BASIS early acceptances

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More "progressive charter" curricula for MS & HS? Washington Latin's curriculum looks a whole lot like the one my devout Catholic grandfather followed in the 1920s! All that school Latin helped him enter a seminary afterwards, until he decided not to graduate to become a priest. We want our children to study modern languages and current affairs in school. BASIS' STEM heavy curriculum is really weak on English lit. From where I sit, DCPS' MS and HS curriculum isn't the problem - lack of academic rigor is, and in a big way.

Surely you know that students at Latin also study an additional language, and that current events are a major part of the curriculum?

There’s a poster who always pipes in on these threads to talk about how weak Basis is and how old-fashioned Latin is. I’m sure Stuart-Hobson will be fine for you, but why dump on other people’s choices all the time? Where other people send their children doesn’t have anything to do with yours.

I am not a poster who complains about Basis and boosts for Hobson.

Latin doesn't even teach Spanish. Other than Latin instruction, teaching languages doesn't appear to be the school's strong suit. Same with math. Current events are not a major part of the curriculum, at least not according to the admins I talked to when I dropped my 4th grader off recently for a shadow day.

Um, public schools run on taxpayers' money. We're all impacted by the kinds of schools our jurisdiction supports. Reasonable criticism on the part of stakeholders isn't "dumping" on a school, though it may be a call to action. Dc has too many programs doing a fairly good job of serving average students, and very few serving t op students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More "progressive charter" curricula for MS & HS? Washington Latin's curriculum looks a whole lot like the one my devout Catholic grandfather followed in the 1920s! All that school Latin helped him enter a seminary afterwards, until he decided not to graduate to become a priest. We want our children to study modern languages and current affairs in school. BASIS' STEM heavy curriculum is really weak on English lit. From where I sit, DCPS' MS and HS curriculum isn't the problem - lack of academic rigor is, and in a big way.

Surely you know that students at Latin also study an additional language, and that current events are a major part of the curriculum?

There’s a poster who always pipes in on these threads to talk about how weak Basis is and how old-fashioned Latin is. I’m sure Stuart-Hobson will be fine for you, but why dump on other people’s choices all the time? Where other people send their children doesn’t have anything to do with yours.

I am not a poster who complains about Basis and boosts for Hobson.

Latin doesn't even teach Spanish. Other than Latin instruction, teaching languages doesn't appear to be the school's strong suit. Same with math. Current events are not a major part of the curriculum, at least not according to the admins I talked to when I dropped my 4th grader off recently for a shadow day.

Just FYI, Latin has committed to offering Spanish going forward. It was part of their plan to try and attract a more diverse applicant pool as they add a new campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. The big picture matters.

We could have seen these sort of early college acceptances from DCPS programs this year if city leaders were serious about injecting real rigor for high achievers into DCPS K-12 programs across the District.

They aren't.

Maybe. But keep in mind that about half of BASIS students (and the BDC alums who are at selective colleges now) were in DCPS schools from PK-4 or 5. And many BDC students go back to DCPS for high school.

Come on DCPS booster, preK -4 or 5 is not where it’s at to get into the top colleges. Please....

It’s a rigorous middle school curriculum compounded on top of a even more rigorous high school experience. That’s not happening in DCPS and why there is silence on the Wilson front of kids getting into top schools ED.

i believe they did. but all are legacy. the one i know is for sure.

What an odd thing to post directly after the poster noting the 4 Wilson kids admitted to Yale.

Huh? No way Wilson got 4 kids into Yale early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. The big picture matters.

We could have seen these sort of early college acceptances from DCPS programs this year if city leaders were serious about injecting real rigor for high achievers into DCPS K-12 programs across the District.

They aren't.

Maybe. But keep in mind that about half of BASIS students (and the BDC alums who are at selective colleges now) were in DCPS schools from PK-4 or 5. And many BDC students go back to DCPS for high school.

Come on DCPS booster, preK -4 or 5 is not where it’s at to get into the top colleges. Please....

It’s a rigorous middle school curriculum compounded on top of a even more rigorous high school experience. That’s not happening in DCPS and why there is silence on the Wilson front of kids getting into top schools ED.

What an odd thing to post directly after the poster noting the 4 Wilson kids admitted to Yale.

