2023 Niche results: Basis McLean #1 in VA in 3 categories: best private HS in VA, best college prep…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the intelligence and performance of Basis McLean kids was higher than that of kids at a bunch of DC prep schools, but the latter think the rankings should mainly reflect their personal wealth and social connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

It's all VA privates. VA is a big state. Makes BASIS ranking an even bigger joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

True. Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM message boards should be part of a private school's "business strategy"?

I really don’t understand why a former employee spending so much time defaming her former employer

Maybe they want to give potential new parents the complete picture at BIM, not just the PR spin from the admissions office. Why wouldn't a school or any organization be willing to own up to everything that has happened there since it opened? Aren't they asking parents to trust in their integrity? Why hide stuff like current enrollment numbers?

You can find accurate updated current enrollment numbers from ParentSquare

No, ParentSquare has many BASIS staff people throughout their network. Maybe the school could just publish an accurate number on its home page like other schools.

But that would break their rules about keeping all information and plans Top Secret. Parents are supposed to invest in a black box on faith.

You blamed Basis did not publish student enrollment number. I said you could find accurate updated student enrollment numbers with real student names associated with. Now you switch to the staff people.
I got it. As a former employee who left Basis, your goal is to defame Basis everyday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

It's all VA privates. VA is a big state. Makes BASIS ranking an even bigger joke.

I would not be surprised if pure academics is stronger than a lot of the elite privates. The kids we know who go there would be TJ bound so similar population but can afford private.

We know a lot of kids at St. Albans, Potomac, Landon, Holton, Madeira and Sidwell. The kids we know who go to Basis seem smarter. These are younger kids, not high school. My kids are in elementary and middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

It's all VA privates. VA is a big state. Makes BASIS ranking an even bigger joke.

I would not be surprised if pure academics is stronger than a lot of the elite privates. The kids we know who go there would be TJ bound so similar population but can afford private.

We know a lot of kids at St. Albans, Potomac, Landon, Holton, Madeira and Sidwell. The kids we know who go to Basis seem smarter. These are younger kids, not high school. My kids are in elementary and middle school.

There is a lot more to a great school than academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

It's all VA privates. VA is a big state. Makes BASIS ranking an even bigger joke.

I would not be surprised if pure academics is stronger than a lot of the elite privates. The kids we know who go there would be TJ bound so similar population but can afford private.

We know a lot of kids at St. Albans, Potomac, Landon, Holton, Madeira and Sidwell. The kids we know who go to Basis seem smarter. These are younger kids, not high school. My kids are in elementary and middle school.

Not necessarily smarter. But more focus on academic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

Actually, no it doesn’t. The ranking is suspect for the reasons listed above. Plus any ranking that is determined in a meaningful way by self-reporting from stakeholders is inherently suspect (and at risk for being gamed). If you want some more thoughts on Niche here are a few reviews from a Better Business Burea website: https://www.bbb.org/us/pa/pittsburgh/profile/digital-media/nichecom-inc-0141-22000514/customer-reviews

Btw, not saying your kids can’t get a solid education at Basis or two dozen plus other DMV area private and public schools. Just commenting on the ranking that Basis boosters are self-congratulating themselves on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

I'm not PP, but the Niche rankings have literally never come up in my conversations with fellow GDS parents. Nor has the administration ever mentioned them.

Because virtually no one takes them seriously, there's no value being #1 when the rankings are even more ridiculous than the silly U.S. News nonsense we've endured for decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

Seriously. PP tries to refute the original post by literally affirming it. Didn’t say anything about why Niche’s ranking system this year is so flawed compared compared to prior years (because it’s not, it is the exact same), except the fact they didn’t like the results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

I'm not PP, but the Niche rankings have literally never come up in my conversations with fellow GDS parents. Nor has the administration ever mentioned them.

Because virtually no one takes them seriously, there's no value being #1 when the rankings are even more ridiculous than the silly U.S. News nonsense we've endured for decades.

