BASIS DC first graduating class college acceptances list

[Anonymous]

Only a few supporters made the obvious point of noting small sample size in defending the college acceptance list.

I'm no BASIS booster, but speaking strictly from a statistical standpoint it's absurd to draw meaningful conclusions from 16 students (or 60 acceptances).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless the alumni interviewer saw the files of every AZ BASIS grad (not just the ones who applied to her particular alma mater) she can't know the answer to this question.

OK, but an Ivy interviewer who talks to a good many top kids from both BASIS AZ campuses and serious STEM programs in this area (public and private) over a number of years can pick up on admissions trends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless the alumni interviewer saw the files of every AZ BASIS grad (not just the ones who applied to her particular alma mater) she can't know the answer to this question.

OK, but an Ivy interviewer who talks to a good many top kids from both BASIS AZ campuses and serious STEM programs in this area (public and private) over a number of years can pick up on admissions trends.

BASIS AZ (and DC) - admission via lottery

Serious STEM programs and private schools -- selective admissions

Apples and oranges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless the alumni interviewer saw the files of every AZ BASIS grad (not just the ones who applied to her particular alma mater) she can't know the answer to this question.

OK, but an Ivy interviewer who talks to a good many top kids from both BASIS AZ campuses and serious STEM programs in this area (public and private) over a number of years can pick up on admissions trends.

+1 Also the interviewer said that each year for several years, there are 6 - 8 candidates that are interviewed from AZ most coming from BASIS of which none would be qualified in DC unless they were athletes, legacy or some other special reason. The interviewer could at least talk to his/her knowledge of why this is the case, especially since BASIS does seem to have some track record of accomplishments (in academic awards, not just test scores and/or grades). Of course it is possible that the Ivy interviewer did not necessarily talk with the most qualified but it would be hard to believe that this would have been the case over a long period of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless the alumni interviewer saw the files of every AZ BASIS grad (not just the ones who applied to her particular alma mater) she can't know the answer to this question.

OK, but an Ivy interviewer who talks to a good many top kids from both BASIS AZ campuses and serious STEM programs in this area (public and private) over a number of years can pick up on admissions trends.

BASIS AZ (and DC) - admission via lottery

Serious STEM programs and private schools -- selective admissions

Apples and oranges.

Apples and oranges? These are all kids with strong STEM backgrounds, mostly high SES and not legacies of recruited athletes, applying to one Ivy from one of two narrowly defined geographic regions.

Sounds to me like their applications would wind up in the same pots. You can call them apples and oranges, for whatever that's worth, but I doubt the Ivy would see things that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless the alumni interviewer saw the files of every AZ BASIS grad (not just the ones who applied to her particular alma mater) she can't know the answer to this question.

OK, but an Ivy interviewer who talks to a good many top kids from both BASIS AZ campuses and serious STEM programs in this area (public and private) over a number of years can pick up on admissions trends.

+1 Also the interviewer said that each year for several years, there are 6 - 8 candidates that are interviewed from AZ most coming from BASIS of which none would be qualified in DC unless they were athletes, legacy or some other special reason. The interviewer could at least talk to his/her knowledge of why this is the case, especially since BASIS does seem to have some track record of accomplishments (in academic awards, not just test scores and/or grades). Of course it is possible that the Ivy interviewer did not necessarily talk with the most qualified but it would be hard to believe that this would have been the case over a long period of time.

Ivy interviewer here, glad to offer a little insight if I'm not slammed.

BASIS AZ students I interview commonly self-identify as being in the top 10% of their small graduating classes of three or four dozen students, indicating that they should be in the running, on a relative basis. When I sit down to write interview reports, answering questions about whether or not I enjoyed speaking with them, if they exhibited intellectual curiosity, and if their reasons for applying to my Ivy seem genuine, more often than not, I answer no, and not because I wish to be unkind.

The kids mostly seem burned out and boxed in by a curriculum that emphasizes taking many AP exams over several years. I don't hear much about college classes they've reveled in taking, or languages they've loved studying or their wonderful experiences as foreign exchange students and plans for rejuvenating gap years. They seldom speak of academic competitions they've had fun preparing for with classmates, or unusual extra-curriculars they've had a blast pursuing, particularly in the area of research and publishing.

No, sorry, overall, the BASIS AZ crew has struck me as more burned-out than inspired. Their seniors have seemed particularly weak on foreign language skills, and anything drama, poetry or literature related for students supposedly focusing on liberal learning rather than STEM work. They certainly rock at math, and taking science APs, but so do an awful lot of applicants. Their senior projects tends to come across as lonely exercises (the national robot war team kids, and group inventors, sound happier).

I think you want to watch closely for burnout as BASIS parents, working with admins to deemphasize grades and pour on enthusiasm and team activities. You really don't want to wind up with highly credentialed seniors who don't exhibit much of a spark to an interviewer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless the alumni interviewer saw the files of every AZ BASIS grad (not just the ones who applied to her particular alma mater) she can't know the answer to this question.

