Most Prestigious Private HS In US Suffers Elite College Matriculation Decline, Parents/Admins Reeling

[Anonymous]

Some private high schools say they will not call for equity reasoning. Not sure on Andover but is a thing and not just one or two schools. This was a discussion on DCUM before. Public high schools have too many kids to even hope to call so it keeps the process less entitled. There is a variety of feelings on this depending on what group you are in. I do think okay if not but when you also do not have AP then it makes getting into college tougher. I wish AP was brought back. I am a fairly open person but if no one is calling or maybe accepting calls (if that is the case) and you don’t have AP then not sure why a school wouldn’t go with a heavy AP schedule student. My public school friends talk about this a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phillips Academy Andover, the most elite prep school in America only got 4 kids into Harvard in 2025. In the class of 2023 12 kids got into Harvard. Similar trends are at other top schools with only 6 getting into Yale in 2025 and 12 getting in 2023. Only 4 matriculated to Penn in 2025 compared to 7 in 2023. Only 13 got into UChicago, compared to 21 getting into UChicago in 2023. The trend holds across most elite schools such as Northwestern, Duke, etc.

There seems to be serious anti-elite trends in college admissions. They clearly see these kids as "privileged" and are holding it against them. In this new era, you might just be better off sending your kid to public school.

https://d2e3a5v56wj8r4.cloudfront.net/files/CCO_Profile_2024-2025.pdf

https://d2e3a5v56wj8r4.cloudfront.net/files/SchoolProfile2023-2024.pdf

Phillips was a school that got rid of AP. When schools get rid of AP and also has rules making advocacy calls it makes it difficult to elevate top students. It is not impossible but more difficult. This is a reality that many parents do not realize. Hopefully this important discussion will gain traction. Colleges have thousand and thousands of applicants and AP allows colleges to compare in an impartial manner. I have yet to understand how getting rid of AP has helped top students. I have heard the teaching to test is not ideal but if it hurts your placement then I would rather have AP.

To clarify, Andover banned advocacy calls from their own counselors? Or did colleges stop taking them?

not sure on this. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some private high schools say they will not call for equity reasoning. Not sure on Andover but is a thing and not just one or two schools. This was a discussion on DCUM before. Public high schools have too many kids to even hope to call so it keeps the process less entitled. There is a variety of feelings on this depending on what group you are in. I do think okay if not but when you also do not have AP then it makes getting into college tougher. I wish AP was brought back. I am a fairly open person but if no one is calling or maybe accepting calls (if that is the case) and you don’t have AP then not sure why a school wouldn’t go with a heavy AP schedule student. My public school friends talk about this a lot.

Getting into college is tougher for kids at Andover/Exeter? Really?

[Anonymous]

There is a remarkably high level of hooked kids at these schools ($$$ development, double legacy, recruited athletes, B of D relationships). Standard strong with no APs from a prep school that has already filled several slots at a T25 with hooked kids is a tough place to be, especially if that student would have been top 2-3% with 5s in 10 APs at their excellent local public. We decided to send our child anyhow (not to Andover, but to a peer school) because of the overall experience and education. It has been fantastic so far, absolutely worth it, and we are creating a realistic college list with a few gems and also some top overseas universities. Most people go in with eyes wide open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a remarkably high level of hooked kids at these schools ($$$ development, double legacy, recruited athletes, B of D relationships). Standard strong with no APs from a prep school that has already filled several slots at a T25 with hooked kids is a tough place to be, especially if that student would have been top 2-3% with 5s in 10 APs at their excellent local public. We decided to send our child anyhow (not to Andover, but to a peer school) because of the overall experience and education. It has been fantastic so far, absolutely worth it, and we are creating a realistic college list with a few gems and also some top overseas universities. Most people go in with eyes wide open.

