Reply to CHARTERS MAY MERGE AT WALTER REED (The DC International School, IB Diploma Programme)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]So, interviewers, what DOES it take to get into one of the higly selective colleges from a DC public school?  [/quote]

Little Ivy Interviewer here.  Here's what I've seen other applicants do that DCPS and Latin kids generally don't:

*Score 700s on all three sections of the SAT if high-SES, and at least mid 600s if low-SES/FARMs.  Take the SAT multiple times if necessary.  Making the 700 cuts only means that an application is read - Ivies/Little Ivies now reject around 3/4 of the kids with at least one perfect SAT score.  A kid's chances of admission rise from around 10% to 15% if they score in the 750-800 range on a section rather than in the 700-750 range.  Banneker's average SAT scores are in the 480-520 range.  Don't know what Latin's are, but not 700s.

*Pick a favorite school and apply Early Action/Decision in October, even if binding.  Chances of admission double by applying early.

*If language immersion in ES, have immersion experiences in MS and HS during summers/breaks.  Low-SES kids can apply for foundation grants to participate in immersion camps, domestically and abroad.  MoCo and Fairfax fund such camps for low-SES kids, DC isn't doing this.  If high-SES with enough space in the home, hire a series of part-time au pairs speaking the immersion language, possible through the State Dept. program to age 12, if at least one of the parents isn't fluent in it.

*Participate in the Johns Hopkins CTY camps (nearest at campus of St. Stephens and St. Agnes in VA), preferably from the summer after 2nd grade through MS.  The MS camps are sleep-over camps.  Hopkins waives the $2,500 - $4,000 fee for FARMs kids.  Participate in the Stanford University EPSY on-line programs for gifted youth, particularly for math and science.  MS kids can also do Kumon, Saxon and Khan Academy math on-line.

*Take algebra no later than the 7th grade, even if humanities oriented.  If a DC PS doesn't offer it before 8th grade, takes it during the summer at a Johns Hopkins camp or via Stanford EPSY.

*If the school offers IB, pursue the full diploma and score 40+ (schools can revoke admissions offers for a low total score).  Even if a school offers IB, take AP language exams (no longer any need to take AP courses to take exams) or SAT II language exams and get 700s+ (or retake).  Do this because IB test scores don't come out until after HS graduation, which can handicap IB kids.  If a school does not offer IB, take at least 7 AP tests, preferably 10.  Score all 4s and 5s, even if low-SES.  Retake any tests where the score is a 3 or lower.  If a humanities student, take 2 IB and AP language tests, or just 2 AP.

*Pursue unusual extra-curriculars and summer activities, preferably one of a kind involving travel/volunteering.

*If science-oriented, enter at least one of the national science or team robotics competitions with a mentor from 10th grade, or the NIH high school research program.  Do not stop at AB calculus and physics (one year), take the second year/level, BC, through self-study if necessary.

Not every applicant does all this of course, but I've never seen one fail who did and I've interviewed around 80.  One caveat: the "rules" for top HS athletes, actors and musicians are different.   Hope this helps.

[/quote]

Wow, I got into an Ivy 15 years ago for undergrad (humanities/social sciences) and I didn't do the majority of your list--just good SAT score, grades, school leadership and volunteering.  And I attended a standard/average parochial school for MS/HS.  What happened??!![/quote]

Not PP.  Which part of the country did you apply?  It makes a difference if you are from NYC/Westchester, Bethesda/CC/DC, Boston, etc. and the rest of the country.  It's tough and highly competitive to get in from these areas and while it's gotten somewhat worse since the 80ties when I went, the kids who get into the Ivies then and now are the very top.  THAT hasn't changed at all.   I went to an Ivy and met a lot of other kids from most of the elite schools doing debate and invariably if they were from DC, it was from Bethesda/CC;  Chicago, New Trier; NYC, Hunter, Stuy, etc.  I'm sure that hasn't changed much.

That said, we're willing to see how DCI will work out.  Certainly, a good middle school option is welcome.  While I am a fan of ability tracking and testing for admissions in high school, middle school not so much.  Like PP said, as long as they have algebra in 7th grade and geometry by 8th - it'll be enough.

[/quote]

Philadelphia--I was at the top of my class (#2) and was waitlisted at Columbia and accepted at U of Penn; the number #1 kid went to Harvard.  [/quote]

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