Reply to Questions about College Placement

Forum Index » Private & Independent Schools

Reply to "Questions about College Placement"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If you're considering private HS because of college placement, you are doing it wrong.

At best, private schools can help your child thrive academically - whether that means more rigor, more support, smaller class sizes, new and different clubs and ECs, etc.

And if your child reaches their academic potential, you're in the same boat as every other public and private HS parent  - scrambling with an extremely dysfunctional and competitive college admissions landscape. [/quote]

OP here - to clarify, we are already in a Big 3 private in 7th grade.  We are weighing staying there vs moving to another private.   We are not considering public.[/quote]

If your goal is college placement, you need to be brutally honest with yourself and ask if your kid has what it takes to get in the top 10% of the class (preferably top 5%). Can they get a 3.9+ GPA or equivalent at Sidwell/GDS/NCS/STA? Do they have the work ethic or natural ability?

If not, then switch to an easier private with less competitive students. A 3.4-3.5 Big 3 student would almost-certainly get a 3.95+ UW at Burke, Field, SJC, etc. Top grades at a mediocre private will open far more college doors than being middle-of-the-pack in the elite private schools.[/quote]

The reality is that even at less rigorous privates you are competing against legacies, athletes, etc for the T20. These schools also have good students (it sounds like OP's kid is a good student but not motivated to be the "best" student). I wouldn't assume this kid will suddenly become an academic star at a "lesser" school. If your kid is happy, I wouldn't move them just to improve college admissions chances. What is true now, may not be true by the time OP's kid is heading into the admissions season.

If you are truly trying to compare college admissions offices across schools, I would ask questions about the process. When the kids start visiting with their counselor. How is time carved out of the day for kids to meet with the counselor. The less motivated the student (in the college admissions process I mean) the more "mandatory" meetings and "workshops" need to be present. Also, is it up to the kid to make all the one-on-ones with the counselor, or is there time carved out of the day for kids to meet with the counselor on a mandatory basis. Lots of folks at private schools hire private counselors in addition to the resources available at their school.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics