Reply to Thoughts on DCI, Latin or BASIS

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Admissions is much more about a holistic body of work than which high school you attended.  In actuality, going to a lesser quality (or even gasp - traditional DCPS) and performing well may look better on your application.  We want kids that are motivated, involved in their community, and have other interests outside of education.  Your child must demonstrate a certain grasp of knowledge in their coursework; however, attending Basis or Latin makes no difference.

- signed former Admissions Officer at one of the referenced "snobby/elitist" schools [/quote]

[b]So, let's say I am about to send my child to an IB, unimpressive high school. I want my child to get into a top tier college. What MUST he/she achieve for you not to throw his/her application into the trash can? What do you personally need to see to consider an application holistic? My tendency is to send me child somewhere where at least the environment facilitates academic excellence. To say sending a child to such a school "makes no difference..." are you saying parents are out of their minds to try so hard? I have a sister who went to an IB HS instead of a magnet school. She went to Stanford after that.Yes. But she was the ONLY kid in her school who went to an elite college, and only because she scored perfect on her SATs.  I, on the other hand, went to a school with a really good reputation. Most of my friends went on to elite colleges after that. So my sister and I are from the same gene pool. But I went to a school that launched more kids into better schools later on. [/b]

To sum it up... you REALLY mean it when you say it doesn't matter where they go to school??? [/quote]

I'm not PP, but that's exactly what I'd confirm statistically speaking (I'm also working in admissions) and indeed your story comes to confirm it. Assuming your sister and you come from similar backgrounds and have a similar set of abilities. It looks to me like you're saying you both got into good schools despite the fact that one of you went to a school that traditionally sends kids to good schools, the other not so much. What research tells you is exactly that: "One and the same kid" (hard to prove but you and your sister come close) will do pretty much the same in different contexts.

Then there are all the exceptions... and there are those who defy predictions. But statistically speaking the person you address your question to is right.[/quote]

Thanks, that is thoughtful feedback. I do have extra data to throw in... My sister and I started out in the same school (early education) that provided an exceptional, really first class childhood for us. Those formative years really built us up. My brother went to a different elementary school (weaker), and his path was not as measurably stellar, but he is a great human being with his own achievements. I think school cultures do form you, even if their names may not. I hope everyone finds a community within which they thrive! [/quote]

[b]Original poster here:  I would go even a little farther.  if I had a choice of a kid coming from Wilson or a kid coming from a top tier private school and both had similar courses and achievements I would give a slight advantage to the kid from Wilson.  Now statistically speaking there would probably be a larger number of higher achieving kids at a top tier private school.  However, if you were achieving the same things at Wilson you would get the first look.  [/b]Now there is much more that goes into an admissions decision, community involvement, leadership roles, other interests, etc.  Also, there are probably more kids as a percentage that go to the best universities from private schools but that is more a reflection of the pool of students.  Your child has no better chance of being accepted based on where they attend.  Those that get into elite schools have an internal thirst for knowledge and self improvement.  That isn't something that comes from the school you send them to; however, it is something that can flourish in any school.   [/quote]

And Wilson parents are well aware of the admissions advantage they give their kids by keeping them in public school rather than going to DC privates even if they can afford it - at least for high school.  More APs are offered at Wilson, and flourishing in this urban environment which contains a truly diverse population 
a) allegedly points to grit and 
b) the really selective schools absolutely CANNOT admit the top 5% from even the top privates in DC (NCS, STA, bla bla bla) and furthermore they love to crow about their rejection rate - so kids who apply ED/EA have the best advantage of anyone.
- they need the public school kids for diversity, even if they are white, in DC. Since white kids are actually only 13% of DCPS. Unfortunately most can (and do) accept minority kids from private schools whose SES is in the 1% and claim diversity.  But some of the top schools are looking below the surface these days. Not to say there are absolute geographic quotas per state/city, but even if you have the best class ever at a top private in DC you just cannot take all of them.

They are looking for geographic, racial, ethnic, economic, public v private, and special types of diversity (think not only NCAA but violinists, and homeless kids and kids from foster care, etc) [b]In sum, there is absolutely no way to guarantee a child admission to a top college anymore if you think that means an Ivy or HYP. They all look at building a class, in addition to the qualities of specific candidates.[/b]

We don't think that getting our kids into HYP is necessarily what we want - you match the kid with the school, and there are probably at least 100 schools that we would be happy with our kids going to - as long as they are not taught by graduate students.  Kind of nixes Harvard for us, but you should choose the best HS for your child, the same way you collaboratively choose a college or university.

signed,
Ivy graduate 
whose siblings, cousins, parents, uncles and aunts, grandparents, etc ALL went to HYP from private schools, who is fully aware that the game has changed, and is opting for Wilson not only for the edge in admissions but the overall experience there, and absolutely not because of the money.
 
[/b][/b][b]Parents, please think of the match between each individual kid and each college because it matters. [b][/b] I think that is what Washington Latin is doing, and I admire them for it. And realize that because the admission of any one child is ultimately arbitrary, that putting pressure on your child is unhealthy. BASIS may be unhealthy. Look at the suicide clusters in the two public schools Palo Alto (2009 and 2014/2015) As shown by DC CAS scores and the SES breakdown of the population in the MS at Latin, and the fact that more kids are staying for HS, in 5 years or less, my prediction is that you will see a completely different list of college matriculations at Latin, not based solely on finances.

I do wish they would stop making kids take two years of Algebra I and have them double up on Alg II and Geometry in 9th.  Insane.[/quote]

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