College Acceptances for Washington Latin High School

[Anonymous]

It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

[Anonymous]

OP, I thought the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

Huh. I think this is half the reason to send my kids off to college. They have to learn sometime.

[Anonymous]

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....this school is miles better than the school that a child could be going to in a different part of the district? And that child going to a different school in a different part of the district is in high danger of not finishing high school, forget attending college? I think numbers like that for this demo, is astounding.

I suspect that the difference between Latin HS and Ballou is probably pretty great, in terms of day to day experience. So, to be headed to Towson next year after 4 yrs of Latin is an improvement over the typical outcome for kids who start out at Ballou and eventually drop out, enter the penal system, have a baby, or graduate illiterate.

But I have a sneaking suspicion that OP and others like OP 1) aren't faced with the choice between a Dunbar and Latin and 2) wonder why kids like OP's aren't better positioned to gain entrance to UVA coming from Latin HS. That's all.

I know very well that Latin is not like a private school. I understand completely that it can't offer the same caliber of extras as a private and that it faces challenges with wide gaps in student acheivement that privates and application schools don't.

I also know very well that my kids could perform at the top of their classes in either private or application schools. We have chosen Latin for a reason, the reasons that pp's are outlining eloquently. My kids will be more than fine academically and in the college sweepstakes and without painting Latin as a miracle school I feel deeply grateful it exists and we are part of it. Congrats graduates.

What I think people don't understand is that many of these parents that select Latin, are not running TO Latin as much as they are running AWAY from Ballou, Anacostia, Coolidge, etc. They want their child to have a shot at doing something better. Latin has some students that can't seem to get out of their environment even while at school. Many do not have stellar GPAs and they have behavior issues. They try not to suspend or even expell these students (although they have done this), because with the child in school, at least they are safe and not out on the streets in their neighborhood doing who knows what. This is not and most likely never will have the college acceptances of an application high school as long as they are open to the city, and students peel off after 8th grade (more potential for 9th graders that come from "those wards"). Latin has the curriculum and the tools in place for students to be accepted into Ivies. I'm sure there are a number of students whose transcripts look just like a student from Walls, but maybe just decided not to apply to an Ivy or Top school for whatever reason.

Doesn't Banneker have similar demographics (i.e., race and poverty). Why do their students get MUCH better results?

for starters, Banneker is a selective school and Latin is not. the 30% enrollment different between Latin lower/upper school also suggests that some of the MS students peel off for HS. Maybe the Hardy IB go to Wilson, some likely apply to Walls and Banneker.

In my DDs class, they lost about half between 8th-9th(most of this half were the tops in the class at the time). Most went to Walls and Private, a few returned to their IB (Wilson). NO ONE went back to any other IB. You people truly don't understand the challenges that Latin faces.

This is such a disappointing thread. I think these results are strong and am amazed how this has brought out the haters.

Seems like some of those who are surprised/disappointed or whatever really thought / hoped / believed that Latin was going to be a free Sidwell or something. It's a good -- maybe great -- school. But still a city-wide charter school that has to accept and educate everyone who gets in.

--not a Latin parent

Of course they hoped that Latin (along with other HRCS) would be a free Sidwell. That's why you sometimes see a DCUM post gushing that "[HRCS] is like a private school!" These charters may be much better than their mediocre IB, but NONE of them are like top privates--NONE! When that reality hits (i.e., Latin's "modest" college acceptances), many people are shocked and disappointed.

[Anonymous]

This is just ridiculous. Not everyone wants 'the private school.experience'. Our child decided against a few, to stay at Latin. I am not trying to bash privates here, but there can be wonderful things and also be some things that are off kilter in privates - just as at WL. You are implying an educational pyramid with privates at the top, when its much more complex than that. Latin has a lot of intangibles, as do privates and its.more of a choice than a.pecking order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, how obtuse are you people? Consider what most kids in DC do.

FWIW, I had terrific scores and grades and I went to a school in that same range as those listed above because it is where I got the best scholarship. In my HS, which was probably similar to Latin, my acceptance into that school and scholarships (as well as those of others like me) was a source of pride for the teachers.

Maybe it seems unsophisticated now, but for the first person in a family going to college it is a big deal.

