Does going to a Big 3 school really help with college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our experience based on kids who were top of their class in public school through 8th grade, then Big 3 for 9th through 12th. I do think they and their peers at the private school had better outcomes than their peers who stayed in public. But you have to look at it in the aggregate. Will each top Big 3 student get into a top 10 college? No. Will most of them get into a top 20? Yes. Moreso than is the case with the top students at their public. But top 20 may not be deemed good enough for the parents on this thread. Your individual kid, even if they end up at the absolute top of the private school class, is not guaranteed a spot at HYPSM.

But they have some advantages in the college application process. In addition to getting more personalized attention for teacher and counselor recommendations, the private school kids also get more opportunities to participate and have leadership roles in extracurriculars. In public school, you need to be the best of the best to land the top theater roles, compete on academic teams and sports teams, etc. Because there are so many fewer kids in the private school, they can participate in anything that interests them. Colleges like to see that a super high-achiever will also bring other contributions to campus life. So, imho, it isn’t because the private school is “better” but there are advantages to being in a smaller cohort. And I do find that the private school peers are much more well-rounded interesting PEOPLE, regardless of the college they end up in. And this makes it worth it to us.

Can you share a bit more about why you think the private school kids are more interesting than the public school ones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our experience based on kids who were top of their class in public school through 8th grade, then Big 3 for 9th through 12th. I do think they and their peers at the private school had better outcomes than their peers who stayed in public. But you have to look at it in the aggregate. Will each top Big 3 student get into a top 10 college? No. Will most of them get into a top 20? Yes. Moreso than is the case with the top students at their public. But top 20 may not be deemed good enough for the parents on this thread. Your individual kid, even if they end up at the absolute top of the private school class, is not guaranteed a spot at HYPSM.

But they have some advantages in the college application process. In addition to getting more personalized attention for teacher and counselor recommendations, the private school kids also get more opportunities to participate and have leadership roles in extracurriculars. In public school, you need to be the best of the best to land the top theater roles, compete on academic teams and sports teams, etc. Because there are so many fewer kids in the private school, they can participate in anything that interests them. Colleges like to see that a super high-achiever will also bring other contributions to campus life. So, imho, it isn’t because the private school is “better” but there are advantages to being in a smaller cohort. And I do find that the private school peers are much more well-rounded interesting PEOPLE, regardless of the college they end up in. And this makes it worth it to us.

My experience with leaving as top kid from public (Deal) after 8 is that the kids who stayed behind at Wilson are attending and applying to the exact same colleges as those who left for a big3 private. My kid is one who left. The private school kids may have the bump from having more shots at traditional extracurriculars but the Wilson kids have a significant bump from going to an urban public school which is HUGE. Also agree that there is no guarantee at all that your very bright kid from public will be in the top 10% at the private. At all. The big3 private cohort is by-in-large selected from top students from all over the DMV. And well, only 10% can graduate in the top 10%. Plenty of very bright kids who would have excelled in their home publics will graduate at the 75% or 50% mark in the private. Plus you have the legacy and VIP factor which is prevalent every corner of the DMV but found exponentially at the big3 schools.

My experience is only with Wilson vs. Big3. I don't know anything about MD or VA schools--things may vary there. But in DC, it is very obvious to me that a very strong student will receive no admissions bump from a big3 vs. Wilson. If anything it will be a bump down. I know a pair of twins who is applying to college this year (one Wilson, one Big3). Equal academic ability--both top students when they left middle school. Guess what? They're applying to the same level of schools. Exact same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Moving to a state with less than 5M population or no large 2M pp urban areas would help.

Applying from this area is a crapshoot, but you'll get something good within your GPA and ECs band.

Only other thing I'd add is the as a top 10%-er in private school, if you have a top pick college (say MIT) and a big donor kid with similar stats as you has the same college (not even same program necessarily), the HOS and Counselor will give the nod to the donor kid. That sux but your runner up colleges will be Ivy anyhow and you'll get in.

Secondly, top 10% kids of private schools are pushed to apply to 5 or 6 max colleges. No hoovering up all the spots, leave some for others.

Public schools do not play that game. You want to go there, you apply. Counselors won't throttle down your app #, nor push two top students against each other when MIT AdCom calls. Private schools (everywhere in the country) will.

Based on observation at our private school, none of this happens.

How many colleges do the top 10% of the class apply to at your school? Why?

How many non-athlete academic super stars on fin aid got in to their absolute 1st choice? I know it's splitting hairs of Yale vs MIT vs Princeton but I mean absolute first choice, going in to November or ED.

All students are asked to have at least 9 schools those who get in early to a top choice apply to less. Others apply to as many as they feel they need. No limitations.

The second question is pretty tacky. We don’t ask who is on financial aid. If you’re talking just non athletes, then probably about 80%.

OTOH, I do see threads each year where parents complain that their school will only support a limited number of applications. It always seems like they don’t feel they can apply to as many as they like regardless of what the school says.

