted and "the elite," and they want to avoid anything that could conceivably demonstrate that's nothing more than a delusion. Give my kids every standardized test you can think of. They will destroy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school will significantly harm the chances of its students to get into the elite schools where GPA and stats determine 99% of the admission process.

Apparently the admissions process is changing too.
I expect Sidwell ( the closest apples to apples comparison) will roll out a similar plan soon.

No way. The parents would go nuts.

If the game is changing they won’t stand to be left behind. They will learn the new rules and plan accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really striking how few people on this thread are interested in having objective criteria by which to measure their children's progress. It's like everyone just wants to believe their children are amazing and gifted and "the elite," and they want to avoid anything that could conceivably demonstrate that's nothing more than a delusion. Give my kids every standardized test you can think of. They will destroy it.

Congratulations.

It really striking how parents of academically gifted kids need to shout from the rooftops how smart their kids are.
My kids may not "destroy" every test, but they are still amazing kids and will be smart, funny, kind, loyal, fun, engaged, and interesting adults, friends, wife, husband, co-worker, etc.

By the way, not all smart kids turn into successes, or are nice or happy people, or even productive citizens. Not saying yours won't, but you don't have to be an academic rockstar to do any of these things. You might want to check your arrogance a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very strange that you think the only options are cheating or no grades. That’s very telling of the environment you are in.

what’s telling is the amount of students and parents who think test scores are actually objective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your school will significantly harm the chances of its students to get into the elite schools where GPA and stats determine 99% of the admission process.

St. Ann's in Brooklyn doesn't have grades. I knew 3 graduates from there at my HYPS. Honestly, SAT scores become more important when there are no grades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Ann%27s_School_(New_York_City)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school will significantly harm the chances of its students to get into the elite schools where GPA and stats determine 99% of the admission process.

Apparently the admissions process is changing too.
I expect Sidwell ( the closest apples to apples comparison) will roll out a similar plan soon.

No way. The parents would go nuts.

No, they wouldn’t. They will love it. The bottom 50% can officially skate. The lifers who were admitted as three year olds on the strength of mommy and daddy’s money and connections but who wouldn’t be able to compete for US admittance will be safe from comparisons. And when it comes to college admissions, they can fall back on the wonderful magical experience at the school they got into because they behaved well at a playdate and their parents were full pay.

It’s a gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school will significantly harm the chances of its students to get into the elite schools where GPA and stats determine 99% of the admission process.

St. Ann's in Brooklyn doesn't have grades. I knew 3 graduates from there at my HYPS. Honestly, SAT scores become more important when there are no grades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Ann%27s_School_(New_York_City)

Yeah, but St. Ann’s probably has the one of the most connected student bodies in the country. Artists and actors who have seriously made it, the VC/PE crowd, and bohemian trust funders send their kids. There’s nothing that compares in DC, except potentially GDS, but it’s a stretch.

[Anonymous]

I’d don’t see this as dumbing down. By all accounts, the top private schools are leaps and bounds more demanding and rigorous, than most well regarded public schools.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t tens of thousands of qualified students applying for the top universities from everywhere. For decades AP was just for the private set. Now, that public has finally adapted, private has to change again.
It’s absolutely about the 1% maintaining the status quo, but I do believe the pedagogy behind the shift has merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school will significantly harm the chances of its students to get into the elite schools where GPA and stats determine 99% of the admission process.

St. Ann's in Brooklyn doesn't have grades. I knew 3 graduates from there at my HYPS. Honestly, SAT scores become more important when there are no grades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Ann%27s_School_(New_York_City)

Yeah, but St. Ann’s probably has the one of the most connected student bodies in the country. Artists and actors who have seriously made it, the VC/PE crowd, and bohemian trust funders send their kids. There’s nothing that compares in DC, except potentially GDS, but it’s a stretch.

Saint Ann's has been getting kids into top schools since well before your average VC bro could identify Brooklyn on a map. The school doesn't trade in celebrity as much as it does relationships with top colleges that have been honed over decades. Colleges know what they're going to get with a Saint Ann's kid and they rely heavily on the college counselor's written reports for admissions in lieu of a traditional transcript.