OK, but an Ivy interviewer who talks to a good many top kids from both BASIS AZ campuses and serious STEM programs in this area (public and private) over a number of years can pick up on admissions trends.

+1 Also the interviewer said that each year for several years, there are 6 - 8 candidates that are interviewed from AZ most coming from BASIS of which none would be qualified in DC unless they were athletes, legacy or some other special reason. The interviewer could at least talk to his/her knowledge of why this is the case, especially since BASIS does seem to have some track record of accomplishments (in academic awards, not just test scores and/or grades). Of course it is possible that the Ivy interviewer did not necessarily talk with the most qualified but it would be hard to believe that this would have been the case over a long period of time.

Ivy interviewer here, glad to offer a little insight if I'm not slammed.

BASIS AZ students I interview commonly self-identify as being in the top 10% of their small graduating classes of three or four dozen students, indicating that they should be in the running, on a relative basis. When I sit down to write interview reports, answering questions about whether or not I enjoyed speaking with them, if they exhibited intellectual curiosity, and if their reasons for applying to my Ivy seem genuine, more often than not, I answer no, and not because I wish to be unkind.

The kids mostly seem burned out and boxed in by a curriculum that emphasizes taking many AP exams over several years. I don't hear much about college classes they've reveled in taking, or languages they've loved studying or their wonderful experiences as foreign exchange students and plans for rejuvenating gap years. They seldom speak of academic competitions they've had fun preparing for with classmates, or unusual extra-curriculars they've had a blast pursuing, particularly in the area of research and publishing.

No, sorry, overall, the BASIS AZ crew has struck me as more burned-out than inspired. Their seniors have seemed particularly weak on foreign language skills, and anything drama, poetry or literature related for students supposedly focusing on liberal learning rather than STEM work. They certainly rock at math, and taking science APs, but so do an awful lot of applicants. Their senior projects tends to come across as lonely exercises (the national robot war team kids, and group inventors, sound happier).

I think you want to watch closely for burnout as BASIS parents, working with admins to deemphasize grades and pour on enthusiasm and team activities. You really don't want to wind up with highly credentialed seniors who don't exhibit much of a spark to an interviewer.

Thank you for your response and your honesty. I think you just confirmed a suspicion that many, not all, parents are having about BASIS. I hope that it will be different here in DC or that the parents of BASIS students (such as myself) could help in this matter. And I am not saying that elite schools are the end all be all or are the only goals worthy of aspiration, but I am saying this because burnout at such a young age is really sad and quite frankly unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

This thread is so dumb, no matter the school or curriculum or location, only a handful from any high school will get into the top 10/15 colleges in the country.

However, most of those kids who do not get into those top 10/15 will still go onto to colleges and have productive lives

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A list of acceptances doesn't really give much info. You have no idea if there are 3 students who were accepted at all the top schools while 13 were accepted at lower tier schools.

The better list would be the 16 schools where students are matriculating. If more than one student is attending the same college, list it as many times as there are students attending.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so dumb, no matter the school or curriculum or location, only a handful from any high school will get into the top 10/15 colleges in the country.

However, most of those kids who do not get into those top 10/15 will still go onto to colleges and have productive lives

Yea, OK, but if kids are going to knock themselves out studying the BASIS way from 5th grade, it certainly doesn't hurt to land at a top college afterwards.

[Anonymous]

I dont even like the SP exams. So boring.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so dumb, no matter the school or curriculum or location, only a handful from any high school will get into the top 10/15 colleges in the country.

However, most of those kids who do not get into those top 10/15 will still go onto to colleges and have productive lives

Yea, OK, but if kids are going to knock themselves out studying the BASIS way from 5th grade, it certainly doesn't hurt to land at a top college afterwards.

I am pretty sure you will see some top colleges in the next few years at BASIS DC. But more importantly, I am pretty sure BASIS DC graduates will have no problem graduating college in 4 years and will also be very prepared for college work unlike many other students which is a lot to say.

[Anonymous]

How many seniors are there in this year’s DC basis class? Next year’s senior class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many seniors are there in this year’s DC basis class? Next year’s senior class?

About 40 seniors in the class of 2019 (two students graduated after 11th grade and are now in college).

About 50 students in the class of 2020 (note a couple may choose to graduate a year early w/the 2019 students)

[Anonymous]

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I am pretty sure you will see some top colleges in the next few years at BASIS DC. But more importantly, I am pretty sure BASIS DC graduates will have no problem graduating college in 4 years and will also be very prepared for college work unlike many other students which is a lot to say.

You mean the Wilson, Wall and Latin students who were admitted to top tier universities year after year? BASIS boosters can be so dense and one-dimensional.