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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't think it's an issue with student quality, either.  Instead, it's more about financial means.  A lot of people who choose Basis over a top notch private are doing so because they can't afford the top private.  [b]The same people are not applying to ivies, because they already know that they cannot easily afford to send their kids.[/b]   Basis seems to do well with getting a lot of merit aid for kids at T50 type schools, which still means that the school has a lot of top notch kids.[/quote]

Bunk. UMC BASIS families in the "fi aid doughnut" are applying to Ivies/Ivies Plus schools for top students. The kids are applying but almost never getting in. Franchise leaders and admins are behind the times, mainly in failing to support and encouraging the students to run with unique interests, backgrounds and talents. For example, many 5th graders come in from ES language immersion programs strong in languages.  The message from BASIS is who cares, not us, no language for you before 8th and then only at the beginning level. These are kids who could ace AP language exams in 9th or 10th grade with a little bit of support from BASIS, or even just a little flexibility on language study, but none is forthcoming. Also, BASIS forces all students to take algebra no later than 7th, when many of the kids aren't quite ready for it despite being v. bright and hard-working. Some of these kids wind up doing MS again in HS.  That's what happened to my Walls student, who always earned As in BASIS math (essentially by memorizing answers).  The lack of flexibility just isn't working v. well in elite college admissions.[/quote]

I don't think taking Spanish lessons uninterrupted from Elementary through High School would look like such a special talent. If anything, taking up so much of a kid's academic lifetime for what ends up being very basic language instruction, almost starting over year after year in most places, unless you go full immersion, isn't a very effective plan. It's kind of crazy to expect (and relentlessly complain about not getting) a non-language focused charter to craft curriculum or logistical carve-outs for language instruction for
Middle-schoolers coming from full immersion. 
Instead,  the linguistics studies 6th and 7th graders at BASIS are taking are amazing. Kids learn the theory of language evolution, language structure, and end up able to fluently read and write in universal phonetics IPA. Worth it, before going back to basics of world languages. But, as all BASIS subjects, bunch of homework and memorization, and end-of-year make-or-break exams.  
F** yeah, BASIS.[/quote]

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