Reply to AAP application - are kids compared only within the same school?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Everyone knows what the elements are of the packet that gets reviewed, how is that not transparent. What makes the process unfair? Are you expecting individualized feedback on the x% denied out of the 10,000 or so kids they evaluate for AAP each year as to why their particular packet didn't get selected? Are you expecting that they take some of the subjective factors (work samples, GBRS/HOPE + teacher comments, etc.) and somehow convert those to objective criteria that can be plugged into a deterministic formula? Do you feel the same re: fairness/transparency about other subjective and non-transparent selective processes 
that we all experience throughout life (sports teams, college applications, job applications, promotions/raises, dating, etc.)?

I DO understand the frustration of feeling like your kid would do well in AAP but for some reason wasn't selected, but I'm just not clear what alternative is expected or why this is seen as particularly non-transparent/unfair, as this just seems like it is part of life and how things work. You could make the argument that life isn't fair (or transparent) either, and I'd agree with you on that! Just doesn't seem like it is anything unique to AAP, and that they do provide as much transparency about the process as one could reasonably expect.[/quote]
 Everyone does know about the various criteria, but no one knows how the various criteria are weighted in the evaluation.  In addition, there are a lot of very different criteria, which makes it all the harder.  I think what would be helpful would to provide a rubric for the evaluation process and also statistics on the number of people who applied and number of people accepted, as well as average scores, etc where there are quantitative measures.

Furthermore, the evaluation process is set up so that everyone can deny responsibility.  The teacher, AART and principal can say that the central
committee decides.  The central committee can say that they are just going off of info provided to them.  Accordingly, when something is off or goes wrong, there is no one to even talk to.

I have said this many times - just have very clear, objective standards that anyone can meet with some
time and effort and eliminate any caps on the number of people who can be in AAP.  This way, anyone who is willing to put in some effort, can get in.  This will reduce the people arguing that there is no transparency.  It may “lower” AAP standards but people already complain that standards are lower.[/quote]

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