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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm passing along some questions that I wish I had asked when we were applying to private high schools. I now have a senior and regret our choice to send to private vs public. We are one family and have had one experience so I won't speak for everyone. But these are the things I wish I had known going in.

1. What are the school's college outcomes? Are they transparent about college acceptances? 
2. What is average SAT for the last four years? 2020 and 2021 scores are deflated. Scores have started to rise again though nationally. 
3. Ask for GPA percentage tiers. So, for example, what percentage of students have a GPA from 4.0-4.5? What % have GPA's from 3.75-4.0? Etc... This will give you an idea as to how rigorous it is and how much grade deflation occurs. Competitive public schools graduate 50% or more of their kids with GPA's higher than 4.5. So compare this information to your home public school. And remember that your student will be competing against public school kids when they apply to college. So, yes, GPA does matter. And this is where grade deflation is really hurting the private school students. 
4. If they provide #3, then ask for the colleges that those tiers were accepted to. 
5. What is the retake policy on tests/quizzes?

Now that I have a senior, we are finally getting this information and are seeing that the last four years of over homework and stress wasn't worth it. Our school didn't make this information available to parents prior to senior year. My DC busted their butt only to land in the middle GPA tier. [b]DC could have gotten into these schools from a top public school by doing a whole lot less work and having a lot less stress. [/b]

If they don't share this information (which they probably won't), I'd pass. They clearly are not proud of their outcomes or stats. Push for it. Public is the way to go. [/quote]

Eyeroll.  Which public are you talking about?  Have you any clue what the very top of the class at the publics around here look like?  Cause it is a whole lot like the top tier of our Big3.  And, guess what, they are like 10 of 500 so you have to be in the top 5% PLUS the top publics are only sending like 5 kids to the fancy pants big name snot schools you are thinking about.  Guess what?  Your genius kid ain't in the top 5 AT ANY LOCAL TOP PUBLIC if they are in the middle of the class at Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS or Potomac.  And the middle of the class at your private is, guess what, a heck of a lot better than being in the top quartile at a local public.  Do the math.  [/quote]

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