Reply to BASIS high school versus middle school

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "BASIS high school versus middle school"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This thread echoes the typical refrain of admins when parents question how BASIS handles college counseling and applications. What you get is, don't complain, BASIS is free and has a fantastic track record in admissions. If you're unhappy it's because your kid isn't all that good.

I see room for improvement. [b]Some DC privates competing with BASIS in admissions are adapting better to a changing admissions landscape. [/b]

For example there are privates and public schools in the burbs that have started advising seniors aiming for Ivies to take 1-2 Cambridge A-Levels in Nov of senior year. This approach gives rising seniors 5 months after the last APs they've taken whose scores come in time to go with Jan applications to prep for additional standardized subject tests. A-Levels are on a par with IB Diploma higher level exams. Cambridge scores help seniors stand out on college applications.

At privates, AP course work doesn't wrap up junior year. BASIS could offer seniors more flexibility but the franchise is set in its ways. If you doubt this as a BASIS parent, ask the college counselor about Cambridge exams.[/quote]

LOL. Couple of things. First, does it surprise you that private schools have better and more resources to adapt? Second, the fact that you are comparing BASIS to DC privates is the point. It is a public charter school.[/quote]  [b]Private schools have the mentality to adapt,[/b] and to relentlessly build on students' academic strengths. We know that BASIS admits dozens of 5th graders who speak, read and write good Spanish, French or Chinese, coming from the DCI feeders. Yet BASIS does nothing to help immersion kids keep up language skills (even via after-school study financed by parents), and only permits study languages at the beginning level from 8th grade. In the same situation, private school admins would see an opportunity to build on skills that would support elite college admissions success up the chain. [/quote]

You actually couldn't be more wrong.  In my experience (with kids at two different "Big3" high schools) is that private schools are very rigid.  If they bent to the whim of every kid (i.e. every parent) they would have no standards left. For example, APs/high level classes are heavily gate-kept.  A student can't just sign up for one of these classes and they are only offered to select students.  You have to make a certain grade in the previous class, plus have the rec. of the teaching team plus there needs to be an available spot (so if the school wants to keep the class to 12 kids and there are 12 kids who the department/teaching team deems more qualified then you? well then you are out of luck).  Then there is no process for appealing this.  You don't like it? You leave.

I'm not sure if this is relevant to the Basis discussion but if there is ONE THING that the DC privates ARE NOT, it's "adaptable".  
They are rigid. Very, very rigid.  [/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