No, that is not tough. You yourself admit that your unhooked kid is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a remarkably high level of hooked kids at these schools ($$$ development, double legacy, recruited athletes, B of D relationships). Standard strong with no APs from a prep school that has already filled several slots at a T25 with hooked kids is a tough place to be, especially if that student would have been top 2-3% with 5s in 10 APs at their excellent local public. We decided to send our child anyhow (not to Andover, but to a peer school) because of the overall experience and education. It has been fantastic so far, absolutely worth it, and we are creating a realistic college list with a few gems and also some top overseas universities. Most people go in with eyes wide open.

No, that is not tough. You yourself admit that your unhooked kid is fine.

True. Very fine, by our standards.

But the question I was answering was whether or not it is harder for elite prep school kids to access elite US colleges and universities. And my answer is: for unhooked kids, absolutely yes. It simply doesn’t bother us as parents because the kid got a fantastic experience and we see multiple future paths forward to success. The kid has already ticked the super elite box. It’s time now for some travel, work experience and to select a university that offers terrific opportunities in the chosen field of study.

[Anonymous]

We all know the public school kids who look disadvantaged but are actually wealthy get the advantage in college admissions.

Public schools are less competitive environments with no admission requirements, rampant grade inflation, and meaningless class rank largely based on weighted GPAs that are actually just ranking kids based on the number of honors and AP courses they take.

Becoming valedictorian in public school is often the easiest path to an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a remarkably high level of hooked kids at these schools ($$$ development, double legacy, recruited athletes, B of D relationships). Standard strong with no APs from a prep school that has already filled several slots at a T25 with hooked kids is a tough place to be, especially if that student would have been top 2-3% with 5s in 10 APs at their excellent local public. We decided to send our child anyhow (not to Andover, but to a peer school) because of the overall experience and education. It has been fantastic so far, absolutely worth it, and we are creating a realistic college list with a few gems and also some top overseas universities. Most people go in with eyes wide open.

No, that is not tough. You yourself admit that your unhooked kid is fine.

True. Very fine, by our standards.

But the question I was answering was whether or not it is harder for elite prep school kids to access elite US colleges and universities. And my answer is: for unhooked kids, absolutely yes. It simply doesn’t bother us as parents because the kid got a fantastic experience and we see multiple future paths forward to success. The kid has already ticked the super elite box. It’s time now for some travel, work experience and to select a university that offers terrific opportunities in the chosen field of study.

This post screams of privilege and maybe a kid who doesn’t work hard. For the unhooked kids who are working so hard at these top schools. The work at a big whatever is usually harder than even college. Many parents work two
jobs to make a private hs happen and to find out you are caught up in various political things of the day is wrong. Fine that your kid is happy with a school where you didn’t need to spend a ton of money to get there but to have a path closed off is wrong. Most families would agree. Time to rethink AP because AP really protects the top students.

[Anonymous]

OP is dumb.

The document is matriculations not admissions.

Admissions get more random as more students present "perfect" resumes and hide test scores and inflate grades and fake achievements.

Every year, the exact course of who goes to which school shuffle a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We all know the public school kids who look disadvantaged but are actually wealthy get the advantage in college admissions.

Public schools are less competitive environments with no admission requirements, rampant grade inflation, and meaningless class rank largely based on weighted GPAs that are actually just ranking kids based on the number of honors and AP courses they take.

Becoming valedictorian in public school is often the easiest path to an Ivy.

You mean class rank 1, not the person who gives a speech.
A hugh portion of school districts don't even have class rank, and there are 26,000 high schools and each ivy decides admissions independently for ~2000 seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phillips Academy Andover, the most elite prep school in America only got 4 kids into Harvard in 2025. In the class of 2023 12 kids got into Harvard. Similar trends are at other top schools with only 6 getting into Yale in 2025 and 12 getting in 2023. Only 4 matriculated to Penn in 2025 compared to 7 in 2023. Only 13 got into UChicago, compared to 21 getting into UChicago in 2023. The trend holds across most elite schools such as Northwestern, Duke, etc.

