Hmmm -- the scary truth OP is that even some of the top kids at Sidwell aren't going to get into an Ivy w/o a signficant hook. Each Ivy is only going to take a few kids at best from every elite school. (And, yes TJ booster...I realize TJ might get 40 into UPenn but that's because there are a lot more kids at TJ). Look at the percentage of admits not the number of kids. So, HYP will probably only take 2 or 3 from Sidwell every year barring an unusual # of legacies, VIPs, athletic recruits or very, very special URMs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do a search of the archives, this had been discussed many times. I think most colleges are going to assume the C student, even a B- student, is unmotivated, and won't be interested unless there's some hook like maybe sports.

What makes you think " bottom half student" indicates C's. My DS attends another school , and just about his entire class gets all A's. Bottom half could be mostly B's, the occasional A, and the occasional C. Hardly translates to "unmotivated" withthe work these schools give the kids, my god...have you seen the work ?

So you're saying that grade inflation is rampant at "these schools?"

What? No, I'm making the opposite point. The curriculum is very challenging and the teachers set high expectations for grades. My DS is in 4th grade and he is assigned the kind of work I did in 7th grade when I was in school. My DS is doing very well, but if he were getting stright B's, I'd keep the curriculum in mind. The work is hard, the teacher's expectations are high ( they teach to the top 10%). I am not saying the teachers don't work with the kids that need extra help, they are very dedicated and they do, but the curriculum is designed, and the pace of the work is such that only an extremely bright child ( talking 140+ IQ) is going to get straight A's and they might not all be A+ either, some may even be A-. So, "bottom half of class" is probably a slightly above average kid, working his/her ass off, not as PP said " "an unmotivated student"

Are the "lifers" (kids admitted in preK/K) most likely to end up in the bottom half at Sidwell?

Anonymous wrote:Only a small number of colleges can have a Sidwell or St. Albans or GDS graduate.

Every college can have a public school graduate.

Bottom half as an impediment? Just do the math.

I think most competitive colleges would rather have interesting high achievers from public schools than yet another prep school grad. The math has been done. Bottom half of class matters but coming from a "top" private school can actually hurt.

The admissions officers are familiar with each school and will assess students within the context of their school. So the actual grades don't matter.

Once you get away from the most, most competitive colleges, there is a large number of really good schools, all over the country. A student in the bottom half of Sidwell would have a great shot at these great schools. If that same student went to public school (and presumably wouldn't be in the bottom half there) he would have the same shot.

The onnly thing I would ask about Sidwell -- and I have no connection, so I don't know -- is whether college guidance would give those kids enough attention.

Only a small number of colleges can have a Sidwell or St. Albans or GDS graduate.

Every college can have a public school graduate.

Bottom half as an impediment? Just do the math.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would imagine that all of the college admissions directors understand that Sidwell is full of high achieving and bright kids. So do you think that when they see an average for Sidwell or bottom half student, that they weigh this appropriately. Or is bottom half simply bottom half, whether Sidwell or wherever else public school?

If your Sidwell graduate was one of those bottom half students, how did college admission work out?

Don't worry, OP - I'm sure the admissions officers at the Ivys (plus Duke, Stanford, Cal and Northwestern) all realize that if your kid goes to Sidwell (or some similar school) they are brilliant, hardworking, come from a great family, and have fantastic morals, despite any empirical evidence that suggests anything to the contrary. They's be lucky to have your kid, despite his lackluster performance in high school.

I assume that this is sarcastic. What an admissions officer can probably conclude (esp. if corroborated by test scores) is that an applicant from Sidwell Friends or Saint Albans, etc. will be well prepared to do demanding college level work and a lot of it. Beyond that, admission depends on how the applicant stacks up against the pool, as well as against the other kids applying from their own school. If an admission officer is famliar with a rigorous school, a reputation for non-inflated grading (true in Sidwell Friends' case, can't speak about other independent schools) may provide some adjustment but I would guess it's only modest. Test scores would be pretty important obviously.

Anonymous wrote:I would imagine that all of the college admissions directors understand that Sidwell is full of high achieving and bright kids. So do you think that when they see an average for Sidwell or bottom half student, that they weigh this appropriately. Or is bottom half simply bottom half, whether Sidwell or wherever else public school?

