College Placement Disappointment from Big 3 Grads?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to public. Top test scores in the state in elementary school, gifted program later (once we had one), top college early decision(whatever the term for a non-Ivy college on the US News Top 5 list for a liberal arts school is), crappy grad school (partial scholarship) but I knocked it out of the park and got a top job in my field. I work very hard every day, just like many people with all sorts of backgrounds do. I did not come from money and borrowed my way through grad school (except for what the scholarship covered).

I was raised that grades and never messing up are the very most important thing in life. Don't get an A? You have to drop out of the school play. Dent Mom's car? Lose your driver's license. Get a C because you can't stand that crabby English teacher? Grounded - totally - no TV, no phone, no nothing - for 6 months. NOT GOOD ENOUGH - MUST TRY HARDER.

But here's the thing: While I was busy trying harder, I never learned to paint, to dance, to laugh, to make real friends. School was always sink or swim, both in grades and socially. There was no such thing as "service learning" or "social learning."

DC#1 is at a private. As a first grader, the painting and other art skills already surpass mine. The interest in music is amazing. The delight in all sorts of things is a wonder. The e-mails I get about what "social unit" is being focused on that week or month seem like good things. Yes, it's an academic school, but it is more. I feel already that DC#1 has more paths open that lead to happiness. I really don't care about exmissions.

I know nothing about modern public schools; I graduated from mine more than 25 years ago. We live in DC. I bought the party line in our neighborhood about not sending the kids to public without checking into it. All I know is that I am very happy with my child's school, that I hope it works out as well for DC#2, and that I never want to teach my kids that all they are is the last grades they got, the last bonuses they made, the school names on their diplomas, or the prestige of the companies for which they work. The gift my children have given me is that I am finally good enough. I have many titles and roles, but my very favorite one is Momma. I hope their very favorite ones are their own names.

Thank you for reminding us what really is important.

[Anonymous]

17:51 here...wow such vitriol. I said, it is a choice and sacrifice we are making for our family and kids. I was simply making the point that we have zero interest in exmissions or social reasons for sending our kids to their school.

And yes, they will have to take SATs and possibly APs one day, if they want to go to a school that requires them.

[Anonymous]

17:51 here...wow such vitriol. I said, it is a choice and sacrifice we are making for our family and kids. I was simply making the point that we have zero interest in exmissions or social reasons for sending our kids to their school.

And yes, they will have to take SATs and possibly APs one day, if they want to go to a school that requires them.

So you have zero interest in exmissions or social reasons for sending your kids to private school?

I have friends who homeschool and provide such marvelous opportunities for their kids, music and language teachers come to the house, the museum, learning is a fmaily affair. These kids are doing brilliantly. The private school is in their home!

[Anonymous]

20:22 I loved your post. Thanks for taking the time to write it. I'll bet you are a fantastic parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20:22 I loved your post. Thanks for taking the time to write it. I'll bet you are a fantastic parent.

Sheesh! Stop the sock puppeting.

[Anonymous]

2 Fs junior year and accepted at an Ivy? Recruited athlete? How is that possible?

?Maybe the kid was out due to illness but was otherwise a superb individual. If this is so, screw the Fs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

2 Fs junior year and accepted at an Ivy? Recruited athlete? How is that possible?

?Maybe the kid was out due to illness but was otherwise a superb individual. If this is so, screw the Fs.

Not out due to illness. Said she has a gpa of 2.6 and laughed at how gpas and sats don't really matter.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe that for a minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe that for a minute.

I could name the school and board member, and include other identifying details, but won't. You seem pretty interested in this situation.

[Anonymous]

This happens, connected kids getting into top schools despite bad grades. That's life, folks! It's not fair!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This happens, connected kids getting into top schools despite bad grades. That's life, folks! It's not fair!

10:21 here, you're right. It was startling to actually watch it unfold in "real" life. You read about it, folks discuss it...yeah, it's a bitch, but that's life.

[Anonymous]

10:21 here, you're right. It was startling to actually watch it unfold in "real" life. You read about it, folks discuss it...yeah, it's a bitch, but that's life.

This is very common at all of these prestigious, private, elite schools and colleges since their founding in the 19th century. Absolutely, not a surprise in the least! This is what has feed entitlement encephalitis syndrome and the backlash against other kids and families, from different walks in life, having somehow inappropriately taken their enshrined spot or seat at the table.

That's life.

[Anonymous]

George W. Bush went to Andover and Yale. Case closed.

[Anonymous]

We know all about G. Bush. That information is so old. A lot of people are just making stuff up here. My kid goes to the top-ranked Ivy. I can assure you that at her school the only people beating the top SAT/grade situations are people who have given huge sums of money. They are the ones who fund the scholarships for the less advantaged. If not top grades/SATs/huge donor; then you're talking about a recruited athlete. And, yes, my daughter is one -- but she also had to have top grades/SATs. The only other exception are urms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know all about G. Bush. That information is so old. A lot of people are just making stuff up here. My kid goes to the top-ranked Ivy. I can assure you that at her school the only people beating the top SAT/grade situations are people who have given huge sums of money. They are the ones who fund the scholarships for the less advantaged. If not top grades/SATs/huge donor; then you're talking about a recruited athlete. And, yes, my daughter is one -- but she also had to have top grades/SATs. The only other exception are urms.

I have no reason to make up anything. The girl is not a recruited athlete, she just has well-connected parents who are in with the school's president. Why do you find this so unbelievable?