Why can't non top tier privates just increase rigor and test prep to remove the perceived gap?

[Anonymous]

Exeter and Andover are miles ahead of the DC top 5. No comparison really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exeter and Andover are miles ahead of the DC top 5. No comparison really.

Oh really? How so? Please elaborate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exeter and Andover are miles ahead of the DC top 5. No comparison really.

Oh really? How so? Please elaborate.

More rigorous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

Are you serious? Those are all great schools that you mention, and undoubtedly more “rigorous” than many public high schools, but if “rigor” is what one is seeking, then you should be looking at top magnet schools. With all due respect, none of those schools - Sidwell, Andover, or Exeter - hold a candle to TJ in that regard, for instance.

Uh huh. Sure.

On STEM they are the same. Otherwise Andover and Exeter are miles ahead.

They aren’t remotely the same on STEM. Are you kidding me? The top 10% of students at any of those top privates would struggle to be in the top 50% at TJ. There is simply no comparison when it comes to math and science - and that holds for both the ability of the kids as well as the STEM-oriented resources and range of classes available at those schools.

Prove it.

DP -Only on private made the top 10: the Harker School. Public schools dominate.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regeneron_Science_Talent_Search

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or is increasing rigor actually quite difficult and/or expensive for a school to implement? Or perhaps parents would pushback if their children suddenly had a lot more homework and nightly studying and As were much tougher to earn?

Americans are so cute.

They actually think schools’ stature comes mostly from teaching and students’ work, and not from the students that get admitted, their preparation, their socialization, their peers, and their class.


Related:
Americans also believe people who work hard are rewarded with success in life. Again, cute and naive. Hard work is often important; more important is luck and inherited wealth.

This PP is pointing out a very salient fact. Many private schools - especially the ‘elite’ in this area - are class-based. They are too expensive and too little interested in true diversity to be merit-based. And the traditional populations of these schools prefer it that way.

This is absolutely true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or is increasing rigor actually quite difficult and/or expensive for a school to implement? Or perhaps parents would pushback if their children suddenly had a lot more homework and nightly studying and As were much tougher to earn?

Americans are so cute.

They actually think schools’ stature comes mostly from teaching and students’ work, and not from the students that get admitted, their preparation, their socialization, their peers, and their class.


Related:
Americans also believe people who work hard are rewarded with success in life. Again, cute and naive. Hard work is often important; more important is luck and inherited wealth.

This PP is pointing out a very salient fact. Many private schools - especially the ‘elite’ in this area - are class-based. They are too expensive and too little interested in true diversity to be merit-based. And the traditional populations of these schools prefer it that way.

This is absolutely true.

Yep. Without $, you don't attend these schools. There are brilliant kids in publics all across the area that would put these kids to shame----without a gazillion tutors and test prep courses as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exeter and Andover are miles ahead of the DC top 5. No comparison really.

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or is increasing rigor actually quite difficult and/or expensive for a school to implement? Or perhaps parents would pushback if their children suddenly had a lot more homework and nightly studying and As were much tougher to earn?

Americans are so cute.

They actually think schools’ stature comes mostly from teaching and students’ work, and not from the students that get admitted, their preparation, their socialization, their peers, and their class.


Related:
Americans also believe people who work hard are rewarded with success in life. Again, cute and naive. Hard work is often important; more important is luck and inherited wealth.

And I just love to see some expat who couldn't make it in their country or doesn't want to live in their country criticize ours. Cute.

[Anonymous]

Nice, attack the messenger instead of addressing the merits of what PP was saying (which apparently you're unable to do).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exeter and Andover are miles ahead of the DC top 5. No comparison really.

Oh really? How so? Please elaborate.

First of all, they have national maybe even international recognition. No one has heard of GDS and even Sidwell outside of the DC area. They are also unquestionably stronger in STEM. Every year MIT takes 10-15 kids each from Exeter and Andover. How many do they take from DC private schools? 0-1 maybe. Do I need to go on?

[Anonymous]

No s/he’s not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was common knowledge that private schools in general aren't known for their "rigor"? If rigor is your sina qua non, there are any number of terrific public high schools around here with boatloads of AP classes.

Huh?

Of course not. The best private schools go beyond AP, for one. Look at the course catalog for Sidwell, Andover, and Exeter. Then tell me about how they don’t have rigor. I mean this with no disrespect, but you honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.

Are you serious? Those are all great schools that you mention, and undoubtedly more “rigorous” than many public high schools, but if “rigor” is what one is seeking, then you should be looking at top magnet schools. With all due respect, none of those schools - Sidwell, Andover, or Exeter - hold a candle to TJ in that regard, for instance.

Uh huh. Sure.

On STEM they are the same. Otherwise Andover and Exeter are miles ahead.

They aren’t remotely the same on STEM. Are you kidding me? The top 10% of students at any of those top privates would struggle to be in the top 50% at TJ. There is simply no comparison when it comes to math and science - and that holds for both the ability of the kids as well as the STEM-oriented resources and range of classes available at those schools.

Prove it.

DP -Only on private made the top 10: the Harker School. Public schools dominate.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regeneron_Science_Talent_Search

I went to one of Andover/Exeter. Kids didn’t tend to enter those sorts of competitions, and yet we send about 30% of the class to the Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT every year, so colleges don’t seem to care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exeter and Andover are miles ahead of the DC top 5. No comparison really.

Oh really? How so? Please elaborate.

First of all, they have national maybe even international recognition. No one has heard of GDS and even Sidwell outside of the DC area. They are also unquestionably stronger in STEM. Every year MIT takes 10-15 kids each from Exeter and Andover. How many do they take from DC private schools? 0-1 maybe. Do I need to go on?

NP. Everyone knows about Sidwell. It’s very popular.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the general point on public school having impressive ratio of natural genius en masse. However, talent that exists in the world has never been be 100% captured in one singular institution. Academia stakeholders (schools, clubs, associations, etc) operate with great contrast in mission at times. They all have a unique goal to capture, build, and preserve their individual subculture, whatever that may be (wealth, wisdom, innovation, security, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Since when does strong STEM = genius?