A valid point. But for those of us in a different demographic (ie, high income, not the first in our family to attend college), this is a disappointing list.

Then why are you even considering Latin? It is clearly not for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

Are you serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, how obtuse are you people? Consider what most kids in DC do.

FWIW, I had terrific scores and grades and I went to a school in that same range as those listed above because it is where I got the best scholarship. In my HS, which was probably similar to Latin, my acceptance into that school and scholarships (as well as those of others like me) was a source of pride for the teachers.

Maybe it seems unsophisticated now, but for the first person in a family going to college it is a big deal.

A valid point. But for those of us in a different demographic (ie, high income, not the first in our family to attend college), this is a disappointing list.

Then why are you even considering Latin? It is clearly not for you.

Why would it not be for PP? Are you suggesting that Latin is a good school only for those who will be the first ones in their family attending college, or that Latin is not good for those who want their children to attend a top-tier college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oberlin is the only one on OP's list that I would be excited for one of my kids to attend. Their music program is stellar. I'd rank it with Case Western, Reed or one of the Claremont colleges. But considering what is typical for most DC public school kids, this is not such a bad list.

Case Western was also on OP's list.

And now we understand that OP's list was a very incomplete one, for one year only. A more complete listing of college acceptances for the past several years was posted above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oberlin is the only one on OP's list that I would be excited for one of my kids to attend. Their music program is stellar. I'd rank it with Case Western, Reed or one of the Claremont colleges. But considering what is typical for most DC public school kids, this is not such a bad list.

Case Western was also on OP's list.

And now we understand that OP's list was a very incomplete one, for one year only. A more complete listing of college acceptances for the past several years was posted above.

I'm much more interested in the current list. It is much more useful to find out who got in where in 2015 than to find out who got in where in 2012.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

Are you serious?

Absolutely! How many teens have the maturity to function well, cook, clean, do laundry, sleep adequately and concentrate on their lessons?
I would send them at 20, but not before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

Are you serious?

Absolutely! How many teens have the maturity to function well, cook, clean, do laundry, sleep adequately and concentrate on their lessons?
I would send them at 20, but not before.

Regarding cooking, colleges typically have these things called dining halls. Cleaning and doing laundry are somewhat optional parts of the college experience, as I recall. That is, they happened. But less than once a month. And that was not a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oberlin is the only one on OP's list that I would be excited for one of my kids to attend. Their music program is stellar. I'd rank it with Case Western, Reed or one of the Claremont colleges. But considering what is typical for most DC public school kids, this is not such a bad list.

Case Western was also on OP's list.

And now we understand that OP's list was a very incomplete one, for one year only. A more complete listing of college acceptances for the past several years was posted above.

I'm much more interested in the current list. It is much more useful to find out who got in where in 2015 than to find out who got in where in 2012.

I don't know. We aren't talking about looking back ten years. This is very recent history. And with such a small school, there is more likely to be wide variation from year to year. I think having a multi-year snapshot is helpful. Regardless, this is a hell of a lot better of a list than one you could put together from my hometown high school even if you looked back twenty years. So I am impressed, even as a snob who went to U.Va. and Yale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

Are you serious?

Absolutely! How many teens have the maturity to function well, cook, clean, do laundry, sleep adequately and concentrate on their lessons?
I would send them at 20, but not before.

Regarding cooking, colleges typically have these things called dining halls. Cleaning and doing laundry are somewhat optional parts of the college experience, as I recall. That is, they happened. But less than once a month. And that was not a problem.

Have your kids eat at dining halls 100% of the time. Hopefully they won't develop GI problems by the time they graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on how much financial aid they got.
At MCPS schools, I know of 2 students who got accepted to MIT and Harvard, but stayed in MD because of the cost. Others brilliant students did not even apply out of town, knowing that they had to stay in town for family reasons. Frankly speaking I would not want to send my 17 or 18 year old to live on his own ...

Are you serious?

Absolutely! How many teens have the maturity to function well, cook, clean, do laundry, sleep adequately and concentrate on their lessons?
I would send them at 20, but not before.

Yes, and we call this codependence. College is the perfect time to practice true independence, responsibility, and how to care for oneself without mommy looking over one's shoulder. I'm really sad for our children with all of these helicoptering parents.