BASIS DC precomps and comps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree w/post above. BASIS can rightfully claim bragging rights to being the strongest of the DC public middle schools overall. Not so for high school.

Seems to be the strongest non-selective high school in DC (it accepts 100% of its students by lottery), and one of the strongest in the entire country. It is absurd to compare it to schools that get to select 100% of their students.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=district-of-columbia&ranked=true
https://jaymathewschallengeindex.com/

Hey everyone, apparently BASIS changed its policy. They’re now accepting 100% of 9th grade students by lottery, just like Washington Leadership Academy and Thurgood Marshall!

Basis should be limited to at-risk kids. Signed - the Liberal Avenger

BASIS can do what it likes. It’s just repellent when people who are specifically referring to the high school hold BASIS out as superior to high schools that really do admit 100% of their 9th graders by lottery. BASIS DC HS is a test-in school, it’s just that you have to win a lottery to be allowed to sit the test. It is absurd to brag that BASIS is doing better than high schools that really do accept 100% of their 9th graders by lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree w/post above. BASIS can rightfully claim bragging rights to being the strongest of the DC public middle schools overall. Not so for high school.

Seems to be the strongest non-selective high school in DC (it accepts 100% of its students by lottery), and one of the strongest in the entire country. It is absurd to compare it to schools that get to select 100% of their students.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=district-of-columbia&ranked=true
https://jaymathewschallengeindex.com/


Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

Hey everyone, apparently BASIS changed its policy. They’re now accepting 100% of 9th grade students by lottery, just like Washington Leadership Academy and Thurgood Marshall!

Basis should be limited to at-risk kids. Signed - the Liberal Avenger

BASIS can do what it likes. It’s just repellent when people who are specifically referring to the high school hold BASIS out as superior to high schools that really do admit 100% of their 9th graders by lottery. BASIS DC HS is a test-in school, it’s just that you have to win a lottery to be allowed to sit the test. It is absurd to brag that BASIS is doing better than high schools that really do accept 100% of their 9th graders by lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree w/post above. BASIS can rightfully claim bragging rights to being the strongest of the DC public middle schools overall. Not so for high school.

Seems to be the strongest non-selective high school in DC (it accepts 100% of its students by lottery), and one of the strongest in the entire country. It is absurd to compare it to schools that get to select 100% of their students.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=district-of-columbia&ranked=true
https://jaymathewschallengeindex.com/


Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

Hey everyone, apparently BASIS changed its policy. They’re now accepting 100% of 9th grade students by lottery, just like Washington Leadership Academy and Thurgood Marshall!

Basis should be limited to at-risk kids. Signed - the Liberal Avenger

BASIS can do what it likes. It’s just repellent when people who are specifically referring to the high school hold BASIS out as superior to high schools that really do admit 100% of their 9th graders by lottery. BASIS DC HS is a test-in school, it’s just that you have to win a lottery to be allowed to sit the test. It is absurd to brag that BASIS is doing better than high schools that really do accept 100% of their 9th graders by lottery.

Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1. More would leave from BASIS for Walls if they could. Walls has better facilities, a more stable teaching force, more AP classes, much stronger ECs, dual enrollment option with GW to take college classes, four years of learning in four years of HS etc. Why wouldn't most who could leave want to?

Most Basis students accepted at Walls turn it down.

Walls has a much bigger high school but facilities are crappy. For example, they don't have gym, cafeteria, stage, studio space, or any sport fields. I guess GW isn't so generous with sharing their facilities.

Teaching at Walls doesn't seem that great. Bad teachers refuse to leave and they take months to replace teachers that depart. Stability isn't so great when you can't get rid of poor teachers and bring new teachers in rapidly.

More AP classes? Not per capita; Basis offers way more AP classes per student. Walls doesn't even offer AP bio every year, which is a pretty basic AP.

Walls is bigger and thus obviously offers more extracurriculars. But so what? Basis kids have plenty of options, both in school and out.

