Reply to Ever disappointed when you look at lists of where kids are going to college?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’m not sure if disappointment is the right word, but I know that I was not alone in being “shocked” as the matriculation at my DC’s Big 3 private school became evident to me (after more than 7 years at the school). Though the school doesn’t publish a matriculation list (and certainly doesn’t make any promises), I’d been led to believe that most of students matriculated to Ivy caliber colleges.  It’s now clear to me that a majority are not even matriculating to Top 25 schools.  We’ve adjusted to this reality and have calibrated expectations accordingly, but it was a shock at the time.  My advice to anyone who considers matriculation lists important is don’t trust anecdotal “word of the street” information – most of it is wrong.[/quote]

Your reply is so spot on.  My DC is also at a Big 3, we had expectations that students matriculated at ivy caliber colleges.  Our expectations were based on the school's reputation for academic excellence.   As corny as it sounds, I actually thought that the name of the school would open doors that applying from an okay public school wouldn't.
 
The shock is no longer raw, we're still in the process of adjusting to this reality.  To be honest, it's been hard to deal with this.[/quote]

I don't doubt you guys at all. My issue is, people routinely post awesome Big 3 matriculation lists on DCUM. It seems like substantial chunks of the graduating classes at Sidwell and the cathedral schools are going to highly selective universities, and the rest are going to top 25s. Is there something that's not obvious, like the lists are acceptances not matriculations. and in fact the same 5 kids got 25 acceptances? Or maybe these lists are 5-year averages? But you see, I know to look for these things -- so is there something else going on? It's hard for those of us on the outside, who are trying to make decisions, to know what's going on.[/quote]

12:14 here.  I haven't seen a matriculation listing since last year in the school magazine.  This is a portion of a list with schools that aren't top 25 in my mind any way; however, on second look a few are:

Auburn University
Colorado State University
Drexel University
Durham University
Elon University
Furman University
George Mason University
Jacksonville University
Morehouse College
Northeastern University
Rollins College
Sewanee: The University of the South
St. John's University - Queens Campus
University of Kentucky
University of Mary Washington
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
University of Mississippi
University of South Carolina
University of Vermont

Nothing wrong with these schools, but rather a step down after attending a Big3 for 7 years.  [/quote]

Yeah after paying Big 3 money for 7 yrs I wouldn't be pleased at my kid going to Drexel or UMBC -- you can go there being middle/lower end of the pack at a free public school. Depends on your views of private school though. If you send your kid because it's the best learning environment for them that you can afford, then I can see you being "okay" with these schools. If you send them because you see it as an "investment" to get them an advantage (which is my view - right or wrong), then I can't see being pleased with U Kentucky.[/quote]

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