Seriously, good for you. But you must realize your circle of GDS parents doesn’t represent the entire market of parents looking for prospective schools. There is a reason U.S. News has been around forever and is referenced everywhere whenever rankings do come up. Yes, rankings hurt more than help in a lot of ways, but putting aside your own world views, the reality is they are out there and there is a huge market for it. And there are currently very few alternatives to satisfy that market right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

I'm not PP, but the Niche rankings have literally never come up in my conversations with fellow GDS parents. Nor has the administration ever mentioned them.

Because virtually no one takes them seriously, there's no value being #1 when the rankings are even more ridiculous than the silly U.S. News nonsense we've endured for decades.

Seriously, good for you. But you must realize your circle of GDS parents doesn’t represent the entire market of parents looking for prospective schools. There is a reason U.S. News has been around forever and is referenced everywhere whenever rankings do come up. Yes, rankings hurt more than help in a lot of ways, but putting aside your own world views, the reality is they are out there and there is a huge market for it. And there are currently very few alternatives to satisfy that market right now.

Check back in a few months and see how many parents are talking about how hard it is to get into BIM and why they have it ranked #1 on their list.

That has never happened before on DCUM, but you never know, right? Maybe Niche will be the big breakthrough. If not, then we know it's just a marketing stunt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[the reality is they are out there and there is a huge market for it

What is your evidence that there is a "huge market" for the Niche rankings? I never heard of any other parents talk about rankings when we were applying to GDS, or at the private school we were at before that.

Think about how many applicants there are to K-12/K-8 private schools vs. applicants to colleges in any given year. We live in a country where over 90 percent of kids attend public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anyone saying Niche is unreliable, will you say the same thing if the rankings looked different? Did you make the same criticism for last year’s rankings or the year before that? Why does the methodology bother you so much this year? Seems like some people just don’t like the results, like losing at something and then complaining about the rules. People should give Niche the same credibility, as little or as much as it should be (yes, I know it’s imperfect but it’s as imperfect as any other year) as other years when BIM wasn’t ranked at the top. Regardless of absolutely ranking number, the fact it improved so much year over year is commendable.

Toured Basis McLean when it opened and have seen other Basis campus — there’s potential, but the McLean outpost has clear issues despite boosters like the parent above. The real point is that the Niche rankings are joke. It is not really “commendable” to improve “year over year” with criteria that clearly can be gamed via self-reporting and meaningless inputs like what colleges students *apply to* — not get accepted to — points for applying to lots of reach schools?!?! Great indicia of a top school (fwiw some top school affirmatively dissuade students from applying to too many reaches). Niche also seems to have a pay-to-play element to it: https://www.niche.com/about/partnerships/#schools — “… Upgrade to Premium to motivate users to drive more applications, visits, and inquiries.” Wonder how that impacts results and commendable year over year ranking improvement?

What makes Basis McClean’s ranking even more laughable is that it is ranked #4 in the entire DMV. Higher, among others, than St. Albans, Maret, Holton, and Potomac: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

That speaks even more to a suspect ranking system than ranking among a small sampling of Virginia privates.

You don’t like the ranking because Basis outranks your kid’s school, and so the ranking is “suspect.”

Got it.

Actually, no it doesn’t. The ranking is suspect for the reasons listed above. Plus any ranking that is determined in a meaningful way by self-reporting from stakeholders is inherently suspect (and at risk for being gamed). If you want some more thoughts on Niche here are a few reviews from a Better Business Burea website: https://www.bbb.org/us/pa/pittsburgh/profile/digital-media/nichecom-inc-0141-22000514/customer-reviews

Btw, not saying your kids can’t get a solid education at Basis or two dozen plus other DMV area private and public schools. Just commenting on the ranking that Basis boosters are self-congratulating themselves on.

I can believe the bbb reviews for niche.com because I posted an unfavorable review for a Fairfax County Public School. There was no abusive or inappropriate language in the review, but it never got posted