Huh? No way Wilson got 4 kids into Yale early.

i believe they did. but all are legacy. the one i know is for sure.
the harvard Wilson admit i know is (strong) legacy as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More "progressive charter" curricula for MS & HS? Washington Latin's curriculum looks a whole lot like the one my devout Catholic grandfather followed in the 1920s! All that school Latin helped him enter a seminary afterwards, until he decided not to graduate to become a priest. We want our children to study modern languages and current affairs in school. BASIS' STEM heavy curriculum is really weak on English lit. From where I sit, DCPS' MS and HS curriculum isn't the problem - lack of academic rigor is, and in a big way.

Surely you know that students at Latin also study an additional language, and that current events are a major part of the curriculum?

There’s a poster who always pipes in on these threads to talk about how weak Basis is and how old-fashioned Latin is. I’m sure Stuart-Hobson will be fine for you, but why dump on other people’s choices all the time? Where other people send their children doesn’t have anything to do with yours.

I am not a poster who complains about Basis and boosts for Hobson.

Latin doesn't even teach Spanish. Other than Latin instruction, teaching languages doesn't appear to be the school's strong suit. Same with math. Current events are not a major part of the curriculum, at least not according to the admins I talked to when I dropped my 4th grader off recently for a shadow day.

Just FYI, Latin has committed to offering Spanish going forward. It was part of their plan to try and attract a more diverse applicant pool as they add a new campus.

That's good. Maybe "dumping" pays dividends now and then. Can't see how offering Spanish will enable them to attract a more diverse applicant pool, but not a bad idea anyway.

[Anonymous]

Fair or not, I think they have received feedback that not offering Spanish in a city with DC’s demographic sends a signal that Spanish/Latino culture isn’t worth studying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. The big picture matters.

We could have seen these sort of early college acceptances from DCPS programs this year if city leaders were serious about injecting real rigor for high achievers into DCPS K-12 programs across the District.

They aren't.

Maybe. But keep in mind that about half of BASIS students (and the BDC alums who are at selective colleges now) were in DCPS schools from PK-4 or 5. And many BDC students go back to DCPS for high school.

Come on DCPS booster, preK -4 or 5 is not where it’s at to get into the top colleges. Please....

It’s a rigorous middle school curriculum compounded on top of a even more rigorous high school experience. That’s not happening in DCPS and why there is silence on the Wilson front of kids getting into top schools ED.

What an odd thing to post directly after the poster noting the 4 Wilson kids admitted to Yale.

Huh? No way Wilson got 4 kids into Yale early.

i believe they did. but all are legacy. the one i know is for sure.
the harvard Wilson admit i know is (strong) legacy as well.

So what percentage of Wilson’s 2020 class got admitted to a top 10 college or SLAC early?

And does anyone know how maby Questbridge scholars and Questbridge matches Wilson has had in the last 2-3 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More "progressive charter" curricula for MS & HS? Washington Latin's curriculum looks a whole lot like the one my devout Catholic grandfather followed in the 1920s! All that school Latin helped him enter a seminary afterwards, until he decided not to graduate to become a priest. We want our children to study modern languages and current affairs in school. BASIS' STEM heavy curriculum is really weak on English lit. From where I sit, DCPS' MS and HS curriculum isn't the problem - lack of academic rigor is, and in a big way.

Surely you know that students at Latin also study an additional language, and that current events are a major part of the curriculum?

There’s a poster who always pipes in on these threads to talk about how weak Basis is and how old-fashioned Latin is. I’m sure Stuart-Hobson will be fine for you, but why dump on other people’s choices all the time? Where other people send their children doesn’t have anything to do with yours.

I am not a poster who complains about Basis and boosts for Hobson.

Latin doesn't even teach Spanish. Other than Latin instruction, teaching languages doesn't appear to be the school's strong suit. Same with math. Current events are not a major part of the curriculum, at least not according to the admins I talked to when I dropped my 4th grader off recently for a shadow day.

Kids have to complete at least 2 years of a second language, currently French, Arabic and Mandarin. Spanish being added.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. The big picture matters.

We could have seen these sort of early college acceptances from DCPS programs this year if city leaders were serious about injecting real rigor for high achievers into DCPS K-12 programs across the District.

They aren't.

Maybe. But keep in mind that about half of BASIS students (and the BDC alums who are at selective colleges now) were in DCPS schools from PK-4 or 5. And many BDC students go back to DCPS for high school.

Come on DCPS booster, preK -4 or 5 is not where it’s at to get into the top colleges. Please....

It’s a rigorous middle school curriculum compounded on top of a even more rigorous high school experience. That’s not happening in DCPS and why there is silence on the Wilson front of kids getting into top schools ED.