There seems to be serious anti-elite trends in college admissions. They clearly see these kids as "privileged" and are holding it against them. In this new era, you might just be better off sending your kid to public school.

https://d2e3a5v56wj8r4.cloudfront.net/files/CCO_Profile_2024-2025.pdf

https://d2e3a5v56wj8r4.cloudfront.net/files/SchoolProfile2023-2024.pdf

Phillips was a school that got rid of AP. When schools get rid of AP and also has rules making advocacy calls it makes it difficult to elevate top students. It is not impossible but more difficult. This is a reality that many parents do not realize. Hopefully this important discussion will gain traction. Colleges have thousand and thousands of applicants and AP allows colleges to compare in an impartial manner. I have yet to understand how getting rid of AP has helped top students. I have heard the teaching to test is not ideal but if it hurts your placement then I would rather have AP.

If all your Exeter kid can do is pass an AP test, they don't belong at Harvard. Even in the best years, only 25% or less of kids go to super elite colleges.
Those kids win national contests in their fields of study, and build impressive new creations in their Senior theses.

[Anonymous]

OP's title is unsubstantiated HuffPo BS

[Anonymous]

Lol the goal is to get an elite education that gets you into an elite college and elite life.

But you have to spend the whole time claiming that is not your goal, that’s part of the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a remarkably high level of hooked kids at these schools ($$$ development, double legacy, recruited athletes, B of D relationships). Standard strong with no APs from a prep school that has already filled several slots at a T25 with hooked kids is a tough place to be, especially if that student would have been top 2-3% with 5s in 10 APs at their excellent local public. We decided to send our child anyhow (not to Andover, but to a peer school) because of the overall experience and education. It has been fantastic so far, absolutely worth it, and we are creating a realistic college list with a few gems and also some top overseas universities. Most people go in with eyes wide open.

No, that is not tough. You yourself admit that your unhooked kid is fine.

True. Very fine, by our standards.

But the question I was answering was whether or not it is harder for elite prep school kids to access elite US colleges and universities. And my answer is: for unhooked kids, absolutely yes. It simply doesn’t bother us as parents because the kid got a fantastic experience and we see multiple future paths forward to success. The kid has already ticked the super elite box. It’s time now for some travel, work experience and to select a university that offers terrific opportunities in the chosen field of study.

This post screams of privilege and maybe a kid who doesn’t work hard. For the unhooked kids who are working so hard at these top schools. The work at a big whatever is usually harder than even college. Many parents work two
jobs to make a private hs happen and to find out you are caught up in various political things of the day is wrong. Fine that your kid is happy with a school where you didn’t need to spend a ton of money to get there but to have a path closed off is wrong. Most families would agree. Time to rethink AP because AP really protects the top students.

I think you are confusing lack of status anxiety as privilege. How odd to assume a hard worker is a slacker.

The kid is extremely grateful for the education and opportunity that boarding school gave them. There is no entitlement. Just a very good attitude toward life and not being angry that a handful of elite colleges simply will not be options because others with access have already claimed them. They will forge their own path and not worry about the Joneses. Does this really bother you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We all know the public school kids who look disadvantaged but are actually wealthy get the advantage in college admissions.

Public schools are less competitive environments with no admission requirements, rampant grade inflation, and meaningless class rank largely based on weighted GPAs that are actually just ranking kids based on the number of honors and AP courses they take.

Becoming valedictorian in public school is often the easiest path to an Ivy.

You mean class rank 1, not the person who gives a speech.
A hugh portion of school districts don't even have class rank, and there are 26,000 high schools and each ivy decides admissions independently for ~2000 seats.

Please look up the definition of valedictorian, it means class rank 1.

A huge portion of public school districts are underperforming and completely worthless.

If you take into account the overall number of applications and acceptances rather than just matriculations, from public school valedictorians, yes it is absolutely the easiest path to an ivy.