I don't think the Challenge Index is very accurate when it comes to the private schools because of the intense focus on AP.

AP isn't just a test, it is a required curriculum. When I'm paying $36k/year I want my child's high school to put together the strongest possible courses, rather than use an off-the-shelf syllabus from the College Board and teach to the test.

There is no lack of transparency - parents at private school have know exactly what is being taught in our high schoolers' classes. I have yet to meet any parent of a selective DC area private school alum who says their child was unprepared for college at the Ivies/MIT/Stanford. The typical feedback is that college is a lot easier than high school. Nor have I met one who wanted their child to amass enough credits to graduate college in 3 years. I want my DC to take the time to enjoy the experience. I would only encourage lots of AP tests if DC really wants to go to a large public university in order to avoid the massive intro lecture courses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoever is worrying about the "lunch subsidies" at private schools is confused. There is no such thing as "subsidized lunch" at private schools. That's like asking what percentage of public school students are on financial aid.

It may say 0% under that column, but it's just an oddity of the way the survey was set up.

Also, just to be clear, the subsidized lunch number has no bearing on these rankings, it's just provided as a point of comparison. The Sidwells, etc. of the world don't appear on this list because they refuse to provide their data.

The survey ask who qualifies for lunch subsidies not who provides lunch subsidies ... It is based on income.

The point is, private schools do not collect data on who qualifies for lunch subsidies. It is a moot question.

Anonymous wrote:Whoever is worrying about the "lunch subsidies" at private schools is confused. There is no such thing as "subsidized lunch" at private schools. That's like asking what percentage of public school students are on financial aid.

It may say 0% under that column, but it's just an oddity of the way the survey was set up.

Also, just to be clear, the subsidized lunch number has no bearing on these rankings, it's just provided as a point of comparison. The Sidwells, etc. of the world don't appear on this list because they refuse to provide their data.

The survey ask who qualifies for lunch subsidies not who provides lunch subsidies ... It is based on income.

Anonymous wrote:Whoever is worrying about the "lunch subsidies" at private schools is confused. There is no such thing as "subsidized lunch" at private schools. That's like asking what percentage of public school students are on financial aid.

It may say 0% under that column, but it's just an oddity of the way the survey was set up.

Also, just to be clear, the subsidized lunch number has no bearing on these rankings, it's just provided as a point of comparison. The Sidwells, etc. of the world don't appear on this list because they refuse to provide their data.

. Yep, no transparency.

Whoever is worrying about the "lunch subsidies" at private schools is confused. There is no such thing as "subsidized lunch" at private schools. That's like asking what percentage of public school students are on financial aid.

It may say 0% under that column, but it's just an oddity of the way the survey was set up.

Also, just to be clear, the subsidized lunch number has no bearing on these rankings, it's just provided as a point of comparison. The Sidwells, etc. of the world don't appear on this list because they refuse to provide their data.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I didn't see Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep on the list.

Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies

None of the DMV schools in the Top 50 provide lunch subsidies - I think lunch is generally included with tuition at local private schools.

As for Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep, as has been discussed in the past with regard to this index, some schools de-emphasize AP courses and are presumably not eager to facilitate a ranking based on AP participation.

\

It says "qualify for lunch subsidies".. so they would need to have a culture of supporting those less fortunate... it is a given for St. Anselms and Gonzaga, It was interesting to see Holton and Madeira in the list.

Well if 0% is support . . .

You are confused PP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I didn't see Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep on the list.

Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies

None of the DMV schools in the Top 50 provide lunch subsidies - I think lunch is generally included with tuition at local private schools.

As for Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep, as has been discussed in the past with regard to this index, some schools de-emphasize AP courses and are presumably not eager to facilitate a ranking based on AP participation.

\

It says "qualify for lunch subsidies".. so they would need to have a culture of supporting those less fortunate... it is a given for St. Anselms and Gonzaga, It was interesting to see Holton and Madeira in the list.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I didn't see Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep on the list.

Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies

None of the DMV schools in the Top 50 provide lunch subsidies - I think lunch is generally included with tuition at local private schools.

As for Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep, as has been discussed in the past with regard to this index, some schools de-emphasize AP courses and are presumably not eager to facilitate a ranking based on AP participation.

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I didn't see Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep on the list.

Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies

Wait, I didn't see Sidwell, St Albans, Potomac or GPrep on the list.

Anonymous wrote:The index score is the number of college-level tests given at a school in the previous calendar year divided by the number of graduates that year. Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies (Subs. lunch) and the percentage of graduates who passed at least one college-level test during their high school career, called equity and excellence, (E&E). A (P) next to the school's name denotes a private school.

That data is provided (by some schools), but not used in the ranking.

The index score is the number of college-level tests given at a school in the previous calendar year divided by the number of graduates that year. Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies (Subs. lunch) and the percentage of graduates who passed at least one college-level test during their high school career, called equity and excellence, (E&E). A (P) next to the school's name denotes a private school.

Wonder where Georgetown Prep is?

Several local private schools are among the Nation’s most challenging high schools according to the Washington Post’s annual ranking based on the number of college-level tests given at a school in the previous calendar year divided by the number of graduates that year:

http://apps.washingtonpost.com/local/highschoolchallenge/schools/2014/list/private/

Saint Anselm’s Abbey, Washington International and Holton-Arms are among the Top 20 most challenging schools in the nation.

Stone Ridge, NCS, Gonzaga, Landon. Madeira are listed in the Top 50

Maret is #52.