Reply to How are the ISEE and SSAT Scored?

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[quote=pbraverman][quote=Anonymous][quote=pbraverman]Even at the most competitive schools, there are very few kids who have scored in the 95+ percentiles across the board. And, just as Harvard turns away more 2400s than they accept, many of those independent school applicants are not offered spots. The reason is that every school I've ever known will consider scores in the context of other attributes: sibling status, diversity, a potential all-American in soccer or basketball, a student whose acting prowess is nationally recognized as early as eighth grade, or a kid whose charm is simply off the charts. Those aren't "invented" examples: I've worked with all of those kids. Schools will also turn down kids who are very obnoxious, or who have very obnoxious parents, no matter the test scores. I've seen that too, unfortunately. [/quote]

Where does that leave the majority of students--good kids with good scores and normal parents who are not future all-Americans or Broadway-bound? Is high school entry still the kind of glorified lottery that pre-K admission seems to be?[/quote]

There is some aspect of a lottery to it, especially in the early grades, where kids are more homogenous and don't have track records. It's harder to admit kindergartners from a big pool than ninth graders. But that's only at the most competitive five or seven schools. The rest are places where good, normal kids usually find a great education. I'd strike the word "glorified" in your question. It's only glorified because people glorify it in a cultural way that's beyond my ability to explain.

Suffice it to say: If you believe in your child, rather than in the school, you'll find that he or she is capable of doing great almost anywhere! The irony is that families who believe in their kids, rather than in the school, are probably more likely to get in. :)

Peter

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Disclaimer: The anonymity here makes me uncomfortable; it's easy to be uninformed, personal, or simply mean-spirited if people don't identify themselves. For that reason, I have an account so you know whose words you're reading. I have more than 20 years' experience as a teacher and administrator in independent schools, and I hope I can be helpful to some folks. If you don't like something I've said, you're in good company — there's a long line of past students ahead of you. :) If you want to chat further, please feel free to contact me offline: peter &lt;at&gt; arcpd &lt;dot&gt; com[/quote]

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