What an odd thing to post directly after the poster noting the 4 Wilson kids admitted to Yale.

Huh? No way Wilson got 4 kids into Yale early.

i believe they did. but all are legacy. the one i know is for sure.
the harvard Wilson admit i know is (strong) legacy as well.

The Maret kid is basically the strongest kind of legacy there is. Great candidate though. It is marginally to quite a bit easier to get in as a legacy, but legacies are also more likely to apply to their parents’ school than other comparably elite ones. So it does cut both ways.

[Anonymous]

11% of Yale are legacies.
14% of Princeton students are legacies.
14% of Harvard students are legacies. Between 2009 to 2015 legacy students were accepted at a rate of 34% (NPR)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-21/notre-dame-baylor-top-harvard-yale-for-most-legacies-admitted

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/04/663629750/legacy-admissions-offer-an-advantage-and-not-just-at-schools-like-harvard

[Anonymous]

Applying to Yale from a STEM school. Well played.

Congrats to these kids! DD was accepted last year for 5th but it wasn’t a good fit. That said, it’s a great option for those IB for schools like ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Applying to Yale from a STEM school. Well played.

Congrats to these kids! DD was accepted last year for 5th but it wasn’t a good fit. That said, it’s a great option for those IB for schools like ours.

It really isn't a STEM school (certainly not if you are looking for the 'TE' parts). Not to mention you can also study science or medicine at Yale!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can this be? They have a depressing building with no gym or stage? And the homework load is oppressive.

(sarcasm)

Being admitted to MIT is fantastic--I know, it's my alma mater--but hardly the be and end all. I want my kid to attend schools that are strong academically, AND have a computer lab, school library, strong fine arts program, good music program and decent playing fields/sports. My 4th grade kid shadowed for a day at BASIS recently and said, no thanks, "I'd suffocate in there."

I'm pleased to hear that future MIT students don't mind the depressing building, or at least can handle it, but fail to see how access to good facilities at school would hurt the admissions prospects of BASIS DC's senior class...

The point is that despite the subpar facilities, the inexperienced college counseling, and so on ... many BASIS students' are well prepared for and receiving admission to elite colleges and universities. Since virtually all of them live outside the Wilson boundary and have crappy IB options, their choice seems to have paid off. Of course it would be great if the facilities were better -- but that can be said for virtually every charter school in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can this be? They have a depressing building with no gym or stage? And the homework load is oppressive.

(sarcasm)

Being admitted to MIT is fantastic--I know, it's my alma mater--but hardly the be and end all. I want my kid to attend schools that are strong academically, AND have a computer lab, school library, strong fine arts program, good music program and decent playing fields/sports. My 4th grade kid shadowed for a day at BASIS recently and said, no thanks, "I'd suffocate in there."

I'm pleased to hear that future MIT students don't mind the depressing building, or at least can handle it, but fail to see how access to good facilities at school would hurt the admissions prospects of BASIS DC's senior class...

The point is that despite the subpar facilities, the inexperienced college counseling, and so on ... many BASIS students' are well prepared for and receiving admission to elite colleges and universities. Since virtually all of them live outside the Wilson boundary and have crappy IB options, their choice seems to have paid off. Of course it would be great if the facilities were better -- but that can be said for virtually every charter school in the city.

the college counselors are actually great at their jobs even if one of them is newer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can this be? They have a depressing building with no gym or stage? And the homework load is oppressive.

(sarcasm)

Being admitted to MIT is fantastic--I know, it's my alma mater--but hardly the be and end all. I want my kid to attend schools that are strong academically, AND have a computer lab, school library, strong fine arts program, good music program and decent playing fields/sports. My 4th grade kid shadowed for a day at BASIS recently and said, no thanks, "I'd suffocate in there."

I'm pleased to hear that future MIT students don't mind the depressing building, or at least can handle it, but fail to see how access to good facilities at school would hurt the admissions prospects of BASIS DC's senior class...

The point is that despite the subpar facilities, the inexperienced college counseling, and so on ... many BASIS students' are well prepared for and receiving admission to elite colleges and universities. Since virtually all of them live outside the Wilson boundary and have crappy IB options, their choice seems to have paid off. Of course it would be great if the facilities were better -- but that can be said for virtually every charter school in the city.

the college counselors are actually great at their jobs even if one of them is newer

BASIS parent here - the current college counselors are not very good. The top students are getting into great schools with little to no help from them.