Average GPA at SWW (DC "magnet") is 3.93 unweighted; this is what private kids are up against

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

Are you saying Walls is the best public school doing this?

Based on Instagram posts alone, Sidwell is sending 11 students to Ivies this year (and Ivy equivalents—MIT and U of C). Sidwell also has 25 fewer students per grade than Walls.

Then why the long thread bemoaning the SFS college outcomes? Which is it?

Huh? Here is what I’m getting:
Grade inflation = SWW
Can’t do math = SWW parents
Good college placement = all of the schools above but SWW is Penn (no thanks)
The catch = still have to go to SWW for 2-4 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

SWW weights grades: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee0f425c4f3ed4b48c52995/t/5f35f984ead1ce6d7d275ad1/1597372804296/GradeBumpDoc_rev011016.pdf

3.3 unweighted seemed to be the midpoint at my kids’ private. 3.93 at SWW seems comparable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love how no one on this thread seems to have read the article.

Walls staff, teachers, and staff all realize that the massive grade inflation that occurred at DCPS and especially Walls during the pandemic is a bad thing. This is going to hurt the school going forward.

Also, note that the current Walls senior class was admitted when Walls had an entrance exam to identify the best candidates for admission. That entrance exam was scrapped during the pandemic and DCPS has refused to bring it back (in contrast to DC, magnet high schools in NYC, SF, and other cities have an entrance exam).

As a result, the quality of students admitted to Walls has decreased and is getting worse every year. Indeed, the current Walls admissions criteria (which focuses on identifying a pool of 500 with the highest GPA) just rewards students who have benefitted from the immense recent grade inflation in DCPS. So, over the next few years and beyond, you can expect to see Walls college admissions go downhill as well.

See here: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1125565.page.

Most privates have also gotten rid of entrance exams with no indication of bringing them back. Just like SAT requirements in colleges. Your point? Test exams are not always indicative of learning ability? You haven’t learned that yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

This.And it happening at MCPS also (Whitman and BCC). Incredible years for college acceptances. It's really great to see such success for these kids who had some really crappy covid years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

SWW weights grades: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee0f425c4f3ed4b48c52995/t/5f35f984ead1ce6d7d275ad1/1597372804296/GradeBumpDoc_rev011016.pdf

3.3 unweighted seemed to be the midpoint at my kids’ private. 3.93 at SWW seems comparable.

No, we can only compare apples to apples. What is SWW’s average unweighted GPA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

I know at least 4 kids at Walls in my son's class who have not posted that got Ivys.

Are you saying Walls is the best public school doing this?

Based on Instagram posts alone, Sidwell is sending 11 students to Ivies this year (and Ivy equivalents—MIT and U of C). Sidwell also has 25 fewer students per grade than Walls.

Then why the long thread bemoaning the SFS college outcomes? Which is it?

Because I’m not the OP. I’m simply asking a question. Instagram posts show that Walls is sending 7 students to Ivies (I’m generously including Barnard). Perhaps Walls is having “better” placement than some privates this years, but it’s certainly not better than Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

This.And it happening at MCPS also (Whitman and BCC). Incredible years for college acceptances. It's really great to see such success for these kids who had some really crappy covid years.

SWW’s 7 total acceptances to Yale (1), Penn (2), Cornell (3), and Barnard (1) is nice for an academic magnet high school. However, 7 admissions out of 150 to 160 students is not “incredible.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

This.And it happening at MCPS also (Whitman and BCC). Incredible years for college acceptances. It's really great to see such success for these kids who had some really crappy covid years.

SWW’s 7 total acceptances to Yale (1), Penn (2), Cornell (3), and Barnard (1) is nice for an academic magnet high school. However, 7 admissions out of 150 to 160 students is not “incredible.”

SWW kids have only posted the results for 28 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

Are you saying Walls is the best public school doing this?

Based on Instagram posts alone, Sidwell is sending 11 students to Ivies this year (and Ivy equivalents—MIT and U of C). Sidwell also has 25 fewer students per grade than Walls.

Did you read my post? Walls is getting UNHOOKED kids into the Ivies. white/Asian/non-legacy/non athletes.
My understanding is that pretty much all the Sidwell kids are hooked. You can tell by their Instagram and by some quick googling.
For example, Princeton at Sidwell: one URM, two legacies. One legacy is also a VIP's kid, I believe the other has a parent who has been active at Princeton post graduation.

Anyway, this is the trend with most if not all Ivy admits from Big3 schools this year.

You do realize that legacy status alone won’t get you into any Ivy, right? A closer look? Perhaps, but that’s it. I know top students (grades and test scores) who are double Ivy legacies but they were not admitted to their parents’ alma mater.

sure, it doesn't get you in but it gets you about a 30% chance vs 3% for the general population.

Citation for the 30% please? The citation should only include legacies who are NOT also URM, recruited athletes, and the children of big donors.

