Anonymous wrote:It won't matter in college admissions if you don't have a hook. And if you do have it a hook, it won't matter either.

What a stupid comment

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Class of 2022 was app 3.7

Interesting. That’s a lot of students.

I had a 2022 graduate there. I think it was lower, maybe 3.5 But since then and current DC, I think top 25% is higher.

So 75% of the class was below a 3.5?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Class of 2022 was app 3.7

Interesting. That’s a lot of students.

I had a 2022 graduate there. I think it was lower, maybe 3.5 But since then and current DC, I think top 25% is higher.

I've had 3 kids here.
I've finally come to the realization that these Big3 schools are NOT good for STEM kids. At all.
Not because they don't teach STEM well (I happen to think they do) but because the English and History courses are only taught at one level (and it's really high!) (unlike the math and science courses).
If you have an English teacher who only gives 1 or 3 A's out of a section of 15 kids (which is not unusual), it's really hard to get those As. And chances are, there will be a few kids in your kids' classes who live and breathe to write and who are REALLY good at it. There are the As.

So these schools (Sidwell, NCS, STA, etc) are really not a good fit for STEM kids but are a good fit for "humanities kids" because the humanities kids do well in the challenging humanities classes and then take the lower track of math and science classes. Meanwhile the STEM kids are stuck taking high level classes in all disciplines.

Anonymous wrote:Is it better to be within top 25% GPA at Sidwell, or top 25% GPA at public magnet?

I am parent of current middle school student. My child is considering applying at both public magnet and top privates like Sidwell next year. Entering public magnet is highly likely given the current academic status. My child is not sure which one would be better for future. We are just starting to research privates which are strong in STEM.

None. PP, please don't waste your money unless your income or assets are stratospheric. Keep your kid in their home school, or do the magnet, but if I were you, I wouldn't waste it on private. Unless your kid has one or more hooks, your child won't get into an Ivy from a selective private school, because many parents went to Ivies. Public magnets are full of Ivy hopefuls too, and it's going to be very hard to stand out, but at least you won't be paying an arm and a leg for it, which means the skills and rigor will prepare them for college without bankrupting you.

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original question — anyone know what the GPA range might be for the top 25% of the class

FFS use SCOIR data, ask your child, or reach out to the college counseling office. If none of those options are palatable or possible you probably shouldn’t have access to this data.

Anonymous wrote:Class of 2022 was app 3.7

Interesting. That’s a lot of students.

Class of 2022 was app 3.7

Likely between 3.75-3.8 to 4.

Back to the original question — anyone know what the GPA range might be for the top 25% of the class

Is it better to be within top 25% GPA at Sidwell, or top 25% GPA at public magnet?

I am parent of current middle school student. My child is considering applying at both public magnet and top privates like Sidwell next year. Entering public magnet is highly likely given the current academic status. My child is not sure which one would be better for future. We are just starting to research privates which are strong in STEM.

Not a Sidwell parent but I have kids at other Big3s.
I've tried to figure this out and there definitely seems to have been a little grade inflation in the classes graduating in 2022-2024 as these grades had a full year of virtual school for one of the 3 main years at count for college (9-11). The class of 2025 will be the first year to be entirely back in person for 4 years and the grades are down for this year of kids. At my one kid's school it is probably 0.10-.20 on average for the class.

Just FYI---if some tells you that the top 25% is 3.9+ this might not be the case for the current juniors and on.

Anonymous wrote:It won't help in college admissions if you don't have a hook. And if you do have it a hook, it won't matter .

clarification

It won't matter in college admissions if you don't have a hook. And if you do have it a hook, it won't matter either.

Anyone have a sense of the ball park range?