Reply to Benefits of being a high school graduate in DC

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[quote=Anonymous]I think it's dangerous to make choices for your own family based on what you see as being the "average" outcomes for DC students.

- Many kids in the JR triangle or who attend one of the application high schools or charters have very well off parents who can be full pay for any number of out of state publics or private schools. Even if the parents themselves don't seem that well off, often grandparents are helping to fund education. Don't assume that the public school kids who are getting into places like Michigan, UVA, Tulane, Boston College, etc., are getting ANY scholarships, including merit scholarships. There are a lot of wealthy families with kids in public school in this area.

- DC has a large number of at risk minority students. There are a lot of programs targeted specifically at this demographic in terms funding and assistance for college. Everything from full ride scholarships to counseling programs that help with applications to special programs designed to boost diversity in certain programs. If your kid is a MC or UMC white kid whose parents were born in the US, do not assume that they will have access to the same programs even coming from the same high schools. Many of these programs require nominations or income qualifications, and MC white kids whose parents are US citizens will not qualify (this is not a criticism of any of these programs, just a reality check for the average DCUM poster whose kids won't qualify for that assistance).

- Just as there are lots of DC parents who can be full pay for even pricy colleges, there are also lots of parents here who are legacies for well known schools or who have strong connections with certain schools. This not only helps in terms of legacy admissions, but can also just help those families navigate the college application process. If you have a friend who is an admissions dean at a competitive school, you can't ethically get an admissions boost at that school, but you can get an inside scoop on admissions generally and some guidance on crafting applications or word on scholarships that might be less well known, etc.

- Along the same lines, many wealthy parents in DC pay professionals to help get their kids into college, in terms of finding the right colleges to apply for, helping with applications and essays, you name it. This can be a very pricy services and it's effective if you get the right person. College admissions is definitely a game and knowing how to play, where to play, and where NOT to play can make a big difference. This info is not publicly given out to all DC public school families.

Don't compare your kid to kids with families like the above. You are not in the same position and will not have the same experience. Context is everything when it comes to education in DC.[/quote]

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