Reply to Do you think your top 20% kid in private schools would fare better if done in public, in terms of college outcomes

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[quote=Anonymous]I believe the names of schools like Sidwell, GDS, STA, and NCS have strong value in college admissions. My child was in about the top 20% of the class and was accepted to two Ivy League schools and another university in the top 20. Friends whose children had similar grades and high scores in public schools did not have the same results. A few were accepted to top 30 schools, but many were not. Those who got in usually had very impressive activities outside of school. My child did not have those kinds of extracurriculars.

But to have a good chance, I think you must be in the top 20% at these top private schools. If your child is not hooked and doesn’t want a small liberal arts college, then the results are much worse below that level. I know several families who were very disappointed with where their children were admitted. Getting into the top 20% of the class is not easy—it needs hard work and also some luck. Some students end up with teachers who just do not give A grades, and then they're kind of screwed.

Also, many of the top college results at these schools go to students who are hooked—athletes, legacies, minorities, or children of VIPs. And there are other situations too. Parents call in favors with friends in admissions or on the board, or they simply make big donations. I know about a dozen families in my child’s year who used some kind of favor to help children who were not in the top 20%. Ivy League schools don't seem to do this, but many of the other top 20 schools and those below definitely do. What you see on the Instagrams is rarely the full story.[/quote]

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