Grading at Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Our child is new to Potomac's ninth grade this year. He/she is liking it socially, but has been frustrated by lower-than-expected grades, particularly in math and science. Our son/daughter was placed into the advanced classes and had done very well in these subjects previously. However, despite studying a great deal, he/she is routinely receiving B's, C's, and even D's on tests. Based upon what our child overhears and classmates' disappointed expressions, these types of grades don't seem to be that uncommon, and it doesn't seem that the school grades tests on a curve even if many students received C's or D's.

Has this been the experience of other upper school parents? DC came from a rigorous school so we don't think it's a case of Potomac being significantly harder than the previous school.

We probably should have researched this earlier, but have learned that the school also does not give grade boosts for honors courses. We are becoming concerned that college options may be limited when compared to the public school students who have 4.6 GPAs.

We know that Potomac has a great record of college placement but are beginning to wonder if this is perhaps only for the students with perfect 4.0 GPAs. Our child is becoming more and more frustrated, saying that he/she can't study any harder. Moreover, he/she is losing interest in subjects that he/she had enjoyed before.

Is this commonplace, or is this a unique experience? We are worried.

[Anonymous]

Uncommon. Sounds like dc needs a tutor to help get on track

[Anonymous]

OP, was your DC from public school AAP or GT program or a private MS?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, but it will likely be obvious who we are if we identify the school.

[Anonymous]

Potomac publishes a list of 11th grade grades on the college advising sheet. Cs and Ds are not common. The accelerated math track is challenging; outside support or a switch to regular math might help the situation. Is your child meeting with the teacher during free periods to get guidance? They are available if your child seeks help! As to your question about competing with 4.0+ gpas elsewhere, the colleges receive a summary of the school and its rigor, and can properly compare gpas. It sounds like the accelerated math is causing a lot of pain and stress—I’d talk to the teacher and your child to see if a switch would help. The kids who switch out of accelerated seem to cruise through the regular math with more success and less stress!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Potomac publishes a list of 11th grade grades on the college advising sheet. Cs and Ds are not common. The accelerated math track is challenging; outside support or a switch to regular math might help the situation. Is your child meeting with the teacher during free periods to get guidance? They are available if your child seeks help! As to your question about competing with 4.0+ gpas elsewhere, the colleges receive a summary of the school and its rigor, and can properly compare gpas. It sounds like the accelerated math is causing a lot of pain and stress—I’d talk to the teacher and your child to see if a switch would help. The kids who switch out of accelerated seem to cruise through the regular math with more success and less stress!

I have seen that school profile and I think the last couple of year's classes are just really outstanding and also that by junior year, many of them have learned better how to meet the expectations, so grades generally go up. OP: I have a sophomore who struggles greatly to get Cs and sometimes low Bs, so I feel your frustration. One or two of the parents who I feel comfortable talking to have expressed similar frustrations. Though I know some of DC's good friends do get better grades. I have talked to the various contacts at school and they have very little to say about it. Unfortunately, in our case, I think DC has been peggged as a C student, so has to stretch even further than others to get the B or B+. Let's face it, in order to have students at the top, there have to be students at the bottom and I very much think they decide fairly on which students fit where and there is very little chance to be seen as otherwise. I wish I could give you more, other than to say that your DC is not alone in the frustration or the less than stellar grades.

[Anonymous]

Potomac's accelerated courses are extraordinarily difficult and they only get harder the higher up you go. What I have learned with my kids is that if you are getting solid B's or below, you do not belong in that accelerated course. Both for the sake of the grade and the sake of the education, it seems like your kid should drop down a level.

As for college placement, there are very few (if any) Potomac students who get a 4.0. It seems like if your kid has a 3.5+, they will end up at an extremely selective school, meaning a top 20ish university or top SLAC. A bad freshman year won't kill you. Get better grades in easier classes, enjoy learning for the sake of learning, have fun in high school. Your kid should be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potomac publishes a list of 11th grade grades on the college advising sheet. Cs and Ds are not common. The accelerated math track is challenging; outside support or a switch to regular math might help the situation. Is your child meeting with the teacher during free periods to get guidance? They are available if your child seeks help! As to your question about competing with 4.0+ gpas elsewhere, the colleges receive a summary of the school and its rigor, and can properly compare gpas. It sounds like the accelerated math is causing a lot of pain and stress—I’d talk to the teacher and your child to see if a switch would help. The kids who switch out of accelerated seem to cruise through the regular math with more success and less stress!

I have seen that school profile and I think the last couple of year's classes are just really outstanding and also that by junior year, many of them have learned better how to meet the expectations, so grades generally go up. OP: I have a sophomore who struggles greatly to get Cs and sometimes low Bs, so I feel your frustration. One or two of the parents who I feel comfortable talking to have expressed similar frustrations. Though I know some of DC's good friends do get better grades. I have talked to the various contacts at school and they have very little to say about it. Unfortunately, in our case, I think DC has been peggged as a C student, so has to stretch even further than others to get the B or B+. Let's face it, in order to have students at the top, there have to be students at the bottom and I very much think they decide fairly on which students fit where and there is very little chance to be seen as otherwise. I wish I could give you more, other than to say that your DC is not alone in the frustration or the less than stellar grades.

1. >$41K tuition
2. Bad grades or trying to get great grades - need outside tutoring services
3. May still need outside college counseling services
4. No AP classes in Potomac and other DC private schools in the future (cannot graduate from UVA and other great state schools in 3 years)
...

Then what are the benefits of going to private school??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Potomac's accelerated courses are extraordinarily difficult and they only get harder the higher up you go. What I have learned with my kids is that if you are getting solid B's or below, you do not belong in that accelerated course. Both for the sake of the grade and the sake of the education, it seems like your kid should drop down a level.

As for college placement, there are very few (if any) Potomac students who get a 4.0. It seems like if your kid has a 3.5+, they will end up at an extremely selective school, meaning a top 20ish university or top SLAC. A bad freshman year won't kill you. Get better grades in easier classes, enjoy learning for the sake of learning, have fun in high school. Your kid should be fine.

It looks like 2/3 of the junior grades are A's, so a significant number must have 4.0s since junior year is the hardest year. Potomac appears to have massive grade inflation - especially when compared with the middling results kids get on standardized tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potomac publishes a list of 11th grade grades on the college advising sheet. Cs and Ds are not common. The accelerated math track is challenging; outside support or a switch to regular math might help the situation. Is your child meeting with the teacher during free periods to get guidance? They are available if your child seeks help! As to your question about competing with 4.0+ gpas elsewhere, the colleges receive a summary of the school and its rigor, and can properly compare gpas. It sounds like the accelerated math is causing a lot of pain and stress—I’d talk to the teacher and your child to see if a switch would help. The kids who switch out of accelerated seem to cruise through the regular math with more success and less stress!

I have seen that school profile and I think the last couple of year's classes are just really outstanding and also that by junior year, many of them have learned better how to meet the expectations, so grades generally go up. OP: I have a sophomore who struggles greatly to get Cs and sometimes low Bs, so I feel your frustration. One or two of the parents who I feel comfortable talking to have expressed similar frustrations. Though I know some of DC's good friends do get better grades. I have talked to the various contacts at school and they have very little to say about it. Unfortunately, in our case, I think DC has been peggged as a C student, so has to stretch even further than others to get the B or B+. Let's face it, in order to have students at the top, there have to be students at the bottom and I very much think they decide fairly on which students fit where and there is very little chance to be seen as otherwise. I wish I could give you more, other than to say that your DC is not alone in the frustration or the less than stellar grades.

1. >$41K tuition
2. Bad grades or trying to get great grades - need outside tutoring services
3. May still need outside college counseling services
4. No AP classes in Potomac and other DC private schools in the future (cannot graduate from UVA and other great state schools in 3 years)
...

Then what are the benefits of going to private school??