Can only speak to what we saw with our kids. There is certainly a discussion with the counselor about withdrawing applications if you’re accepted somewhere but they don’t force you or say they won’t support an application. Probably more pressure from peers to withdraw than from the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent who has spent $$$$ on a top flight non DC private. I think the answer is no. One factor you haven’t considered is that parents like me are more likely to be top school alums themselves. Between all those factors, I think it doesn’t much change admissions outcomes. And it certainly isn’t why I pay for private.

Same, but we're in DC.

I don't think our teens will end up at more competitive universities than our neighbors' kids at public HS, controlling for confounding variables.

I am certain they're getting different education experiences right now. Sometimes, it's the journey

This. I want my kids not just to have a *good* education but also a pleasant education. Both me and my spouse went to publics, spouse to TJ, and me in a differentiated T&G program within my neighborhood school. We both found the experience frustrating and wanted to opt out of the bureaucracy. It’s just a better experience, both for us as parents and for our kids as students.

We aren’t as rich as some people in this thread, but it also isn’t a huge strain financially. We aren’t trying to buy our kids’ way into Yale. We are trying to buy *our* way *out* of the public school experience.

+1000

[Anonymous]

STAs most recent class placements are an interesting indication. More than 20 out of the 80 or so kids went to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Chicago. A bunch more went to Duke, Vandy, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and NYU. When 50 or so out of 80 do that well ( and many of the others went to UNC, Michigan, Wash U, Amherst, and the like) there is something positive going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:STAs most recent class placements are an interesting indication. More than 20 out of the 80 or so kids went to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Chicago. A bunch more went to Duke, Vandy, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and NYU. When 50 or so out of 80 do that well ( and many of the others went to UNC, Michigan, Wash U, Amherst, and the like) there is something positive going on.

Any ideas what are these boys picking as their majors? Arts, Social sciences or STEM/engineering majors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STAs most recent class placements are an interesting indication. More than 20 out of the 80 or so kids went to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Chicago. A bunch more went to Duke, Vandy, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and NYU. When 50 or so out of 80 do that well ( and many of the others went to UNC, Michigan, Wash U, Amherst, and the like) there is something positive going on.

Any ideas what are these boys picking as their majors? Arts, Social sciences or STEM/engineering majors?

No clue in total but I do know a bunch of kids whose parents are doctors and have expressed interest in pursuing similar paths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STAs most recent class placements are an interesting indication. More than 20 out of the 80 or so kids went to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Chicago. A bunch more went to Duke, Vandy, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and NYU. When 50 or so out of 80 do that well ( and many of the others went to UNC, Michigan, Wash U, Amherst, and the like) there is something positive going on.

Any ideas what are these boys picking as their majors? Arts, Social sciences or STEM/engineering majors?

Stem, engineering. My oldest sta kid class now works in Silicon Valley - sales force, Google, tesla, startups - after going to top college Cs, math, engineering programs. Plus a history major who can learn anything.

[Anonymous]

Meant to say works in Bay Area with a few sta alums for his year and +/- Older or earlier years after they went all over for school.

The kids have motivation and great attitudes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meant to say works in Bay Area with a few sta alums for his year and +/- Older or earlier years after they went all over for school.

The kids have motivation and great attitudes.

How about NCS graduates? What do they major in top colleges? Are they mostly lawyers in training? Any STEM girls with good college placements and careers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STAs most recent class placements are an interesting indication. More than 20 out of the 80 or so kids went to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Chicago. A bunch more went to Duke, Vandy, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and NYU. When 50 or so out of 80 do that well ( and many of the others went to UNC, Michigan, Wash U, Amherst, and the like) there is something positive going on.

Any ideas what are these boys picking as their majors? Arts, Social sciences or STEM/engineering majors?

They’ve been at college for 2-3 months. Slow down, lady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:STAs most recent class placements are an interesting indication. More than 20 out of the 80 or so kids went to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Chicago. A bunch more went to Duke, Vandy, Penn, Cornell, Columbia and NYU. When 50 or so out of 80 do that well ( and many of the others went to UNC, Michigan, Wash U, Amherst, and the like) there is something positive going on.

The STA student body includes a lot of legacy kids and kids of parents who have development donor potential ($$$$) which inflates their admissions.

[Anonymous]

Legacy bumps are not nearly as big as they used to be. Too many out there applying, from public and private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Legacy bumps are not nearly as big as they used to be. Too many out there applying, from public and private.

But the legacy bump still trumps no matter who is applying. Also, those kids from public have younger siblings that have an advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Legacy bumps are not nearly as big as they used to be. Too many out there applying, from public and private.

But the legacy bump still trumps no matter who is applying. Also, those kids from public have younger siblings that have an advantage.

I hope you are right though since we have no legacy. Our kids’ parents did t grow up here so no local legacy.