If your Sidwell graduate was one of those bottom half students, how did college admission work out?

Don't worry, OP - I'm sure the admissions officers at the Ivys (plus Duke, Stanford, Cal and Northwestern) all realize that if your kid goes to Sidwell (or some similar school) they are brilliant, hardworking, come from a great family, and have fantastic morals, despite any empirical evidence that suggests anything to the contrary. They's be lucky to have your kid, despite his lackluster performance in high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do a search of the archives, this had been discussed many times. I think most colleges are going to assume the C student, even a B- student, is unmotivated, and won't be interested unless there's some hook like maybe sports.

What make syou think " bottom half student" indicates C's. My DS attends another school , and just about his entire class gets all A's. Bottom half could be mostly B's, the occasional A, and the occasional C. Hardly translates to "unmotivated" withthe work these schools give the kids, my god...have you seen the work ?

So you're saying that grade inflation is rampant at "these schools?"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do a search of the archives, this had been discussed many times. I think most colleges are going to assume the C student, even a B- student, is unmotivated, and won't be interested unless there's some hook like maybe sports.

What make syou think " bottom half student" indicates C's. My DS attends another school , and just about his entire class gets all A's. Bottom half could be mostly B's, the occasional A, and the occasional C. Hardly translates to "unmotivated" withthe work these schools give the kids, my god...have you seen the work ?

Uh yes, yes I have seen the work at one of these schools. I have also seen C students, and I'm sure you have too.

Calm down. I was trying to make one of the few points probably everyone can agree on. (If anyone has time to waste, search up the thread from a few years ago from the mom whose Sidwell kid was rejected at UMD.) Also I was deliberately trying to avoud the usual path for these types of threads on DCUM, which is a fast degeneration into competitive postings of exmissions lists and hostile arguments about whether Sewanee is really a desirable school. But if that's where you want to go (and the snide tone of your post makes a good start), well then I guess I can't stop you.

I seem to remember a similar discussion regarding St. Albans. But I don't remember one about Sidwell. If someone with better search skills than I can unearth the related Sidwell post, I would appreciate it.

If the class is getting al A's then they all must have close to perfect SAT scores also. The SAT and GPA together give admisssions officers an idea of just what all of those A's mean. GPA, Class rank. SAT's and strength of courses tell the bigger picture. An A in AP Calc is weighted differently than a A in other math classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do a search of the archives, this had been discussed many times. I think most colleges are going to assume the C student, even a B- student, is unmotivated, and won't be interested unless there's some hook like maybe sports.

What make syou think " bottom half student" indicates C's. My DS attends another school , and just about his entire class gets all A's. Bottom half could be mostly B's, the occasional A, and the occasional C. Hardly translates to "unmotivated" withthe work these schools give the kids, my god...have you seen the work ?

Uh yes, yes I have seen the work at one of these schools. I have also seen C students, and I'm sure you have too.

Calm down. I was trying to make one of the few points probably everyone can agree on. (If anyone has time to waste, search up the thread from a few years ago from the mom whose Sidwell kid was rejected at UMD.) Also I was deliberately trying to avoud the usual path for these types of threads on DCUM, which is a fast degeneration into competitive postings of exmissions lists and hostile arguments about whether Sewanee is really a desirable school. But if that's where you want to go (and the snide tone of your post makes a good start), well then I guess I can't stop you.

Anonymous wrote:Do a search of the archives, this had been discussed many times. I think most colleges are going to assume the C student, even a B- student, is unmotivated, and won't be interested unless there's some hook like maybe sports.

What make syou think " bottom half student" indicates C's. My DS attends another school , and just about his entire class gets all A's. Bottom half could be mostly B's, the occasional A, and the occasional C. Hardly translates to "unmotivated" withthe work these schools give the kids, my god...have you seen the work ?

Do a search of the archives, this had been discussed many times. I think most colleges are going to assume the C student, even a B- student, is unmotivated, and won't be interested unless there's some hook like maybe sports.

I would imagine that all of the college admissions directors understand that Sidwell is full of high achieving and bright kids. So do you think that when they see an average for Sidwell or bottom half student, that they weigh this appropriately. Or is bottom half simply bottom half, whether Sidwell or wherever else public school?

If your Sidwell graduate was one of those bottom half students, how did college admission work out?