Basis can do the college dual enrollment option as well but since the Basis curriculum is already so rigorous most don't bother. It doesn't sound like most Walls students take advantage of dual enrollment program at GW, and most of those who take classes at GW are stuck with bad ones that GW students don't want.

Basis students are so advanced, they finish high school requirements by junior year and can do capstones their senior year. Sounds like a good thing.

A lot of students at Basis don't go to Walls because they don't want to be stuck repeating material that they already learned at Basis in middle school.

Since Walls scrapped the entrance exam, quality of the students has decreased. Grade inflation is so rampant that almost everyone is graduating with the highest honors, leaving students less prepared for college. Unfortunately, the school has really gone downhill in the last few years.

Don't buy this hyperbolic BS. As far as we can tell in 8th grade, roughly 3/4 of those admitted to Walls go. If BASIS students were so advanced, they'd be admitted to Ivies, Stanford, MIT. None were this year. The average AP language grade at BASIS isn't a 5. Agree that Walls is going downhill. BASIS is also going downhill.

[Anonymous]

+1. BASIS’ most advanced students are no more advanced than strong students at Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1. More would leave from BASIS for Walls if they could. Walls has better facilities, a more stable teaching force, more AP classes, much stronger ECs, dual enrollment option with GW to take college classes, four years of learning in four years of HS etc. Why wouldn't most who could leave want to?

Most Basis students accepted at Walls turn it down.

Walls has a much bigger high school but facilities are crappy. For example, they don't have gym, cafeteria, stage, studio space, or any sport fields. I guess GW isn't so generous with sharing their facilities.

Teaching at Walls doesn't seem that great. Bad teachers refuse to leave and they take months to replace teachers that depart. Stability isn't so great when you can't get rid of poor teachers and bring new teachers in rapidly.

More AP classes? Not per capita; Basis offers way more AP classes per student. Walls doesn't even offer AP bio every year, which is a pretty basic AP.

Walls is bigger and thus obviously offers more extracurriculars. But so what? Basis kids have plenty of options, both in school and out.

Basis can do the college dual enrollment option as well but since the Basis curriculum is already so rigorous most don't bother. It doesn't sound like most Walls students take advantage of dual enrollment program at GW, and most of those who take classes at GW are stuck with bad ones that GW students don't want.

Basis students are so advanced, they finish high school requirements by junior year and can do capstones their senior year. Sounds like a good thing.

A lot of students at Basis don't go to Walls because they don't want to be stuck repeating material that they already learned at Basis in middle school.

Since Walls scrapped the entrance exam, quality of the students has decreased. Grade inflation is so rampant that almost everyone is graduating with the highest honors, leaving students less prepared for college. Unfortunately, the school has really gone downhill in the last few years.

Don't buy this hyperbolic BS. As far as we can tell in 8th grade, roughly 3/4 of those admitted to Walls go. If BASIS students were so advanced, they'd be admitted to Ivies, Stanford, MIT. None were this year. The average AP language grade at BASIS isn't a 5. Agree that Walls is going downhill. BASIS is also going downhill.

I can see many scenarios in which I consider my child (who is doing quite well in Basis HS) to have succeeded without going to an Ivy, Stanford, or MIT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree w/post above. BASIS can rightfully claim bragging rights to being the strongest of the DC public middle schools overall. Not so for high school.

Seems to be the strongest non-selective high school in DC (it accepts 100% of its students by lottery), and one of the strongest in the entire country. It is absurd to compare it to schools that get to select 100% of their students.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=district-of-columbia&ranked=true
https://jaymathewschallengeindex.com/


Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

Hey everyone, apparently BASIS changed its policy. They’re now accepting 100% of 9th grade students by lottery, just like Washington Leadership Academy and Thurgood Marshall!

Basis should be limited to at-risk kids. Signed - the Liberal Avenger

BASIS can do what it likes. It’s just repellent when people who are specifically referring to the high school hold BASIS out as superior to high schools that really do admit 100% of their 9th graders by lottery. BASIS DC HS is a test-in school, it’s just that you have to win a lottery to be allowed to sit the test. It is absurd to brag that BASIS is doing better than high schools that really do accept 100% of their 9th graders by lottery.

Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

Getting a decent education shouldn’t be an episode of Survivor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1. More would leave from BASIS for Walls if they could. Walls has better facilities, a more stable teaching force, more AP classes, much stronger ECs, dual enrollment option with GW to take college classes, four years of learning in four years of HS etc. Why wouldn't most who could leave want to?

Most Basis students accepted at Walls turn it down.

Walls has a much bigger high school but facilities are crappy. For example, they don't have gym, cafeteria, stage, studio space, or any sport fields. I guess GW isn't so generous with sharing their facilities.

Teaching at Walls doesn't seem that great. Bad teachers refuse to leave and they take months to replace teachers that depart. Stability isn't so great when you can't get rid of poor teachers and bring new teachers in rapidly.

More AP classes? Not per capita; Basis offers way more AP classes per student. Walls doesn't even offer AP bio every year, which is a pretty basic AP.

Walls is bigger and thus obviously offers more extracurriculars. But so what? Basis kids have plenty of options, both in school and out.

Basis can do the college dual enrollment option as well but since the Basis curriculum is already so rigorous most don't bother. It doesn't sound like most Walls students take advantage of dual enrollment program at GW, and most of those who take classes at GW are stuck with bad ones that GW students don't want.

Basis students are so advanced, they finish high school requirements by junior year and can do capstones their senior year. Sounds like a good thing.

A lot of students at Basis don't go to Walls because they don't want to be stuck repeating material that they already learned at Basis in middle school.

Since Walls scrapped the entrance exam, quality of the students has decreased. Grade inflation is so rampant that almost everyone is graduating with the highest honors, leaving students less prepared for college. Unfortunately, the school has really gone downhill in the last few years.

Don't buy this hyperbolic BS. As far as we can tell in 8th grade, roughly 3/4 of those admitted to Walls go. If BASIS students were so advanced, they'd be admitted to Ivies, Stanford, MIT. None were this year. The average AP language grade at BASIS isn't a 5. Agree that Walls is going downhill. BASIS is also going downhill.

I can see many scenarios in which I consider my child (who is doing quite well in Basis HS) to have succeeded without going to an Ivy, Stanford, or MIT.

Grand. It's the BASIS franchise that's obsessed with colleges admitting in the single digits. Since you've been at BASIS all these years, you know as well as I do that admins and teachers start preaching the gospel of Ivy League and MIT admissions to the 5th graders. They boast and boast about Ivy and MIT admissions at open houses, parent nights, you name it. Whoops, no Ivy or MIT admissions this year. Something's rotten in the state of BASIS DC, er philosophically and programmatically.

[Anonymous]

Accurate and depressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree w/post above. BASIS can rightfully claim bragging rights to being the strongest of the DC public middle schools overall. Not so for high school.

Seems to be the strongest non-selective high school in DC (it accepts 100% of its students by lottery), and one of the strongest in the entire country. It is absurd to compare it to schools that get to select 100% of their students.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=district-of-columbia&ranked=true
https://jaymathewschallengeindex.com/


Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

Hey everyone, apparently BASIS changed its policy. They’re now accepting 100% of 9th grade students by lottery, just like Washington Leadership Academy and Thurgood Marshall!

Basis should be limited to at-risk kids. Signed - the Liberal Avenger

BASIS can do what it likes. It’s just repellent when people who are specifically referring to the high school hold BASIS out as superior to high schools that really do admit 100% of their 9th graders by lottery. BASIS DC HS is a test-in school, it’s just that you have to win a lottery to be allowed to sit the test. It is absurd to brag that BASIS is doing better than high schools that really do accept 100% of their 9th graders by lottery.

Yes - the performance of most schools is largely attributable to their student bodies so I give Basis little credit for producing academic high fliers by attrition. But that’s neither here nor there if your kid is one of the thriving survivors. It’s sort of perfect to have a HS student body whittled down to true academic peers. And I’m fully aware that many other high achievers prefer/need something different.

Getting a decent education shouldn’t be an episode of Survivor.