My kid is exactly what you described above at Potomac school. Not only we pay tuition, DC requires constant tutoring services and not taking any AP classes. DC grade at Potomac is below 3.0 and he might not get accepted into UVA. But you know what, it is OK by me. DC could have gone to Mclean HS and got straight A with AP classes but my wife and I want DC to be at Potomac school and struggle. Eventually DC will figure it out, or maybe not and that is fine too. I think the way Potomac school educates the student is second to none. Potomac school definitely prepares its students for college. I would not trade DC low GPA at Potomac over 5.0 GPA at Mclean HS.

https://www.prepreview.com/school/potomac-school-review-brown-university-500

[Anonymous]

Hi OP. I am a Potomac US parent. I also have a kid who came into Potomac from another school and I share the following based on our experience:

1.) The other school was probably not as rigorous as you thought - that is common - even if your kid tests into the most advanced course, there is going to be a learning curve for new kids. Potomac is hard. Kids who come from other schools with great reputations and top grades often struggle at first (mine did).
2.) HS is always a step up in rigor and requires probably twice as much work/studying to achieve the same grades as a student got in 7th/8th. Double the amount of time your kid was spending last year. Plus, studying is a long-term effort, not just for the week (or day) before a test/quiz. Every night there has to be some review of material and real studying, not just doing "homework".
3.) If your kid is losing interest, he or she should move down a level to where he or she will be more comfortable and engaged. Kids lose interest when they are bored or lost, sounds like your's is the latter.
4.) Private school kids' GPAs are not judged as lacking against those with higher public school weighted-GPAs (college admission folks know what is what and Potomac has a excellent reputation for rigor -see getting rid of AP thread). Its a non-issue.
5.) There are kids with straight As or mostly As at Potomac, so ignor the person who says its unheard of, its just not many kids. It is achievable but it may well be that kid's only focus. Every kid I know with straight As at a top private in the area spent most of their time on schoolwork/studying.

I'd advise, based on your post, that you request you kid be moved out of the accelerated/advanced classes for sophomore year, its not worth it if he/she is getting Cs and Ds and isn't learning what he needs to learn. The more advanced classes are really just moving faster, not learning different material. Maybe keep one but not 2 or 3. Also, freshman year is hard, at all of the top private schools, for almost all kids, but it will get better.

[Anonymous]

There is a large gap between accelerate and advanced when it comes to math. There is also a problem in that the relevant teachers change frequently depending on overall needs, so they are sometime not as attuned to look for issues with students who may be overwhelmed. IF the struggle is solely in math, then, as other posters advised, drop down next year. If it is across the board, then some other support is likely necessary. And ignore the PP who thinks there is grade inflation, they speak from ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child is new to Potomac's ninth grade this year. He/she is liking it socially, but has been frustrated by lower-than-expected grades, particularly in math and science. Our son/daughter was placed into the advanced classes and had done very well in these subjects previously. However, despite studying a great deal, he/she is routinely receiving B's, C's, and even D's on tests. Based upon what our child overhears and classmates' disappointed expressions, these types of grades don't seem to be that uncommon, and it doesn't seem that the school grades tests on a curve even if many students received C's or D's.

Has this been the experience of other upper school parents? DC came from a rigorous school so we don't think it's a case of Potomac being significantly harder than the previous school.

We probably should have researched this earlier, but have learned that the school also does not give grade boosts for honors courses. We are becoming concerned that college options may be limited when compared to the public school students who have 4.6 GPAs.

We know that Potomac has a great record of college placement but are beginning to wonder if this is perhaps only for the students with perfect 4.0 GPAs. Our child is becoming more and more frustrated, saying that he/she can't study any harder. Moreover, he/she is losing interest in subjects that he/she had enjoyed before.

Is this commonplace, or is this a unique experience? We are worried.

Freshman Bio at Potomac is a killer. Aside from that it is tolerable. Colleges know which classes are honors and advanced. I have an older High School Student there.

[Anonymous]

Potomac is starting to more like a “pressure cooker” to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there are very few (if any) Potomac students who get a 4.0

How can this be true? I see folks on DCUM constantly posting that grade inflation is rampant in the private schools.