Reply to Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?

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Reply to "Wouldn't it be easier for your child to stand out in an average/low rated school vs a high rated?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I heard it would be easier for a student with a high GPA graduating from a low rated school than it is the other way around[/quote]

This can be true, but with a big caveat. The problem with being the kid with a high GPA from a lower performing school is that colleges know that students from lower performing schools are less likely to be prepared for college, even with a high GPA, so the high GPA isn't enough; you need other corroborating achievements to demonstrate a high level of college readiness. A kid with a slightly lower GPA from a more rigorous high school will have already demonstrated college readiness by their performance in the context of their school so they don't need as much corroboration; they will instead have to find other achievements as a way to stand out.[/quote]

...and  they will have a large cohort also competing against them.  Yes, schools like Lee and Stuart have small percentages of students going to competitive schools, but it’s easier to be in that group. Any admissions officer will tell you this. Also, they are looking for geographic diversity. The over saturation of competitive students is working against you- really from any high school in nova. [/quote]

If they are looking for geographic diversity, they aren't going to care if it comes from George Mason or Marshall, rather than Stuart.  They probably don't care if it comes from Falls Church, either, rather than Fairfax.  It's all NoVa.

It really is BS to think kids at the better schools are disadvantaged.  If it were otherwise, you'd see people trying to take advantage of the system by grooming their kid to be the top kid at Lee.  Does.  Not.  Happen. [/quote]

Because people are afraid. Parents are genuinely worried about what happens at a school like Lee. Which is understandable. It’s still easier to be in the top 2% at Lee as opposed to Mclean. It’s not personal. Just Math. 
You roll the dice no matter what you do with your kids. The best idea is to pay attention and make a change if needed. Most people aren’t clairvoyant. Looking back many people realize their children would have been fine almost anywhere, but it’s understandable people want assurances when kids are little. Picking a GS 8 is simple and reassuring to people. [/quote]

Not sure about Lee, but the top schools for Annandale HS last year were NoVa and George Mason. For Langley, they were Virginia Tech and JMU.   Langley also had 37 kids going to UVA or W&M.  Annandale had 13, and only one going to W&M.

Or we can look at the Ivies + Stanford.  Langley had eight kids going to those schools; Annandale had none.

So go ahead and tell me it's better to be in the top 2% at Annandale or Lee, but I'm not buying it. [/quote]

Wait. You are telling me the very best school any Annandale student was admitted to was GMU?[/quote]

The best schools seemed to be UVA (12), W&M (1) and Carnegie-Mellon (1).  [/quote]
Cool. So it’s a very small cohort, but basically confirms that a great student would excell at Annandale. Thank you.[/quote]

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