So much that shouldn’t be but is. Things like BASIS exist because so much of public education has failed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1. More would leave from BASIS for Walls if they could. Walls has better facilities, a more stable teaching force, more AP classes, much stronger ECs, dual enrollment option with GW to take college classes, four years of learning in four years of HS etc. Why wouldn't most who could leave want to?

Most Basis students accepted at Walls turn it down.

Walls has a much bigger high school but facilities are crappy. For example, they don't have gym, cafeteria, stage, studio space, or any sport fields. I guess GW isn't so generous with sharing their facilities.

Teaching at Walls doesn't seem that great. Bad teachers refuse to leave and they take months to replace teachers that depart. Stability isn't so great when you can't get rid of poor teachers and bring new teachers in rapidly.

More AP classes? Not per capita; Basis offers way more AP classes per student. Walls doesn't even offer AP bio every year, which is a pretty basic AP.

Walls is bigger and thus obviously offers more extracurriculars. But so what? Basis kids have plenty of options, both in school and out.

Basis can do the college dual enrollment option as well but since the Basis curriculum is already so rigorous most don't bother. It doesn't sound like most Walls students take advantage of dual enrollment program at GW, and most of those who take classes at GW are stuck with bad ones that GW students don't want.

Basis students are so advanced, they finish high school requirements by junior year and can do capstones their senior year. Sounds like a good thing.

A lot of students at Basis don't go to Walls because they don't want to be stuck repeating material that they already learned at Basis in middle school.

Since Walls scrapped the entrance exam, quality of the students has decreased. Grade inflation is so rampant that almost everyone is graduating with the highest honors, leaving students less prepared for college. Unfortunately, the school has really gone downhill in the last few years.

Don't buy this hyperbolic BS. As far as we can tell in 8th grade, roughly 3/4 of those admitted to Walls go. If BASIS students were so advanced, they'd be admitted to Ivies, Stanford, MIT. None were this year. The average AP language grade at BASIS isn't a 5. Agree that Walls is going downhill. BASIS is also going downhill.

I can see many scenarios in which I consider my child (who is doing quite well in Basis HS) to have succeeded without going to an Ivy, Stanford, or MIT.

Grand. It's the BASIS franchise that's obsessed with colleges admitting in the single digits. Since you've been at BASIS all these years, you know as well as I do that admins and teachers start preaching the gospel of Ivy League and MIT admissions to the 5th graders. They boast and boast about Ivy and MIT admissions at open houses, parent nights, you name it. Whoops, no Ivy or MIT admissions this year. Something's rotten in the state of BASIS DC, er philosophically and programmatically.

You are so odd. You know there were admissions to Caltech and Hopkins, which are just as good as Ivies or MIT. Is the problem that your kid couldn’t get into any of these schools? Does your kid even go to BASIS?

[Anonymous]

You can boost for BASIS DC all you like without making 2023 into a banner admissions year. 2020, 2021 and 2022 were much more impressive. Something isn’t working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can boost for BASIS DC all you like without making 2023 into a banner admissions year. 2020, 2021 and 2022 were much more impressive. Something isn’t working.

This statement doesn’t make the point you think it does. And I say this as someone with serious doubts about the Basis model even if it does “produce” impressive college admissions.

[Anonymous]

I don't what you're alluding to. Please explain.

I can tell you that there's growing concern in the hs parent community about inter-connected issues: inadequate teacher pay, what looks like a higher drop off rate to Walls than in the past, unimpressive hs ecs as compared to ms ecs and this year's somewhat disappointing admissions results.

In the last few years, hs parents grew accustomed to seeing ivy admits, mainly for Yale, Harvard and Princeton. It's not lost on us that Walls and JR had ivy successes this year, and not just for low SES minority applicants or recruited athletes (mostly from the JR crew team).

We wouldn't be as concerned if the head of school didn't blow off our concerns as a general rule. Some of us, particularly those with hs students with ms sibs, are hoping that he leaves. He's much more interested in the ms than the hs, which has become a problem.

[Anonymous]

When are they going to fire Mr. Rose?