Reply to Why High School Rankings are Meaningless .... and Harmful

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am someone that looks at high school rankings.

Not because I think the schools are inherently better than the others, but because of the types of children that these schools attract. I'm a big believer that at that age, there is more of a gang mentality. Teenagers in general follow their peers, and are very affected by what others are doing. Children in the better ranked schools tend to be more inclined towards education, their parents are more inclined towards education, and my kids will be surrounded by people that want to do well.

I would definitely not rule out a lower ranked school, but I definitely would not look at a bottom tiered school. [/quote]

I agree. I would also add that I would stay away from top tiered because the culture of the school is usually unbalanced. The peers also have negative influences in another way. [/quote]

The top-tiered schools in the suburbs are not always in super-wealthy areas, but they rarely have many poor students.  They are generally in the most desirable neighborhoods.  Whether the neighborhoods are desirable because of the schools, or vice versa, can be debated.  When push comes to shove, people who can afford to do so typically will seek to live in an area with top-tiered schools, rather than in areas with middle-tiered schools, because (1) they think the larger cohort of academically motivated students will be more of a positive than a negative, (2) they are not convinced there is a clear benefit to having their kids share a facility with lower-income kids, who often take different classes in any event, and (3) it sends a social message to sport a Langley or B-CC decal on your car, together with the "26.2" and "OBX" stickers.

Now that more upper-income people are choosing to live in urban and close-in suburban areas that recently have not been known for the quality of their public schools, it's inevitable that the traditional rankings that favor suburban schools will come under attack, at least until the demographics change enough that those schools would be highly ranked.  At that point, Atlantic Monthly will publish new pieces on suburban poverty and how some urban schools are now highly ranked.    [/quote]

1) academically motivated is found in the "average" schools in this area without the "take no prisoners" approach to some "elite" schools.
2) I am not talking about lower-income, I am talking about motivated kids that are academically successful (no matter their income) who don't slit their wrist at the though of a B or going to UMCP. They outnumber the "elite" by definition.

Mostly people with money did not go to a top tier school and did not go to HPY yet they are very, very successful and find all this hype about top tier ridiculous. They make sure their kids are in a good school (not necessarily top tier), work hard, make sure they have a good support system, make sure they have interests out of school that keep them well rounded and are confident that their child will be successful.

I find the HPY people believe that is what made them successful instead of hard work and determination and are running scared at the thought that their kids will not do as well as them. I don't desire to be a part of that atmosphere though, in this area, it is hard to avoid. My kids get the benefit of seeing their "elite" friends never happy at their successes because it is never enough for their parents.

I think when you are in the city or close-in suburbs you lose clarity, you believe everybody thinks "elite" this and "elite" that. Guess what - there are doctors and lawers and indian chiefs in the exburbs too. [/quote]

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