In fact, a recent Harvard Crimson survey of the 2021 class found that an astounding 29 percent of students — nearly a third — had a relation (parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle etc.) who attended Harvard. This is almost double the proportion in the survey (16.3 percent) who said their parents lack a four-year college degree. NBC News and the Crimson

[Anonymous]

Who cares? Signed - Big 3 parent whose high stats kid has been caught in the changing tides. We will all be fine. Stop worrying about other people. Congrats to the kids at SWW (and any other school) with their acceptances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

This.And it happening at MCPS also (Whitman and BCC). Incredible years for college acceptances. It's really great to see such success for these kids who had some really crappy covid years.

SWW’s 7 total acceptances to Yale (1), Penn (2), Cornell (3), and Barnard (1) is nice for an academic magnet high school. However, 7 admissions out of 150 to 160 students is not “incredible.”

. Barnard is counting as an Ivy these days??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

Are you saying Walls is the best public school doing this?

Based on Instagram posts alone, Sidwell is sending 11 students to Ivies this year (and Ivy equivalents—MIT and U of C). Sidwell also has 25 fewer students per grade than Walls.

Did you read my post? Walls is getting UNHOOKED kids into the Ivies. white/Asian/non-legacy/non athletes.
My understanding is that pretty much all the Sidwell kids are hooked. You can tell by their Instagram and by some quick googling.
For example, Princeton at Sidwell: one URM, two legacies. One legacy is also a VIP's kid, I believe the other has a parent who has been active at Princeton post graduation.

Anyway, this is the trend with most if not all Ivy admits from Big3 schools this year.

You do realize that legacy status alone won’t get you into any Ivy, right? A closer look? Perhaps, but that’s it. I know top students (grades and test scores) who are double Ivy legacies but they were not admitted to their parents’ alma mater.

sure, it doesn't get you in but it gets you about a 30% chance vs 3% for the general population.

Citation for the 30% please? The citation should only include legacies who are NOT also URM, recruited athletes, and the children of big donors.

In fact, a recent Harvard Crimson survey of the 2021 class found that an astounding 29 percent of students — nearly a third — had a relation (parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle etc.) who attended Harvard. This is almost double the proportion in the survey (16.3 percent) who said their parents lack a four-year college degree. NBC News and the Crimson

The 29% that you cite (without a link) does not apply here. Harvard only considers children of Harvard College (not University) to be legacies for purposes of admission. You are NOT a legacy if your aunt/uncle/grandparents/siblings graduated from Harvard College. You are also not considered to be a legacy applicant if your parents graduated from HBS/HLS/or another Harvard University graduate program.

“Are my chances of admission enhanced if a relative has attended Harvard?

The application process is the same for all candidates. Among a group of similarly distinguished applicants, the children of Harvard College alumni/ae may receive an additional look.”

https://college.harvard.edu/resources/faq

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

This.And it happening at MCPS also (Whitman and BCC). Incredible years for college acceptances. It's really great to see such success for these kids who had some really crappy covid years.

SWW’s 7 total acceptances to Yale (1), Penn (2), Cornell (3), and Barnard (1) is nice for an academic magnet high school. However, 7 admissions out of 150 to 160 students is not “incredible.”

. Barnard is counting as an Ivy these days??

I’m trying to help Walls by including Ivy-adjacent Barnard in their count.

[Anonymous]

IB programs and Catholic high schools are looking better and better. Thx DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane grade inflation in DCPS:
https://www.swwrookery.com/post/hugely-inflated-are-pandemic-era-grading-policies-doing-more-harm-than-good
A's are given for "any effort at all"

SWW has fantastic college admissions again this year--better than any private. This is what the DC private school kids are up against with their
3.4's for working their a$$es off. 🙁

Can you provide evidence for that?

They're probably the best in the DC for getting unhooked (white/Asian, non-legacy, non athletic recruit) kids into Ivies. This year I don't know exactly but it's probably as many as 10 kids.
Some are on their Instagram, others I just know about. In contrast, the Big 3s' are maybe getting in 2 of these kids per class this year. I have a Big3 kid who attended DCPS until middle school
so we know Walls kids very well as many of my kid's friends attend Walls.

This.And it happening at MCPS also (Whitman and BCC). Incredible years for college acceptances. It's really great to see such success for these kids who had some really crappy covid years.

SWW’s 7 total acceptances to Yale (1), Penn (2), Cornell (3), and Barnard (1) is nice for an academic magnet high school. However, 7 admissions out of 150 to 160 students is not “incredible.”

. Barnard is counting as an Ivy these days??

I’m trying to help Walls by including Ivy-adjacent Barnard in their count.

The Barnard degree says Columbia University so there is that. It is one of Columbia's colleges. But not sure why people here care so much about whats going on at SWW. You made a choice for your kid. Just focus on that and the mental health of your kids.